If you are a regular What Hi-Fi? reader, then you likely will have seen that we announced the 2026 Award winners earlier this week. For those who have not seen them yet, don't panic; you can see the list of winners here.
Leading up to the final results, we have been testing a huge range of different home cinema and AV products in order to find the best of the bunch. And that has called for us to test a diverse set of movies and TV shows to see how these products perform.
There are some discs that we reach for time and time again (Blade Runner 2049, Dune Part Two, for example), but we also want to have a fresh supply of films and shows at our fingertips.
In our monthly Now Showing column, we take a look at what the reviews team have been watching to challenge a product's picture or sound performance.
East Of Eden (2026 –)
Words by Ioan Hazell
If you attended secondary school after 1990, there’s some likelihood that a novel by John Steinbeck ended up stuffed into your school bag alongside a Walkman, iPod or iPhone. Schools tend to opt for Steinbeck’s shorter stories, such as The Grapes Of Wrath or Of Mice And Men, but the author’s self-proclaimed magnum opus, East Of Eden, is less commonly on the curriculum.
And that’s a shame, because, while the book’s critical reception was varied upon release, there’s good reason for it since becoming one of Steinbeck’s most widely loved novels.
The Netflix adaptation of the story follows the Trask family through three generations, the latter two of which grapple with a brotherly Cain and Abel dynamic. This Biblically-charged tension is only compounded when the character of Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh) crawls bloodied to the door of a Connecticut farmhouse owned by Adam and Charles Trask (Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist), the second generation.
For fear of spoilers, I’ll keep schtum about what follows. But for lovers of the novel, I should say that, while this adaptation doesn’t quite deliver the gut-punching emotional blows of the book, it is still a gripping, if somewhat blatantly theatrical watch. Visually, it is a feast for the eyes, with painstaking care taken on set design and costumes. The New Zealand landscapes used as a simulacrum for California’s Salinas Valley don’t hurt, either.
Come to think of it, this series is probably best summed up by a quote from the novel itself: “Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”
Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma (2026)
Words by Alastair Stevenson
As a kid who grew up watching The X-Files, Gillian Anderson is as close to a global treasure as you’ll get in the world of acting, in my humble opinion.
So when, as a horror fan, I saw she was doing a genre-bending movie with Hacks star Hannah Einbinder, it was a pure “shut up and take my money” moment. And while it’s quite heavy-handed with its symbolism, boy am I happy I did, as from the moment I started watching, Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma proved to be an audio-visual treat.
Though it’s full of great performances (especially from Anderson, who plays a reclusive horror actress), it was the visuals that really stood out for me, with every decision and minor detail contributing to the story and intended tone.
First, there’s cinematographer Eric Yue’s decision to shoot almost all of the film in 35mm, to replicate the grainy, noisy tone of its ’70s and ’80s slasher film inspiration. Then there’s the use of the classic glass matte painting Hollywood technique for backdrops, over the easier and more common CGI used in most modern films, which adds to its unique, surreal feel.
The end result is an experience that blends retro nostalgia with modern storytelling to create something truly unique. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’d strongly recommend any horror fan give it a go.
Pre-order Camp Miasma on 4k Blu-ray
Pearl (2022)
Words by Robyn Quick
Mia Goth is building up quite the horror discography, with one of her biggest breakouts coming from her role in the 2018 reboot of Suspiria. But another entry cemented her as one of this generation's go-to horror greats: enter Pearl.
Goth plays the titular lead (and also co-wrote the screenplay), with the film following the rural schoolgirl. Stuck looking after her family's farm and caring for her ailing father, Pearl also has a ravenous desire to be a star. And she will pursue her dream, no matter what it takes.
Not only is it hugely entertaining, bloodthirsty viewing, but Pearl is a great test of your home cinema system's picture. The beautiful farm landscapes call for a great amount of detail and clarity, from the fields of barley to the fluffy clouds in the sky.
It will challenge your system's sound performance as well. During the iconic dance scene as Pearl performs to a straight-faced panel of judges, the soundtrack evokes classic Hollywood tunes rather than modern slashers. Accompanying the sprightly score is the sound of footsteps on the stage, which also tests out your system's ability to place these precisely around the soundfield.
Buy Pearl on 4K Blu-ray from HMV
The Social Network
![THE SOCIAL NETWORK - Official Trailer [2010] (HD) - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lB95KLmpLR4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Words by Lewis Empson
David Fincher has directed numerous films that I'd consider to be a cut above the rest, and in my humble opinion, The Social Network is his very best work.
It has sat comfortably in my personal top 10 ever since I watched it over a decade ago, and it's a film I've since used to test a wide array of AV and home cinema products.
It's now been accompanied by a sequel that (while I haven't seen it personally) hasn't been receiving the best reviews, which is somewhat disappointing. That said, a surge in popularity for one of my favourite films is still a win in my books, and I hope the release of The Social Reckoning is drawing some well-deserved attention to the original.
If there's one word that I'd use to describe this film, it would be "slick". Performances are deeply engaging, the cinematography and camera work are fluid, and the soundtrack is an electronic masterpiece courtesy of Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
This movie is a must-watch for anyone who has just invested in a new sound system; seriously, the soundtrack is just that good, especially the ingenious interpretation of In the Hall of the Mountain King. A scene in a nightclub also springs to mind, as the sound mixing is impressively realistic and immersive.
Frustratingly for 4K Blu-ray fans such as myself, a physical copy can seemingly only be obtained if you purchase the £500 Columbia Classics: 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 2 box set, or if you can track down a limited edition steelbook that was released early last year.
However, the good news is that Apple has added The Social Network to Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+), with a 4K version with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos currently available to stream.
Stream The Social Network on Apple TV
MORE:
Check out our list of the best 4K Blu-ray players
These are the best TVs you can buy right now
And these are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, too
