Working at What Hi-Fi? means you get to write a whole bunch of cool stuff, but there's one monthly piece that I look forward to working on the most. And you're reading it!
Now Showing is our run-down of what films and TV shows have made their way into our test rooms, whether for a stellar soundtrack or excellent visuals.
There's quite the eclectic combination here, from brand-new animated films to old-school horror. So, why not dive in to find out what we have been obsessed with this month?
Black Sabbath: In Performance
There are few bands as iconic as Black Sabbath. Since the band started recording and performing in the late ’60s, Black Sabbath has helped shape music in ways beyond counting.
They invented the heavy metal genre, for starters – launching Ozzy Osbourne to global stardom, creating some truly amazing tracks with Ronnie James Dio (one of the best rock and metal vocalists of all time) in the former frontman’s absence and more.
Which is why so many of the What Hi-Fi? team have more than a few of their albums in our respective vinyl collections, myself included. With their final show happening earlier this month, I felt the need to watch the 2007 documentary, Black Sabbath: In Performance.
Featuring rare footage of the band’s live performances over the decades as well as heartfelt, emotional interviews with past and present members, including Tony Iommi, Neil Murray, Ozzy Osbourne, Glenn Hughes, Geezer Butler and Bobby Rondinelli, it’s a fantastic rockumentary any fan should make the time to watch.
Words by Alastair Stevenson
Stream Black Sabbath: In Performance on Amazon Prime
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
Listen, I know the title might make you want to run for the hills. But this is one of the silliest and most surprisingly incredible animated releases of the year so far, and I have already started using it in our TV and AV test rooms despite it coming out less than a month ago.
It follows K-Pop girl group Huntr/x, who lead double lives as demon hunters. I guess the clue was in the name. When a rival band turn out to be demons in disguise, however, the group must come together to ensure the safety of the planet.
The reason it has already become a much-used film for me when testing is its soundtrack. It certainly helps when the plot revolves around the protagonists being world-famous singers, but every track exudes an excitement and sense of movement that feels true to the real K-Pop industry.
The first scene alone gives you a taste of this, as the girl group battle invading demons on a plane all while trying to eat some much-needed instant noodles. It's a great test of any home cinema sound system as the girls sing How It's Done while dodging attacks and wielding their blades.
Keep an ear out for some other certified bangers, including the diss-track Takedown and a more uplifting pop ballad in the form of Golden.
Words by Robyn Quick
Stream KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
I recently went back and watched practically every Star Wars movie ever made, and while the quality does vary both in terms of storytelling quality and technical accomplishment, 2016’s Rogue One is an ever-so satisfying double whammy that succeeds as much on an audio-visual level as it does on a narrative one.
Though it unquestionably evokes much of that classic Star Wars mis-en-scene with which we’re all so familiar, the majority of Rogue One’s narrative is spent in a far more grounded reality, from Galen Erso’s modest rural farm to the dusty streets of Jedha City, creating a feeling that’s entirely fitting for a narrative concerned with on-the-ground guerrilla rebels taking on a sprawling empire.
It’s only when we arrive at the now-beloved climactic Battle of Scarif that the film’s more bombastic technical credentials are revealed, with glistening azure waters contrasting with the white sandy beaches on the ground while smoky orange explosions litter the skies above every time a spaceship meets its end against the black backdrop of infinite space.
The whole movie is a blast, but if you’re looking for that one perfect intergalactic test scene, the Battle of Scarif is a go-to favourite.
Words by Harry McKerrell
Stream Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Disney Plus
Buy Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on 4K Blu-ray at HMV
The Crow (1994)
There are very few films with a legitimate claim to being cursed more than the original 1994 version of The Crow. Based on one of the darkest comics of all time, by James O’Barr, it tells the tale of murder victim, Eric Draven, as he hunts down his and his fiancé Shelly’s killers.
Though lead man Brandon Lee, who played Eric, died in a tragic accident on set, forcing the team to stitch the final segments together using test footage and outtakes, the movie has stood the test of time. There are two big reasons why.
First, despite showing its age in some specific fight scenes, the movie’s dark cityscape is generally wonderfully shot and full of hidden details. Second, because it has one of the best soundtracks ever committed to an action movie. Just look at the all-star cast of industrial, sludge metal and hard rock acts credited!
But on this elite list, one track reigns supreme – Burn, by The Cure. Legend has it the studio originally wanted to use one of the band’s existing songs, but after reading the story, frontman and chief composer Robert Smith decided it merited an original song, and thus one of my favourite songs ever was born.
Words by Alastair Stevenson
Buy The Crow on 4K Blu-ray at HMV
Fight Club (1999)
How do you talk about Fight Club without breaking its first rule? It’s been called a comedy thriller, social satire and psychological drama, but author Chuck Palahniuk calls it a love story. Which it kind of is, but we can’t say much more without giving away the ending.
But it’s hardly Pride And Prejudice. As well as the (at times, graphic) violence, it contains all sorts of visual innovations, like the IKEA catalogue-style blurbs that annotate the furniture in Edward Norton’s apartment, the space exploration journey through the contents of the office bin, and the animated penguin ‘power animal’ sliding around in the narrator’s cave.
The audio too deserves a special mention. With a pulsating electronic soundtrack by the Dust Brothers and sound effects that make you feel every punch, Fight Club is an assault on the senses. Which is fitting, given the subject matter.
Words by Joe Svetlik
Stream Fight Club on Disney Plus
The Bear: Season 4 (2025)
The Bear remains one of my favourite shows even after a slightly wobbly third season, so I anticipated the fourth season, which hit Disney Plus last month, with bated breath. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried, because the latest batch of episodes was both a much-needed course correction and a return to form for the series.
Yes, there are plenty of anxiety-riddled kitchen arguments with wholesome family bonding moments to level those rows out, and every dish looked simply scrumptious on my 4K OLED TV. Notably, this season appeared to be more visually daring than the last, which is why I’ve chosen to highlight it.
A sequence in which Sydney (played by Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Ayo Edebiri) meticulously prepares a scallop dish springs to mind, thanks to its dramatic colourful lighting and focus on the intricate details of the seafood dish, which makes it particularly eye-popping.
This season, much like the others, also features a killer soundtrack with songs from Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis and Taylor Swift – an eclectic mix for sure. However, it's St Vincent’s Fast Slow Disco, which serves as a major needle drop (and is also featured in the trailer) that has been on repeat in my earbuds – what a tune.
Words by Lewis Empson
Stream The Bear Season 4 on Disney Plus
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To test out the latest TV and AV kit, we watch a whole lot of movies. There are tried and tested favourites that we come back to often, but we always try to mix it up with new entries.
We also know that you at home may well be on the hunt for some top-notch discs to put your home cinema system to the test. This is where 'Now Showing' comes in, as we give you a monthly run-down of what TV shows and movies we can't get out of our heads.
It could be a film that has an incredible score to challenge your TV's sound system, or a TV show with lots of dark scenes to see how nuanced a projector's picture can be.
As always, we want to hear from you as well! If there are any films you think would make a good test disc, drop them in the comments below.
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