As the year draws to a close, we’re taking stock of the best films and TV shows we’ve watched this year. It’s been a pretty great year on both fronts, despite some less-than-spectacular films (we’re looking at you Madame Web and Borderlands) also releasing within the last 12 months.
Although we the story, the characters and all the vital things when we decide on our favorite videos and television systems of the year, we are also aware of the way they excel in AV tests. We’re looking for bold colors, dark sequences, deep bass and epic area audio – pretty much anything that can make your theater or television shine.
Wait watch the videos of this list appear in our televisions packages, projectors, sound bars and speakers. We like to keep our reference units updated as much as possible, and there are as many occasions in which Team Av can be subject to Blade Runner 2049, no matter how much we like.
Going down the list is not an easy task; As a result, some notable releases this year didn’t make the cut. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Wicked, Anora and Civil War were all in the running, and there was a lot of discussion among the team, but alas, regulations dictate that it can only be decided on one film and one TV viewing. through person.
So, without further ado, here are the best movies and TV shows of 2024 to test your AV setup.
Alastair Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief
The horror genre likes to push boundaries, either through the selection of subject matter themes and through the use of new technologies such as CGI and surround sound. The substance of 2024 ignores any of those tropes, opting instead to attempt to use forgotten arts, such as physical effects, and key themes such as society’s bad obsession with appearance, to create a new take on the horror genre of the vintage 80s framework.
Featuring Hollywood legend Demi Moore in the lead role, while there are undeniably scenes that will test even the most seasoned of horror veteran’s tolerance for gore, it’s a traumatic title that makes excellent use of every tool available to crank the intensity level up to 11.
His message is rarely very extraordinarily sophisticated or delivered with much finesse, however, if you’re in favor of a full-fledged horror film of the right cinematography with entire sections obviously encouraged through horror’s brightest stars, adding Stanley Kubrick and stellar physics special effects, it’s a value to behold to see Stanley.
The brutal rapid jumps between the white and red minimalist stages and the flourishing sections of the club/show also make it wonderful to verify the holistic quality of its formula and the agility of the audio configuration.
Stream The Substance on Mubi
Reserve The Substance at Amazon
Harry McKerrell, Senior Editor
Who could have predicted that, in the year that gave us Madame Web and Kraven The Hunter, it would be the one-on-one between a pair of comic book characters that would provide the superhero genre with its much-needed arm shot? ?
In addition to the facetal excavations in the Sony, Deadpool and Wolverine cinematographic universe they were more or less to their reputation as a maximum productive superhero film of the year. Essentially a long fan service film for Marvel acolytes that have been suffering for a long time, is asymmetric and careless in its worst would make it better to wait for a screen worthy of the maximum impressive adventure of Deadpool to date.
Packed with plenty of blatant research into the state of the MCU, Ryan Reynolds could be the Marvel Jesus was waiting for.
Stream Deadpool and Wolverine on Disney Plus
deadpool
Becky Roberts, Editor-in-Chief
Twister wasn’t the most twisted movie of 2024, but Strange Darling was. JT Mollner’s offbeat, unpredictable horror is a high-octane cat-and-mouse serial killer mystery about a mysterious young woman. (Willa Fitzgerald) and a rage- and drug-fueled guy whom she has seriously pissed off (Kyle Gallner).
While Mollner’s clever script helps keep you guessing at every moment as the “chapters” jump back and forth provocatively, you remain caught up in each moment thanks to the gorgeous cinematography of Giovanni Ribisi, who you recognize from his many appearances in the other side of the world. camera in films such as Saving Private Ryan and Gone in 60 Seconds and television shows Sneaky Pete and Friends, and now fulfills his other hobby in the industry.
The movie was shot entirely on 35mm film (as rather oddly announced in a title card), perfectly intensifying its edginess – the grit, the urgency, the vividness. It’s a relentless ride. best enjoyed on as big a screen as you can sit yourself in front of.
Strange Darlings 4K Blu-ray on Amazon
Kashfia Kabir, Audio and Hi-Fi Editor
Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 film is many things: it’s a coming-of-age tale, it’s a trans allegory, it’s a mental horror fantasy, it’s a surreal tale of loneliness, loneliness, friendship, locating oneself and knowing how. Our perceptions are replaced as we age.
Two lonely teens find common ground in a cult TV show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer heavily influences the fictional The Pink Opaque show) and their obsession with the show bleeds into real life until they – and you – no longer know what’s real or not. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine put in fantastic performances as the hapless Owen and the firebrand Maddy respectively, while the various hyper-specific nods to shows like Buffy and The Adventures of Pete and Pete make it all the more personal for viewers.
Soft neon hues of pinks, purples and greens contrast with the fuzzy VHS quality and 4:3 aspect ratio of a ’90s TV show, while a bespoke indie soundtrack reinforces the teen angst and dreamy nature. (and disturbing) movie. Saw The TV Glow is a rare film that will leave you amazed or uncomfortable, but whose sweet, aching center will stay with you for months after watching it.
Streamed i the tv shine on Apple TV
Robyn Quick, Editor
It’s rare that a movie makes me want to take up tennis and reach the professional level, but that’s it. Luca Guadagnino’s catalog is incredibly varied, from the queer Call Me to Your Call (2017) to the cannibal love tale Bones and All (2022). However, the thread that unites them all is a representation of sensuality and is felt in Challengers.
It follows Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, who propels her husband Art to great success as a tennis champion. To jolt him out of a losing streak, she signs him up for a tournament only to find out he is head-to-head with Patrick – her ex-boyfriend and Art’s former best friend.
The Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross soundtrack raises each tennis blow, all persistent eyes. It combines classical music and EDM skilled to highlight the clash between the characters and will make you download like at 2 a. m. In a nightclub.
Transmit Challengers on Amazon Prime Video
Lewis Empson, editor
Did you really think we could leave this film off the list? From the moment I set eyes on this masterpiece at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo, I knew that it was a very special film indeed. This is the second time a Dune title has been my pick for film of the year; not bad considering there are only two films in the franchise.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also directed the top-rated theater-used film, Blade Runner 2049, Dune: The Second Part manages to be a spectacle in its own right, while retroactively improving on the first. Of the impressive soundtracks I’ve heard, and how can I just Harkonnen’s sensational arena sequence?
It is also a dinner for the senses in terms of symbol and sound. The rich golden sands shimmer with spice, while the black-and-white segment (ingeniously filmed with infrared cameras) supplies stark contrast, and is also a delight when it comes to audio. A scene where Fremmen infantrymen lead an ambush is fascinating, and is a go-to scene when I’m trying out anything to do with House Theater Audio.
Dune: Part Two is a triumph no matter how you look at it, and a film I’ll continue to rewatch both in the AV testing room and at home.
Dune: Part Two 4K Blu-ray on Amazon
Lewis Empson, senior writer
You know a TV makes sense when the slow season is the most productive you’ve seen all year. Acclaimed catering drama The Bear has made it onto my list of all-time favorite shows after watching the entire first season in one viewing this year, and season three remains an absolute joy to watch.
Although the season starts off slowly, the speed is temporarily selected to come with the fast, chaotic, tense pace of speed I’ve come to appreciate; This season is interspersed with many slower, more introspective moments, adding a great flashback episode that explores the backstory of Sous Tina’s chef. Although the ending feels like a cliffhanger setup for the next season (due out in June), it’s still one of the most written, engaging, and magnificent television series I’ve ever seen.
It’s also among the most popular on Disney Plus (as long as you have the right subscription level), thanks to the inclusion of Dolthrough Vision HDR and Dolthrough Atmos. This screen puts a lot of emphasis on sound, allowing it to set the mood and make you feel like you’re in the middle of a metaphorical (and literal) boiling pot that’s about to spill. This is juxtaposed through shots of Chicago that offer a more serene view of the outside of the kitchen, while plates of delicious food are filled with delicious 4K detail.
A smart set of TV and speaker (or soundbar) is a must if you need to view this screen in the most productive way imaginable, and I am strongly presented that you should.
Transmits the in Disney Plus
Alastair Stevenson, Editor in Chief
3 BODY PROBLEM is an 8-episode series based on the first component of Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Beyond trilogy, a book series that, until this year, was sometimes thought to be adapted into films due to its complex narrative. and heaviness. plot layout.
Thankfully, upon its much-delayed release on Netflix, like the movie adaptation of Life of Pi before it, the series overcomes these assumptions and is one of the best bits of sci-fi to arrive this year.
With David Benioff and D. B. Weiss de Game of Thrones to the head, 3 Body Challenge is a dark science fiction history that jumps in time and details the past, the origin and future of a fictitious land and its encounters with a civilization extraterrestrial from a fence of the star. system.
Mastered in Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Amos audio, the first few episodes are a bit clunky, the series grows and temporarily becomes a wonderful example of how to use either technologies properly.
Whether it’s the proper use of flourishing synths, the sophisticated stellar highlights that CGI artists hide in the night sky, or the overall perfect cinematography, the series is overall a wonderful way to test the functionality of your setup. home cinema.
Transmit body problem in Netflix
Harry McKerrell, Senior Editor
As long as they have at least one part of a brain moving around in their skull, it’s hard to believe that a user won’t find anything to enjoy from what was undoubtedly one of the most productive displays of 2024. Based on the 1975 epic novel written by James Clavell and detailing the power struggles of the various noble families of Japan’s past Fuedal, Fuedal, São Paulo S. Shōgun’s gripping, mature, and captivating tangles of political maneuvering made it as impossible to resist and addictive as television.
Shōgun, a true masterpiece, achieves that almost impossible trick of looking good for each and every one without consequently looking good for anyone. If you need a screen to bring out the best of your TV, chances are you’ll find yourself sewing each and every dress and piece of clothing, while less technically involved viewers will marvel at the intensity of the storytelling, the complexity of the characterization, and the natural immersion of Shōgun’s beautiful world.
Take a weekend to yourself, watch from starting to finish and wallowing in anything special indeed.
Stream Shōgun on Disney Plus
Kashfia Kabir, Hi-Fi and Audio Editor
There is a scene in episode six when you’re in Teen’s bedroom and see the film and music posters on the wall and the gothic/occult paraphernalia around his room, and it looks like the insides of my teenage brain threw up and painted the town black.
Agatha All Along – a spin-off from the brilliant WandaVision – goes all in on the witchiness, pulling in beats from Charmed, Buffy, Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, The Craft and many other 90s cultural touch points that had anything to do with the pagan, the dark arts and especially witchcraft. The bringing together of a coven of women with different powers, the various timed tasks, the tragic love story and even more tragic back story – it’s all woven together in a delicious romp as lead Kathryn Hahn chews scenery and spits it out with utter abandon and joy.
Everyone is having a great time and it is difficult not to have fun with them. Tarti Tarti’s reading witch through Patti Lupone is a special highlight; The other is the general theme, which is the song “The ballad of the Witches”, which sounds several times in other parts of the program. It is possibly not one of Marvel’s most productive, but it is very funny.
Stream Agatha on Disney Plus
Robyn Quick, editor
Isn’t this Hi-Fi access unexpected? The team that has kindly listened to my ramblings since the last Arcane series.
The animated show follows two sisters, Jinx and Vi, who were once inseparable but now walk down very different paths. While they fight for rival sides in a war against Zaun and the prosperous city of Piltover, a magical technology threatens the future of both cities.
Besides the captivating situation and character arcs, one of the main reasons I like this show is its charming animation flavor.
Zaun’s oppressed abdomen is depicted with neon greens, and pilotver glows with sparkling blues and whites. Each painting box is an art painting, which is not a wonder, as only the second series took 3 years to animate. In addition, the character is an absolute cook.
If you want to get caught in a wonderful fantasy, this is the exhibition for you.
Transmit arcane in Netflix
MORE:
14 songs of 2024 to check your hi-fi system
Discover our possible options for televisions
And surround sound systems.
Lewis Empson is a Senior Staff Writer on What Hi-Fi?. He was previously Gaming and Digital editor for Cardiff University’s ‘Quench Magazine’, Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. Outside of work, he enjoys gaming, gigs and regular cinema trips.
What Hi-Fi? is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.