If you've spent time and money on a home cinema set-up, you owe it to yourself to make the most of it by watching stunning movies and TV shows available with the best picture and sound technologies out there.
And by 'there' we mean on those all-the-rage streaming services. You likely have at least one on the go, and if it's one of the major players, such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple+ and Amazon Prime, you could well have a choice of high-quality content in 4K Ultra HD video and/or Dolby Atmos surround sound at your fingertips.
If you're at a loss as to what to watch this weekend, we're here to help by pointing you to a handful of movie and TV show picks we have enjoyed from both storytelling and audiovisual points of view. We promise these all look and sound great!
So get that popcorn in the microwave and fire up your sound system and super screen; it's time to tuck into one of the most stunning movies or TV shows streaming now...
- Our expert pick of the best TVs you can buy
- And the market's best Dolby Atmos soundbars, all tried and tested
All Quiet On The Western Front – Netflix
To be clear, this is not an action movie but a movie depiction of World War I from the perspective of the young German infantry. It's based on a book and it's excellent. One part that makes this so immersive – and leaves you feeling great empathy – is the quality. This is on Netflix in Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.
That means that when you're sitting with the soldiers in the war zone and a bomb goes off in the distance, or a tank rumbles close, it really leaves you feeling the anxiety and shock that the actors are portraying. It's moving and uses the 4K quality and surround sound to enhance that – which is the whole point, right?
As a Netflix exclusive, this is a real high-end production treat that won several awards and majors on cinematography as highly as it does storytelling.
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines – Netflix
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines is another Netflix winner, this time with a cartoon animation which takes full advantage of those HDR colours while the Dolby Atmos audio makes it a surround sound bubble of delight. This was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and certainly deserved to win.
While being chased by deranged robots you find yourself flying, driving and running with the Mitchell family as sounds of attacks fly about you, taking full advantage of even the best Dolby Atmos sound system to leave you feeling like you've just been at the cinema.
The animation is similar to Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, so it feels super punchy, bright, artistic and engaging. If you've got an OLED TV this really helps to show that wide colour gamut with a fizz of colour throughout.
The Marvels – Disney+
One of the latest in the slew of Marvel movies being churned out via Disney, The Marvels might not be the best in the Universe but is a very fun watch regardless. Packed with girl power, fun quips, Marvel dimension references and nods, it's enjoyable for fans and newbs alike.
It's even available in IMAX Enhanced, meaning that you can watch it in arguably the best DTS:X audio and 4K/HDR video technologies there are... if you have the compatible kit. There is still a 4K and HDR visual to enjoy if you don't, but there isn't Dolby audio. However, the final result is superb with rich colours, fantastic contrast and audio that you can feel in your chest for the larger moments.
Dune – Amazon Prime
Dune won five Oscars including Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, so yes, this is an ideal candidate for pushing your TV and sound system to its limits in the best way possible. The expansive worlds envisaged here with striking images and beautifully crafted shots make for a real sumptuous experience for the eyes and ears.
If you've never pushed your sound system's bass to its limits, this will do just that with rumbling and rolling rhythms that quite literally move you. When those sand worms are coming in the distance, you can really feel the approach as Dolby Atmos does fantastic work of distributing the rumbles across the sonic canvas.
Visually, this moves from scenes of bright expansive desert to dark and moody caves which will help you appreciate your TV's contrast capacity, especially in HDR here. Have an OLED TV? Those inky blacks are really going to come into their own with this movie.
The catch? At the time of publishing, you'll have to pay £3.45 to rent this in full UHD and HDR quality on Prime. It's available on Netflix... but only in HD. It would be a shame to waste all the audiovisual triumph that has gone into the movie.
Masters Of The Air – Apple TV+
After Band Of Brothers landed on HBO, it changed the way we view wartime TV shows. The Pacific followed with less fanfare. This Masters Of The Air variant brings it back to its original glory with a fantastic look at real World War II stories told from the perspectives of those flying during the war.
While the stories are wonderfully moving, it's the visuals when flying through the air that are truly breathtaking. Combine those long sweeping shots with gunfire flying around you thanks to its Dolby Atmos audio and you end these episodes feeling like you're landing back in reality.
MORE:
The 27 best Dolby Atmos movie scenes to test your home cinema surround sound system
Our pick of the best AV receivers
