Throughout 2017, lots of movies arrived for the writers of Biff Bam Pop! to take a look at, including several in 4K Blu-ray format. With the holidays here, there’s a good chance you might wind up with a 4K player or television, or be shopping for someone who is all up on the latest tech. On that note, here are reviews of some solid films (in our opinion) from the last year, and the format we watched them in.
The Harry Potter Movies in 4K: 2017 saw the entire collection of Harry Potter films released in 4K packages (complete with Blu-ray and digital copies). If you’re looking to introduce the franchise to your kids, or you simply grew up with the movies and want to have them in the best format possible, this the way to do it. The earlier films aren’t as “amazing” in 4K, just based on the fact that they’re older; however, when watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with the Princess, she said it was as though they were “actually in the room with us.” A bold proclamation, methinks, and reason enough to invest in the films.
Dunkirk : Christopher Nolan’s masterful film should be seen on the big screen, in 70 mm. Nobody is going to argue about that fact. BUT, if you didn’t get a chance to have that experience during the film’s first run, and can’t make it out during its current rerelease, Dunkirk in 4K is absolutely the way to go. The package also comes with a standard Blu-ray and digital version, so you’re covered wherever you want to watch the battle go down.
mother!: Now, I know this one is going to be divisive, but I absolutely loved Darren Aronofsky’s mind-fuck of a movie. Go in looking at it as an allegory (I’m not going to spoil what the allegory is, mind you – Google it), and the film immediately makes a certain kind of sense. The performances from stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem are both top-notch, and make the film well worth checking out just for that. BUT, for fans of dream-style, David Lynch inspired movie-making that doesn’t play by any rules except its own, mother! is going to be right up your alley. Yes, it goes absolutely bat-shit crazy in the final act, and you won’t believe your eyes, so if that doesn’t sound like fun, skip it. However, if you can go in with an open mind and willingness to take something of a psychedelic trip, mother! comes highly recommended.
Wonder Woman: I really want to be able to rewatch Wonder Woman with the Princess, but the fact is, it’s just too violent at the beginning when the Amazons cut down all the men. This is the only negative thing I can say about this wonderful film from director Patty Jenkins – that it’s not quite a kids film. Give it a few years and I’ll sit down with my little girl and we’ll watch Gal Gadot give an outstanding performance in the first really spectacular film to come out of the DC Movie Universe.
Logan: The final farewell to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine from the X-Men was a huge box office success, while also receiving critical acclaim from critics for the film’s tone and performances from Jackman and Patrick Stewart, back on last time as Professor Xavier. The 4K/Blu-ray/digital set comes with an alternate version of the film in black and white, which works nicely with the overall dark and bleak tone of the film. Like Deadpool, Logan is a hard-R film, and earns its rating in blood.
Spider-Man: Homecoming: Speaking of tone, director Jon Watts absolutely nails the high school tone of Spider-Man’s roots, something that was never really exploited in either Sam Raimi’s trilogy or Marc Webb’s two-film run. Tom Holland also absolutely nails the role of Peter Parker, though he’s surrounded by a strong supporting cast (including Michael Keaton as The Vulture) that makes this version of Spidey endlessly rewatchable. The best thing for the franchise was Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios getting their mitts on the character. Bonus: for collectors out there, head to Wal-Mart for their exclusive Spider-Man: Homecoming set, complete with a Spider-Man Funko Pop, comic book and socks!
Alien: Covenant: Ridley Scott was determined to make an Alien movie, but he wasn’t going for straight horror. There’s a complex story in here, masterfully delivered by Michael Fassbender in his role as David, the one holdover from Scott’s previous film, Prometheus. There are definite issues with the film (once again, we’re surrounded by a fairly clueless crew), and audiences didn’t come out in droves, but there are bold ideas being explored.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Though this LEGO film isn’t as acclaimed as well as The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie, it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan of the franchise. Stylistically the film looks great, and the voice work from famous names including Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods and Jackie Chan is strong, even if the script isn’t as witty as other entries. For further Ninjago fun, definitely check out the video game of the same name.
The Emoji Movie: Yes, the reviews were bad. Nay, terrible. But, you know what? Biff Bam Pop!’s Princess loved this movie. She watched it multiple times in a short period of time. It’s harmless, it’s fun, and it’s entertaining. While The Emoji Movie may be far from high art of the Pixar brand, its fun for the kids, and sometimes that’s all that matters.
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