dir. Ridley Scott
The 40th Anniversary Edition from 20th Century is the best release for the 1979 original, and it earns the S-Tier on transfer alone. The franchise's 4K story is messier than it looks once you move past the first film. Aliens (1986) shipped with Cameron's degrained, regraded master, which split the fanbase down the middle and sent grain purists back to the older Blu-ray. The recent Romulus steelbook from Vice Press has been the main franchise focus on the new-release side.
20th Century Studios · 40th Anniversary Edition
dir. Denis Villeneuve
Still the reference disc for a lot of people. The latest 'what are your top 3 reference discs' conversation turned into a roundup and always includes Dune alongside Vertigo, Blade Runner 2049, and Lawrence of Arabia.
Warner Bros. · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Chad Stahelski
S-Tier Lionsgate 4K. The one that started it all. Every John Wick film has a strong 4K transfer, and the set is a GRUV sale regular. The Continental club shootout is still one of the best neon-lit action sequences on disc. Individual steelbook versions exist for collectors who want matching artwork across the series.
Lionsgate · 4K + Blu-ray
S-Tier Lionsgate 4K. Chapter 2 is where the Wick world-building really kicks in. New York and Rome in neon-soaked HDR look incredible. The entire John Wick set keeps getting singled out as some of the best-looking discs in people's collections, and every chapter has competing steelbook exclusives from different retailers.
S-Tier Lionsgate 4K. Parabellum is the John Wick film people seem to own three copies of. Walmart's exclusive steelbook had people buying a third version of a movie they already owned twice. The knife fight sequence and the desert photography in HDR look great.
dir. Christopher Nolan
S-Tier Universal 4K with a perfect 5.0 score. Oppenheimer sold out in one week, which prompted a Variety article about why retailers were pulling physical media while discs were selling like this. The IMAX scenes that fill the full screen are the reason to own the disc over digital, since the streaming version crops them. Nolan films consistently drive 4K sales more than anything else.
Universal Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray
The 4K is a real upgrade over the Blu-ray, which had noticeable sharpening and DNR issues. The IMAX sequences are some of the sharpest footage you'll see on the format, and the 35mm scenes are a solid improvement too. Batman Begins is the disappointing one on 4K, but Dark Knight and Rises both look great. The trilogy steelbook set has been through multiple exclusive editions and the artwork reveals always get a lot of attention.
dir. Alfred Hitchcock
VistaVision source material gives this a level of detail that pre-1960s films rarely reach on disc. Colors are incredible and the shoulder stitching on Kim Novak's wardrobe is visible in scenes where it used to be a smear. A standard pick in any top 3 reference disc conversation alongside Dune and Lawrence of Arabia.
dir. Sam Raimi
StudioCanal's 4K steelbook is the one collectors point to, with inked-blood artwork that's been a visual favorite. It's a UK/EU release so US buyers import, but the packaging alone makes it the version to own over the Lionsgate standard 4K. The transfer is A-Tier on either disc.
dir. Simon McQuoid
Washed-up MMA fighter Cole Young, unaware of his heritage, and hunted by Emperor Shang Tsung's best warrior, Sub-Zero, seeks out and trains with Earth's greatest champions as he prepares to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
The Lionsgate 4K is out of print individually but still available in the Groovy Collection box with Evil Dead II and Ash vs Evil Dead. The standalone steelbook runs $40 USD on eBay if you can find one with a slip. Most people are telling newcomers to grab the box while it lasts since that's the cheapest path to both films in 4K.
