[jassi]

I have been looking around for a discussion on what are the best movies/documentaries to bring the best out of our plasma/lcds and 7.1/5.1 home theatre systems. These will typically be on a full hd format with uncompressed audio like bluray disc, however a lot of dvds also bring out a good experience. In addition to bluray and dvd discs, it will also be great to point out full hd format videos linkies (like wmv-hd or divx-hd) which look and sound good on full hd home theatres.

So here is a thread, where you can mention your choice of movie, documentaries, games, etc which our best to showcase your home theatre setup and display. It will also be nice if we mention our home theatre setup (especially plasma or lcd) in addition to the movies that look and sound best on the same. This will be a good reference for others.

Do note that this thread is meant for good movies, documentaries, etc for home theatre and plasma/lcds and we may or may not be bothered about the storyline as long as it looks/sounds good.
This is different from "the movie thread" which tracks reviews on all movies and "the car movies" threads which tracks all of the best car movies.

So heres my list as of now (will keep updating)
1) Planet Earth (awesome documentary by BBC)
2) Blade Runner (5 disc ultimate collectors edition - looks really good on plasma)
3) Mission Impossible 3 (sounds and looks great)
4) Hellboy (amazing to watch on plasma)
5) Transformer (really good sound effects)
6) Casino Royale
7) Terminator 1,2,3 (looks and sounds really good especially 2)
8) 300 (amazing to watch)
9) Grand Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3 game - very well done full hd gameplay)

For reference the setup I am on right now is
Panasonic 42PV80 plasma display
Onkyo THX-990(S) 7.1 thx certified home theatre system augmented with Jamo S606 front floorstanders
2 PS3s for playing blurays, dvds and games

[mura]

Bluray Discs

1. Cars

2. Celine Dion: A New Day... Live in Las Vegas

3. Saawariya

4.Kung Fu Panda

5.Ratatouille

6.Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour

My Setup :

Panasonic AE2000 1080p Projector
PS3
Denon 3930 DVD Player
Denon Pre Power Combo
Focal Electra Speakers
JL audio F113 Subwoofers
Audioquest Wiring

[jassi]

Originally Posted by mura

Bluray Discs

1. Cars

2. Celine Dion: A New Day... Live in Las Vegas

3. Saawariya

4.Kung Fu Panda

5.Ratatouille

6.Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour

most cgi or computer generated animation looks awesome - cars is really nice - must get it
have the demo videos of shakira, savariya and celine dion downloaded from ps3 and they are really nice to watch!!
nice setup btw :-)

[BAKIYA_2K12]

Bluray disc

my collection

under world evolution (bit dark)
fantastic four (video is good)
fantastic four rise of silver surfer(Picture quality was very good, sound excellent)
Kung fu hustle (looks nice on full hd)
open season (nice animation)
The wild (can compare to hellboy)
spider man 3(the sand man looks amazing in the movie)
ghost rider (the flame in the movie is fantastic)
hell boy (my first impersion on full hd)
Alien vs predator (good sound effect)
Resident Evil Apocalypse (good clarity)
Resident Evil extension (nice movie and good clarity)
Terminator 3 (audio is good)
ice age (The animation is good)
mi 3(great picture)
the last man stand (The video quality is good)
300 (scenes appeared grainy, i remember this affect in the theater also)
live free die hard(worth buying this movie good on bluray action move)
surf up (can see some dots in the movie)
stealth (i saw it on the tralier and decide to buy it )
cars (good animation)
Transformers (good sound effects)
marine (good clarity and good sound effects)
i am legend (great movie)
rambo (couldn't able to watch it's a B region i have A region ps3 but the back cover says ABC region )


i don't know why in some bluray movies i can see some scenes appearing grainy in the dark

my set up

Sony bravia 40" w series
ps3 for bluray
Sony HTDDW1600 6.2 home theater

[autopsyche]

Try watching Saving Private Ryan on your HTS, the sound effects will literally blow you away.

[sj_koova]

Surprisingly nobody mentioned Lord of the Rings here.
It has excellent sound and picture, especially the 3rd Part.
Looks great on my PV80 with HDMI input

[abhijitaparadh]

I think any action movie will look and sound good on a good plasma/lcd and good home theatre. Just watched the complete bourne series (again !) on my Sony 40" LCD with some sony home theatre system. Same way as the dark knight rocked on imax.

Good way to spend weekend especially when its raining and temp 2 deg C in NYC.

[reignofchaos]

Apart from all that has been mentioned there's U571 which is the most awesome subwoofer test.

[tsk1979]

For video get the Top Gear polar challenge HD video. Ditto for other programs involving panning shots of automobiles. If LCD shows ghosting etc., its an issue.

[mobike008]

As said by everyone, any action/horror movie looks and sounds awesome on a good combo set-up.

My favorite scene to show-off my HT is from Collateral Damage when Arnold is running away from the colombians and jumps into the water rapids.

The resulting sound literally shakes the flooring and makes you feel your part of those rapids. People whom i am showing off my system are are usually floored by this demo

I am an action and Horror movie buff, so my favorites include:-

a) F&F Series ( Picture quality and sound is really good)
b) Ronin
c) Terminator Series
d) Predator
e) Bourne Series
f) Transporter Series
g) My huge collection of horror movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn, Jeepers Creepers, Hostel,Grudge Series etc. etc.
h) PS3 games : GT5, GTA4,Motostorm,Ratchet& Clank-TOD,Assasins Creed,F1 2008

My set-up is quite simple but i am quite happy with the outcome

40" Samsung LCD
Playstation 3
Sony DVD Player
Onkyo 5.1 Channel Home Theatre System

[vnabhi]

How come nobody has mentioned 'Beyond Enemy Lines'? The Panasonic service person carried the VCD (not DVD) with him when he came to give me a demo for my new PV 8. The scene where the fighter jet tries to evade a SAM is just too good to watch and listen to! Another scene was a series of bombs going off near the railway lines when the hero is being chased by enemies.
I want to buy that movie now. Even VCD sounded great on my Panny SC20 home theatre.

[csentil]

Transformers in DTS
The Incredibles in DTS
Apocalypto
Hero - Chinese movie
Planet Earth Series for the visuals
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time - PS2
God of War - PS2
The Matrix

[jassi]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

For video get the Top Gear polar challenge HD video. Ditto for other programs involving panning shots of automobiles. If LCD shows ghosting etc., its an issue.

I am watching this right now and it is just awesome watching the 720p video currently - will watch 1080p version next to see the difference !! Its a good video to watch on my plasma (panny 42pv80), but unfortunately its encoded with 2.0 sound so the HT is trying to do some dolby PLIIx magic :-)

[tsk1979]

1080p?
How will you supply the video to the TV. If you are using a computer with vlc or other HD enabled player, make sure your PC has adequate processing power. Otherwise the video will "hiccup" and hang at times.

[Shakensoul]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

How come nobody has mentioned 'Beyond Enemy Lines'?

I think its " Behind Enemy Lines"

Originally Posted by mura

Bluray Discs

6.Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour

I got the 720p DTS version and it rocks, I can't imagine how the actual bluray will feel

I also got the DTS Demonstration DVD No.10 - Alive!

DTS Demonstration DVD No.10 - Alive!

Following demos are very good

Adrenaline Rush (6:28) DTS 5.1

Omar Hakim - Listen Up! (7:01) DTS 96/24

Eagles - Life In The Fast Lane (5:54) DTS 5.1