THE BEST 4K UHD BLU-RAYS OF 2021 - Top 10 List - Physical Media

[@ElliotCoen]

Hi all, thanks for watching. I had the occasional camera focus issue in this video, my apologies. If you want to see my top 10 list from last year, click here -> kzbin.info/www/bejne/paS7ZJyXaKuEatk

[@jolyonwatts5624]

I'm waiting for more horror films on 4k. Great video. You made me look for older movies to buy.

[@ndevanko]

Happy to see you back Elliot !

[@mrpmj00]

.,.My top 4k movies are: - The Bourne Movie collection - James Bond - Maleficent (starring Angelina Jolie) - Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (starring Angelina Jolie) - Marvel series (Avengers, Ironman, etc.) - Disney - Fantastic Four series (with live Actors) - Disney - XMEN series - Aquaman (starring Jason Momoa) - Transformers series - Van Helsing - Lawrence of Arabia - Fury - Midway - The Magnificent Seven (with Denzel Washington) - Bumblebee - Hacksaw Ridge - Ford v Ferrari - Justice League - Shang-Chi - Old - Ready Player One - The Revenant - Jumanji - Welcome to the Jungle - Jumanji - The Next Level - Mad Max - Fury Road - Point Break (with Edgar Ramirez) - Star Trek Trilogy: The Kelvin Timeline - Dracula Untold - Underworld: Rise of the Lycans - The Protege - The Meg - Hancock - The Hitman's Bodyguard - Valerian - Free Guy - Ghost in the Shell - Ender's Game My top 4k musicals are: - Mamma Mia (1 and 2) - The Greatest Showman - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (with Emma Watson) - CINDERELLA (with Cate Blanchett, Lily James) - Lion King, The Feature - Sound of Music - Grease

[@felmonto]

It is very nice to see you active again. Thank you!

[@justinmadison513]

My Fair Lady definitely blew me away too. It really looks like it was filmed today. It's simply stunning. I think it's the best disc I own.

[@Bubaglobalj]

So glad to see you are back. I really enjoy your videos and you got me into collecting more seriously. So I guess thank you? :D

[@DriveupLife22]

Way to go Eliot! I'm pretty sure NOONE put Sense and Sensibility on their top ten list other than you, and I agree the transfer is bonkers. Great list.

[@orionv75]

Great list. I agree, Sense & Sensibility is a fantastic disc and was my disc of the year, the colours are amazing !

[@blu-rayswithnathanjones]

Great choices Elliot! I see a few of my favorite 4Ks of the year on this list, so that's reassuring. Really enjoyed the Willy Wonka and Seventh Seal discs. Also was able to add a few that have slipped my radar, so that is much appreciated. Cheers, my friend!

[@ElliotCoen]

Cheers, Nathan! :)

[@SamLovesMovies25]

Furthermore about Willy Wonka 4K, it also fixed the incorrect framing from the Blu Ray disc transfer and restored it to its original theatrical intended aspect ratio, which is also great! Though it looks like you guys didn't get the beautiful holographic sparkle on your slipcover, which is a real shame lol (I love all things sparkly, shiny, and glittery, *especially* if it's real holo lol)

[@ElliotCoen]

Very true about the correct framing. Thanks for mentioning it!

[@workingbeauty1804]

With the German disks, please check if it is a reversible sleeve. Many have, without the age restriction label... so when you turn it around you have a nice sleeve. Unfortunately not all of them have, but many

[@ElliotCoen]

Indeed, great tip. Unfortunately the sleeves are completely blank on the other side. Not to worry!

[@TheStOne1]

Germany must stop putting those awful ugly labels.

[@workingbeauty1804]

Yes the labels are hideous and I hate them. I am always disappointed when there is no reversible sleeve

[@moomcmoosson1992]

@@workingbeauty1804 Still prettier than the australian ones. xD

[@Petersonmgee]

😧😧😧😧😧

[@akajkyt]

My sister has gifted my three 4K’s throughout the year, 2001: a Space Odyssey (I have about 5 copies of it now), and the first two Star Wars films. They were wonderful rewatches. In terms of recent releases, I’d certainly like The Seventh Seal as it’s one of my favourites.

[@ElliotCoen]

Those are great gifts!

[@cburg]

Absolutely love the sting. Was over the moon when the 4K was released - much better than the blu-ray. And also big love for 2014 Godzilla, that movie goes so hard.

[@ElliotCoen]

It does go so hard. I love it! Thanks for watching.

[@FilmBloggerSam]

Great selection of picks pal! I need that Taxi Driver disc 😬 thanks for sharing 👍

[@ElliotCoen]

Cheers pal! Hopefully they do a single release of it soon.

[@artridge1]

Nice list--did you get a chance to see the other 4k Criterions? Citizen Kane, Red Shoes?

[@halfsquatch]

I was expecting "The Red Shoes" 4K from Criterion to show up on this list... I am curious if this one wasn't good enough to make the cut or if you simply haven't had the opportunity to see it? I can't wait for it to go on sale so I can pick it up.

[@darkomilicevic9900]

Great list, I agree on number 1 and also Inglourious Basterds looked pretty good to me. 👍

[@_dpmusic1]

Very unique list! And happy belated new year Elliott!

[@ElliotCoen]

Thanks, Deen! Happy new year!

[@popcorndistrict1334]

Great to see you back Elliot! Thank you for the recommendations, looking to pick up a few of these, especially Taxi Driver if/when it gets an individual release. On a side note, I totally get your frustration with the age restriction labels. Its a nuisance here with NZ/Aus releases haha. Keep up the great work!

[@ElliotCoen]

Hey, thanks so much!

[@southendonseaarts]

I’m with you with Sony as the best the Columbia classic Vol 2 blew me away, Anatomy of a murder looked brilliant on that set too, even Oliver shone out with its clarity and colour got all those titles. The servant is excellent Studiocanal are doing good work too. Loved Menace Ii Society sounded terrific in 7.1 too

[@marchughes6161]

Good list Elliot ~ my number one was ‘no time to die’ 🙌

[@aarondelmonte5345]

You gotta check out the Almost Famous on 4K! A great film and so deserved to be on the format. Was a solid upgrade (handled very faithfully) over the previous blu-ray which was waaaay to processed.

[@MyFireVideos]

Thank you! I look forward to checking these out!

[@ElliotCoen]

My pleasure, thank you!

[@JacobNeff77]

Nice list! I have 9 of those with THE SERVANT en route.

[@ElliotCoen]

Good stuff, Jacob. Thanks for watching!

[@BROTHERS_PeB]

Great Review!! ❤👏👏👏👏

[@richellebrittain2127]

Glad to see My Fair Lady at the top. It was a 70mm release shot on a 65mm negative, like Lawrence of Arabia (the big selling point of Columbia Classics Vol. 1; I suspect it's on his 2020 top 10 list). 70mm & VistaVision films (The Ten Commandments, another high quality 2021 4K release, was in VistaVision) will generally get the most benefit from 4K Blu-ray, because their larger negatives are naturally finer grained than the usual 35mm film since there's more of them.

[@jasonmensinga7407]

You must get the final countdown 4k from blue underground the movie is great the disc and packaging is awesome dolbyvision and atmos 👍

[@nationalcoasternews5798]

Great list, I’d add Ten Commandments and the red shoes off the top of my head

[@365cineArg]

Cool list, I liked it! Inglourious basterds is very divisive!

[@crushersteve6658]

I agree that inglorious bastards looks good on 4k...but what think people are mad about is that it was shot on film and should have been given a new 4k scan from the 35mm negitve. As you mentioned older films really benefit from 4k...but that's because they were shot on film. It would look even better.

[@richardcoles2432]

Can you recommend a good player?

[@kevinmarcus5125]

Thanks for your reviews. I personally love and collect 4ks as I’m a big time movie lover. The only major issue I have with some 4ks is when the races are scrubbed and look too smooth (like on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy). I don’t get why they do that.

[@themcdermottway6912]

Where did you get the 4k taxi driver? From my search online I can only find the "mastered in 4k". The actual 4k blu ray says it hasn't been released. Thanks

[@ElliotCoen]

It's in the Columbia Classics vol 2 set.

[@JoshLewis07]

Just getting to this video so sorry for the late comment, but glad to see someone say the Inglourious Basterds 4K was worth it because I saw so much negativity around that release and its one of my all-time favorite films so I bought it anyway to see for myself. And I thought it was completely overblown. I'm by no means an expert on any of this, but it looked like an upgrade to me.

[@eldrad142]

Is there any chance that Sense and Sensibility, and the other titles from the Columbia Classics set, be released individually? Did it happen with the films from set 1?

[@ElliotCoen]

I'm sure it will come eventually. I know that Gandhi and Dr Strangelove have individual releases after the first Columbia set.

[@popculture3394]

In the line of fire was amazing looking. My wife even notice.

[@ElliotCoen]

Wives everywhere are calling it 4K disc of the year!

[@felixbronkhorst1674]

One that most people missed last year: The french UHD release of Bayan Ko by Lino Brocka. Great package and it looks absolutely stunning. My personal no. 1 of 2021. Would recommend.

[@ElliotCoen]

I'll have to look it up. Is it English friendly?

[@felixbronkhorst1674]

@@ElliotCoen It has english subtitles. Packaging comes mostly in french tho. Exclusive restoration. It's beyond me how such a small label pulled this off … But they did. Really promising event for the future of physical media imo.

[@ElliotCoen]

@@felixbronkhorst1674 excellent, thanks for the tip!

[@CosmicPotato]

Wasn't Inglorious Basterds filmed on 35mm though, so they could go back to the original film print and do a proper 4K scan?

[@URBONED]

They would scan it and edit the film digitally and master it (finish it) at 2K then all 35mm film prints would be struck from that digital master not the original negative so unfortunately not. Which is why a lot of movies shot on film in the 2000s are only getting 2K upscales because the negatives don’t have the visual effects/colour grading etc. that the 2K digital masters have.

[@ElliotCoen]

It's certainly possible to go back to the camera negatives, but it becomes a very expensive process to do that, as all post processing would need to be done again. I think the costs would outweigh any potential gain from that process, that is, unless future technology would make it much more affordable.

[@VengaboysRbackINtown]

Hi Elliot, did I perchance see your Father on a gardening show?

[@ElliotCoen]

Yes my parents have been on the telly!

[@SamLovesMovies25]

I agree that some people were probably being a bit too harsh on the Inglorious Basterds 4K. I think it did look *slightly* better with *slightly* more detail and such, and an overall improvement, even if not all *that* much. Sure it could've looked even better if they *could* have gone and done an actual true 4K restoration, but it is still an improvement nonetheless, however small, and not worse in any way IMO. And I didn't own the Blu Ray in my collection, so it made sense for me to just go right to 4K in this case.

[@edtallman7264]

Sony does 4k discs the way North Carolina, Duke and Kansas do college basketball -- as a dynastic enterprise tthat's very hard to beat.

[@HallgeirOlsen]

What do you mean when you say that Inglorious Basterds was finished in 2k? And you also say that we will not see a better version. I don’t understand, it was shot on film and a 4k scan could/should be possible. What am I messing? I agree about My Fair Lady, great release of a good, but not great film. Good to see you on the screen again, keep up the good work.

[@ElliotCoen]

It was shot on 35mm film, but after editing and all post production, it was only ever completed at 2K, which was common for the time. They can go back to the negatives and scan at 4K but all of that post production would need to be done again, so it's highly unlikely to happen due to cost. And thanks so much for the support!

[@mv28]

@@ElliotCoen Thanks for being a reviewer who actually knows what they're talking about. The amount of misinformation being pushed by some of your fellow KZbin reviewers is staggering at times.

[@madhousenetwork]

Thank you very much for the list mate. I skipped buying LOTR 4K after your review. I always trust urs :) :)

[@BackyardPix]

Inglourious Basterds looks great in 4K! So many films are edited and finished in 2K, so I don't really understand all the naysayers. Even though it's not a VFX heavy film, it still would have been a huge task to redo everything in 4K...

[@richellebrittain2127]

I think a lot of the problem some had with IB is it has HDR10+ but not Dolby Vision, on top of it being an upscale. The KZbinr who heaped the most hate on IB has a Sony 4K TV which is DV only; even upscales benefit from HDR, but he was limited to regular HDR10 so he didn't get the full HDR10+ experience. IMO DV probably would have been even better if Universal had used it.

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

How can I know if a 4k BluRay disc isn't just a upscaled 2k?

[@dylanrivera1573]

The Thing was a great 4K transfer

[@ElliotCoen]

It was! Just a shame about the audio..

[@karlietimball9668]

Hey bud what kind of TV are you rocking.

[@ElliotCoen]

Hey! Mine's an LG B8 65 inch OLED. Had it for almost 4 years now, so possibly due an upgrade this year?

[@jolyonwatts5624]

I actually like star wars prequels, plenty of action, light saber fights are way better than in new star wars movies

[@timothymathetes]

I agree with you About your choice for number one.

[@vandypants]

re: My Fair Lady, the audio track is 96kHz and my player and/or TV couldn't keep up with it and kept sputtering. So I had to watch the included digital copy. Once I can upgrade my system, this will be the first I watch.

[@CoolhandLukeSkywalkr]

Inglourious Basterds was shot on film. It has a 35mm ocn. They could always just go back to the negative and scan it at 4k or 6k or even at 8k and 16-bit. They had a 2k DI which is technically slightly more resolution than just 1080p blu-ray, then they upscale that. Of course it looks better with hdr. Hdr is always a huge upgrade. Not upgrading the audio to Dolby Atmos or DTS:X is lame. Eventually the hope is that they will release a better remastered disc.

[@ElliotCoen]

The issue is, if they go back to the negative, all post production needs to be done again - editing, colour grading, visual effects. It's a very costly process if they want to go down that route

[@CoolhandLukeSkywalkr]

@@ElliotCoen Sure, but not impossible, give it five or ten years. I'm not saying it's for sure going to happen, but I would like a remastered disc with Atmos.

[@Mariofans-gn1lu]

why do 4k bluray discs look bad on a 1080p televison then on a 4k televison

[@1Aquadon]

THANKS ELLIOT!

[@jedlomax100]

No Time To Die is as good as any of these.

[@Srrrgp]

you sound exactly like jackfrags

[@Downhuman74]

The Sting was the 1970s, not the 60s. Great list, though.

[@ElliotCoen]

Yes I did note that in the video! Thanks Tom

[@Downhuman74]

@@ElliotCoen You did and I somehow missed it the first time. Apologies.

[@808physicalmedia9]

Are you going to also have a 2021 worst top 10 4k list?

[@John58740]

Well Inglourious Basterds is indeed controversial. I don’t think its a good transfer. The HDR is not good, the colors yes but the contrast and specially the highlights in some shots are worse than the Blu ray. Some Skintones look too bright in comparison to the Blu Ray. Yes the sharpness is a bit better, but not breathtaking. You need a very large screen to see it. Also the Bitrate of Inglourious Basterds in 4K is not that incredible. The Blu ray already has a pretty beautiful image, so its not worth upgrading. Otherwise I would agree with some of your choices. I also got the seventh seal and that transfer looks amazing. It’s the best it’s ever looked.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

I have to say some of these really disappointed me. The Sting still not having the original audio is a major issue but at least it isn’t as heavily DNR’d as the awful Blu-ray. A Clockwork Orange at least has its mono but it is a lossy track and doesn’t sound as good as it should. But the worst is the Indy set which took my worst of the year award for no original audio, still having color issues with Raiders and worst of the digital tweaks and changes made to all of the effects shots which is some of the most underhanded sneaky revisionism I’ve ever seen. Most won’t notice it but practically every shot has been recomposited and tweaked in some way making it different to the original work.

[@ElliotCoen]

Thanks for pointing out these issues. In all honesty, I didn't pick up on these when watching the discs. Ignorance is bliss, eh? The tweaks to Raiders have me intrigued. I'm not an Indy super fan, as those movies skipped by me in childhood somehow.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

@@ElliotCoen I’ll admit I’m a stickler for having original audio. I’m very much an Indy diehard so every tweak or change they’ve done over the years has irked me to no end. I’m resigned to the original audio being gone and at least they toned down the color issues of the Raiders BD a bit but the effects changes have and will go unnoticed by most-but if you were to pause on any effects shot and compare to older releases you’d see where they moved or redid things. What makes it even more frustrating is that these films due to their serial inspiration are supposed to be a little rough here and there. It’s like the endless special editions but in a sneaky underhanded way.

[@stuartobrien78]

Lady Frankenstein by Nucleus films blu ray, is pretty good picture quality. I own it. Most DVDs of this title look horrible. Bye. Stuart.

[@stuartobrien78]

Hi Elliot. Don't buy 4k sword and the sorcerer. Its horrible picture quality.