It's been quite eventful in our AV test rooms so far this year. We have reviewed a huge range of home cinema kit, from the five-star Sony Bravia Theatre System 6 to the affordable Wanbo Vali 1 projector, which achieved a solid four-star rating.
But to challenge these AV systems, we need some excellent film and TV content to put them through their paces. Whether it's for their picture offerings or its Dolby Atmos sound, we have crafted a top-tier list of discs that we reach for time and time again.
Taxi Driver (1976)
There are few movies as iconic as Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Telling the story of a disenfranchised Vietnam veteran in New York named Travis and his descent into madness, it remains a quintessential piece of cinema that stands up to this day.
Which is fairly impressive considering the fact that it turned 50 earlier this month. Eager to celebrate its birthday, I chose to finally revisit the film and watch the 4K, Dolby Vision remaster that’s available on Blu-ray and numerous streaming services. And boy am I glad I did.
Masterfully shot and with captivating performances from a young Robert DeNiro and Jodie Foster, the film’s bleak narrative and oppressive, isolated feel creates a captivating, but haunting viewing experience.
And while there’s no denying some shots are showing their age, the addition of Dolby Vision HDR breathes new life into the film, offering a punchier viewing experience with an added layer of depth on the old DVD copy I’ve owned since my student days.
Which is why, whether you’ve seen it before or not, I’d strongly suggest any movie fan take a look at the legendary masterpiece this month to celebrate its ongoing relevance 50 years on.
Words by Alastair Stevenson
Stream Taxi Driver on Apple TV
Buy Taxi Driver on Blu-ray at HMV
Payback (1999)
This gritty thriller is retro through and through – not only are all the telephones and guns old-style (rotor dial and revolvers, respectively), it also has a kicking soundtrack, featuring James Brown, BB King, Dean Martin, Vic Damone, Jimi Hendrix and Lou Rawls (ountry legend Kris Kristofferson even puts in a turn as a mob bigwig.) But that’s hardly surprising, given it’s based on the novel The Hunter by Richard Stark – aka Donald Westlake – which was also turned into the Lee Marvin classic Point Blank.
That’s quite some pedigree. But Mel Gibson’s movie goes in a different direction. While Point Blank had European influences, making it borderline arthouse – is the whole film the fever dream of a dying man? – Payback is much more of a crowd-pleaser. It’s not quite James Bond, but it’s more straightforward (despite the colossal flashback sequence), and there’s almost a comic book quality to the effortlessly dispatched violence and dry one-liners.
Its grey-blue tinge (achieved by tinting the film using a bleach bypass process) also gives it a detached, almost chilly feel. On the one hand, this makes it harder to get attached to the characters. But on the other hand, it makes it easier to enjoy the punch-ups.
Director Brian Helgeland’s original cut was more faithful to the source novel, and while the theatrically released version has the same final twist as Elmore Leonard’s Freaky Deaky, it does make for a more satisfying ending. If you’re after a cold-blooded thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously (and that will seriously test your TV’s black levels), check out Payback.
Words by Joe Svetlik
The Running Man (2025)
Boy, I’m not looking forward to the future. Insane wealth inequality; massive tech corporations monopolising resources and controlling information; constant state surveillance; a gaudy celebrity culture that pits vulnerable people against one another; an increasingly blurring line between digital fakery and genuine truth.
Hang on a minute…
The social-political commentary lurking behind Egar Wright’s reasonably enjoyable remake of The Running Man – during which contestants on America’s hottest reality show must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins – is about as subtle as a Babybel on a cheese board, but thankfully, so is the movie’s overall aesthetic.
Shiny neon lights contrasting starkly against a grimy urban backdrop is a perennial theme of most dystopian or cyberpunk fare (see Blade Runner, CyberPunk 2077, Dredd, Deus Ex), with The Running Man once again giving you a perfect opportunity to see how well your screen can bring out those contrasting flavours.
It’s also a movie which makes a similarly unsubtle use of colour, with searing reds being the most obvious example. There’s Glen Powell’s natty red hoodie, the gaudy red electronic banners of the network’s all-consuming advertising campaigns, the red lights of glowing attack drones, and, of course, the occasional splash of red each time a contestant fails to evade those mean old hunters.
C’est la vie.
Words by Harry McKerrell
Pre-order The Running Man in 4K Blu-ray at HMV
Stream The Running Man on Amazon Prime Video
Unbroken (2014)
If you have read any of our reviews on soundbars or speaker packages, you may well be aware that Unbroken is a regular visitor to our trusty 4K Blu-ray player.
That's because the Dolby Atmos disc's excellent sound design manages to challenge multiple aspects of a piece of audio kit, from cheap and cheerful models to premium entries with up-firing speakers.
Directed by Angelina Jolie, the film follows a former Olympic runner (played by Jack O'Connell) who becomes a WWII pilot. When his plane crashes into the sea, his battle to survive intensifies when he's captured.
There is only one scene you need to watch from Unbroken that proves its chops as a brilliant test disc.
It opens with an ethereal choral score that slowly gives way to the hum of an approaching squadron of bombers in the sky, with each propeller given an individual dimension as the rotor blades buzz past. The enemy's plane swoops all around the listener, followed closely by rattling machine gun fire spiralling after them.
Despite the roar of the wind and the mechanics of the plane, sounds such as the gunner's chair, the creaking of an old leather jacket and radio dialogue are all detailed and brought in and out of focus as the dog fight unfolds.
If you want to give your home cinema system a proper challenge in terms of its Atmos performance, then Unbroken is the one for you.
Words by Robyn Quick
Buy Unbroken on Blu-ray at HMV
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 movie 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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