The sun may be out in full force here in the UK, but that hasn't stopped us from burying ourselves in our dark test room to see how the latest TV and AV kit performs.
We have been testing out a range of products, from Dolby Atmos soundbar systems to QLED TVs. And all of those models need to be tested by the best test discs out there. There are steadfast classics that we turn to time and time again. If you regularly read our reviews, for instance, you will have spotted Blade Runner 2049, Civil War and Dune: Part Two making frequent appearances.
But we have to keep our eyes peeled for new movies and TV shows that will keep home cinema products on their toes. There are some on this list that have only just hit the cinemas and cannot wait to get into the test room, and others that we already regularly use.
Without further ado, let's get into it.
One Battle After Another (2025)
Words by Daniel Furn
After sweeping several award ceremonies over the winter, including this year’s Oscars, you probably don’t need to be told how good One Battle After Another is.
As long as you can stomach the 2-hour 42-minute runtime, Leonardo DiCaprio’s long-awaited collaboration with auteur director Paul Thomas Anderson doesn’t disappoint, following a washed up revolutionary who scrambles to find his daughter who scrambles to find his kidnapped daughter.
DiCaprio plays against type as the wide-eyed, stoned and super-paranoid Bob, and his lengthy phone calls to his former revolutionaries are the film’s comedic highlight, but the real standouts here are Sean Penn and relative newcomer Chase Infiniti as Bob’s military nemesis and spirited daughter, respectively.
I had the pleasure of watching the film in KEF’s Ultimate Experience Room and their 9.14.4 audio configuration, but whatever setup you have at home, the film will shine.
Anderson’s first foray into action means there are several scenes to test your sound system, including an opening raid on an immigration detention centre that sees gunshots and flares fired in all directions and bombings that will give the low end a workout. But the real benefit is to the score – Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood brings in skittery jazz and driving synths that ratchet up the tension more than any bullets, particularly during a lengthy climactic chase scene.
Legends (2026)
Words by Joe Svetlik
Legends refers to the secret identities assumed by undercover agents during an operation. But these are no ordinary agents – these are customs officers (i.e. airport bag checkers), who, incredibly, were enlisted by the Thatcher government in the war against heroin with minimal training. It’s quite a story, and it’s based on real events.
The biggest name is Steve Coogan, but the main character is played by Tom Burke, looking like a grizzled Charlie Brooker. He plays Guy, a bored customs officer who goes deep undercover with London heroin importers. But it’s really an ensemble piece, with Hayley Squires, Aml Ameen and Jasmine Blackborrow all putting in fine performances as the rest of the customs crew. Special mention goes to Charlotte Ritchie as Burke’s wife Sophie, encouraging him to finish the job while also struggling seeing him trying to reconcile his legend with his life as a family man.
Liverpool and London look their grimy best in the dying days of the Thatcher government – the gritty industrial wastelands are reminiscent of Newcastle in Get Carter (one of the main villains is also named Carter, possibly in reference to Mike Hodges’ landmark British thriller). And the soundtrack is A1 – The Stone Roses, Depeche Mode, The Cure, N-Trance, Happy Mondays… It gives a nostalgic wrapper to a show that demonstrates that the old days, like today, were something of a mixed bag.
Backrooms (2026)
Words by Alastair Stevenson
A horror about an empty, well-lit office doesn’t sound like nightmare fuel. But, Kane Parsons’ Backrooms somehow manages to make it exactly that and one of the most interesting horror movies I’ve watched this year, as a result.
That’s a particularly impressive accomplishment given the strength of 2026’s lineup, which also includes Hokum – a film I’ve already heaped praise on for its stellar use of audio. Based on internet folklore and Parsons’ previous YouTube series, the film sees furniture salesman, Clark, accidentally discover an endless network of interconnected rooms (most of which look like yellow offices) in the basement of his store.
Rather than jump scares or overt gore, the film gives a subtle nod to the classic psychological horrors of old, showing Clark slowly descend into madness as he delves deeper into the labyrinth.
I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but I can say the film then takes the terror level up to 11, offering viewers a gradual stream of reveals that hint at, but never fully explain what it is he’s stumbled upon.
Add to this solid use of audio and compelling found-footage segments, and the film manages to create a chilling, slow-burning experience that keeps you guessing and glued to the screen for its entire runtime – so much so that I’ve found myself watching the old YouTube videos, which expand on the film’s lore in my spare time.
It's still only available to watch in cinemas, but we can't wait to get it into the test room once it is released on streaming and 4K Blu-ray.
Limitless With Chris Hemsworth (2022 - 2025)
Words by Harry McKerrell
Everyone knows that proper documentaries make great test room fodder. Anything fronted by the mighty Sir David Attenborough tends to set the standard in terms of the quality of the cameras and equipment used, with nature’s diverse array of weird and wonderful beings helping to give our testers a pretty firm idea of what any given screen can do.
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth isn’t a nature documentary per se, but it’s made in partnership with National Geographic and produced by Darren Aronofsky, so the budget is colossal and the production values are exquisite. Hemsworth is no Attenborough when it comes to pointing out the intricacies of the natural world, but he does have a much nicer torso.
That’s also not the point of the series. Big Chris’ job isn’t to explain nature, but to throw himself into it, all in a bid to fight the ravages of ageing with some surprisingly in-depth scientific backing. Fasting, exercising, brain training; he does the lot.
Theoretically, this could all have been performed in a drab science lab, but instead, Thor treks from exquisite location to exquisite location – the icy Arctic Fjords, the Australian Outback, the Swiss Alps – to take part in a series of challenges that will boost his longevity and, more importantly, look really cool on camera.
And most importantly of all, give him plenty of reasons to take his shirt off.
1917 (2019)
![1917 - Official Trailer [HD] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YqNYrYUiMfg/maxresdefault.jpg)
Words by Robyn Quick
I'm not usually the biggest fan of war movies, but the excellent sound and picture quality displayed in Sam Mendes' 1917 makes it an essential test disc.
Starring George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, the film follows two young British privates who are tasked to deliver a message across no-mans-land to prevent another battalion meeting a grisly death. Suffice to say, 1917 is certainly not a cheery watch.
It was filmed in a single-shot style (although it actually uses cleverly hidden cuts throughout). That creates a plethora of motion-heavy scenes, challenging your TV or projector to make movement look realistic without judder or excessive smoothness.
With the most iconic sequence of the film, you can also challenge your Dolby Atmos system. As McKay's Private Schofield sprints across the top of a trench while soldiers charge across his path, the layers of sound wrap around the listener to bring the battlefield to your living room. Shell explosions, gunfire and raining debris are heard from all directions as Schofield powers on, and your system should place them around the soundfield with startling accuracy.
MORE:
Check out the best soundbars we have tested
Here are the best OLED TVs
And these are the best streaming devices
