8 Dolby Atmos Movies that Audiophiles will Enjoy

8 Movies That Audiophiles Will Enjoy

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Any film needs audio, and a bad audio experience is one of the easiest ways to tell if a movie was poorly produced. 

Whether it’s through unscrupulous stock sounds, awful balance, or warped vocals, a movie’s bad audio can ruin the viewing experience.  

On the other hand, a movie with great audio can work wonders to captivate the audience and transport them to another world. Even though some of them feature fantasy content, the sound effects in these movies are imaginative and believable. 

One of the best ways to enjoy surround sound in cinemas and at home is with Dolby Atmos, with plenty of immersive sound codecs available. 

A great way to enjoy Dolby Atmos is by watching one of the many Blu-ray DVDs readily accessible, and some outstanding movies have immersive Atmos sound incorporated.

Here’s my list of the top 8 Dolby Atmos movies that audiophiles will enjoy watching at home.

1. Everest

  • Runtime: 2h 1m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Thriller

This compelling film, which is based on actual events, depicts the tale of climbers trying to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1996. 

The roaring storm around the climbers is played mainly on the overhead speakers.

Along with some synth sounds, such as the cracking of glacier ice and the rescue helicopter, the musical score is also incorporated into the surroundings and overhead speakers. 

By contrast, the storm scenes are far more immersive and can sound more terrifying than the rest of the mix, which is relatively front-loaded.

Everest Movie Poster
Everest Movie Poster

2. Inception

  • Runtime: 1h 31m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller

The most creative director now at work, at least in terms of graphics, plot, and sound design, is undoubtedly Christopher Nolan. 

Any of his movies can be included on this list because they all have excellent reviews but his 2010 masterwork Inception is among the best.

The movie’s sound design is flawlessly executed, and every innovative sound, including metallic grindings, gunshots, booming explosions, cars colliding with one another, and crumbling structures, is accurately reproduced here.

The directionality and purity of the sound immerse the viewer in a compelling sound that makes the best use of the rear and side hi-fi speakers. 

The best portion is unquestionably the grandiose soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, which also has clear sounds. 

Inception Movie Poster
Inception Movie Poster

3. Blade Runner 2049

  • Runtime: 2h 44m
  • Rating: R
  • Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller

Above speakers do a great job of conveying that the rain will never stop, just like in the first Blade Runner. 

Flying automobiles speed around, and the ellipsoidal sound field of the crowded city is filled with a lot of background noise.

The music by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, which pays homage to Vangelis’ original composition, is also exquisitely mixed throughout the space from above and on all sides.  

Blade Runner 2049
Blade Runner 2049 Movie Poster

4. Ready Player One

  • Runtime: 2h 20m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy

The Ready Player One Dolby Atmos soundtrack may surpass your expectations if you search for immersion and a show of force. 

High levels of precision are achieved in the mix’s richness. The dialogues are understandable, the spatialization is good, and the atmospheres are incredible.

The car race is a hive of thrilling details with good effects. The OASIS virtual world is filled with innumerable environments that are highly engaging.

The surround channels, frequently used in the climactic fight, keep separating particular elements, such as drones, bullets, flying machines, coins, Mechagodzilla, King Kong, and a T-Rex. The information overload is ridiculous but understandable.

Kyrsten Mate is responsible for the sound editing. And to cap it all off, Alan Silvestri, a legendary composer, created the musical compositions, and their lyrical flourishes. 

The bass is explosive, and the loudness is mind-boggling, but never does one overpower the other.

Ready Player One Movie Poster
Ready Player One Movie Poster

5. Gravity

  • Runtime: 1h 31m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller

One of the best movies in 2013, if not the best, was Gravity. This was also the most ambitious and it won multiple awards due to its brilliant technical filmmaking.

The movie sounds just as amazing at home as it did in the cinema, and the sound design is essential to creating an otherworldly atmosphere. 

The silence is intimidating, and the opening tragedy of the spacecraft is an experiment in flawless sound design and directional cues, proving to be amongst the most engaging sound fields in contemporary cinema.

Gravity Movie Poster
Gravity Movie Poster

6. Mission Impossible: Fallout

  • Runtime: 2h 27m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack of this movie is a masterpiece of precise labor. 

No element of the audio mix, acoustic space, mix balance, effects, atmospheres, or conversation clarity can detract from this outstanding film. The action is most striking during the airborne scenario with sounds of helicopter trajectory, wind gusts, and voice dispersal.

The sounds are broadcast with supercharged power and multi-channel effects commensurate with an immersive movie experience, and they are as varied as the camera motions and framing.

The helicopter sequence, for instance, demonstrates how expertly designed and mixed the sound is. The auditory environment is kaleidoscopic and pointillistic and has incredible acceleration effects. 

There are many scenes, and the multi-channel effects are flowing and dense. In one word, it can only be described as masterful.

Mission Impossible Fallout Movie Poster
Mission Impossible: Fallout Movie Poster

7. Jaws

  • Runtime: 2h 4m
  • Rating: PG
  • Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror, Adventure

It’s no secret that older movies sound much worse than their contemporary counterparts. Extensive remixing cannot save some earlier soundtracks since the technology wasn’t there. 

Thankfully, with Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, that’s most definitely not the case.

One of the greatest films by the two-time Academy Award-winning director, this movie gets the proper audio treatment in 4K.

It now has a brand-new Dolby Atmos soundtrack that nicely highlights John Williams’s legendary score. It also includes some excellent surround sound effects, such as waves, splashes, and background dialogue.

Despite being almost fifty years old, this movie sounds contemporary.

Jaws Movie Poster
Jaws Movie Poster

8. Spider-Man: Homecoming

  • Runtime: 2h 13m
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy

This Spider-Man story episode has a fantastic Dolby Atmos soundtrack. 

The flying adversary can frequently be heard clearly and loudly as Spidey casts his webs around the entire space. 

The outstanding score by Michael Giacchino and a range of older and more recent rock songs are mixed far into the room, as is the case with many contemporary Atmos soundtracks, completely enveloping moviegoers.

Spider Man Homecoming
Spider-man: Homecoming Movie Poster

What’s so great about Dolby Atmos movies?

What about I love Dolby Atmos movies is that they can transport you into a unique and immersive sound experience that tends to draw you in deeper. It’s like every sound effect that you hear is real.

Every movie buff will tell you that it’s really the best for watching any kind of movie, especially action-packed ones.

Dolby Atmos is now more widely available than ever, and it can be found in some television shows and movies on streaming services, including Disney+, Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video. 

Conclusion

There are many other movies for audiophiles with top-notch Dolby Atmos soundtracks. 

Once you’ve installed an immersive audio system in your home theater, I bet you won’t be settling for anything less. You’ll demand Dolby Atmos soundtracks whenever possible because their impact is much more significant than that of ordinary surround sound.

Do you have any questions about the setup or performance of Dolby Atmos? Comment below and I’ll be happy to answer them.

A passion for writing and ongoing research projects gives Catherine an incredibly broad knowledge of all things. She has authored an incredible number of articles and can be found in the wilderness when not attached to technology or listening to podcasts.


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