• 4k Blu Ray Player Reviews
• Casino Royale 4k Blu Ray Review
• Interstellar Blu Ray 4k Review
• Best 4k Blu Ray Movies

• The exception being that the disc for Casino Royale is only one disc, so if you have the two-disc set – hold onto it. Links to our Blu-ray reviews are included, we have detailed the supplements for each disc in the respective reviews. Casino Royale (4K) – Read our Blu-ray review of Casino Royale. Audio Commentary.
• Casino 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Unboxing.
• We reviewed the UK Ultra HD Blu-ray release of Casino on an LG 55B7 Dolby Vision 4K Ultra HD OLED TV with an LG UP970 Dolby Vision 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. This excellent native 4K presentation will have you not merely retiring the old SDR Blu-ray but putting it out of its misery.

Plot: What’s it about?

After the success of Goodfellas in the early part of the decade, director Martin Scorsese and writer Nicholas Pileggi chose to team up once again in another tale of organized crime. With Scorsese’s filmmaking vision brought to a wider scale thanks to his efforts on Cape Fear and The Age of Innocence, the sites were set for Las Vegas and two of the main principles (Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci) from Goodfellas costarring again in a tale of the luck of the draw, the rise and fall and the glitz and glamour that is Casino.

The 4k Blu-ray edition of Casino releases to stores on September 10, 2019. Casino was nominated for one Oscar “Best Actress in a Leading Role Sharon Stone,” recognizing her performance as Ginger.

Meet Ace Rothstein (Robert DeNiro), he’s one of the best handicappers when it comes to sports betting, a fact that draws the attention to some people in the world of organized crime. Out in Vegas, the bunch from Chicago has gotten a hold of the Teamsters pension fund and with a great amount of money look to venture their business into the casino world of Las Vegas, running The Tangiers. How Ace fits is that they need someone to run the place legitimately. At the same time, one of the boys back home named Nicky Santuro (Joe Pesci) is keeping a sharp eye for the boys into this venture. Along the way Ace meets a hustling pretty gal named Ginger (Sharon Stone) that will be there for him during the good times and the bad but literally could also be the death of him.

Upon first viewing, this viewer didn’t know what to make of it in 1996 (when the film came out on video), and the result was a little less satisfying than most of Scorsese’s work. However, in the years since then it took a friend’s wild request of Joe Pesci movies to view the film amongst friends. It was through this film that one element about Martin Scorsese’s films was imminent. His films are so much better the second time around and more and upon second viewing, this viewer noticed one of the most visually striking films of any decade along with a great capture of the period as well as a solid three hours of film (started with a great title sequence by Elaine and Saul Bass (A LEGEND!!)) that go by as each element is presented during the ongoing operations of the casino.

The film has gangster elements in the film but if one were to nail a genre for this piece, one would consider a docudrama with elements in between of interaction. The narration from both views (Nicky’s and Ace’s) carry the film very well in its backgrounded moments.

Scorsese and Pileggi develop a tale that leads to little holes in the operation to an unexpected triangle between his wife and his guardian. One of the things I love about the film is the way Scorsese plays with the structure as well as playing with location and time titles in different points of speed and movement.

It also leads to some great trademarks of Scorsese, the crazy camera close up, the great selection of period music as well as a number of long takes one being almost 6 minutes into the picture showing “the holiest of holies” in Vegas. I also like the term “boys back home” to refer to the shady characters that were skimming off the casino.

As for the cast, the film is well cast all around. As Ace Rothstein, Robert DeNiro gives a great performance of a man who gives into luck when he doesn’t believe in it and pays the price in the long run as well as having a high level of trust with things he cares for the most, even the slightest of things (like chips or blueberries in a muffin).

Joe Pesci brings a fierce menace to Nicky Santuro as a man different from Tommy in Goodfellas in that their dangerous element is similar, but the difference being that Nicky is already a made guy and one that crosses the line too far when the time comes (as Tommy never got to that point). It also is worth noting of Pesci’s other co-star in both Goodfellas and Raging Bull, Frank Vincent as he plays Nicky’s associate that gives a moment that saves the best for last for Frank in the run of those 2 movies.

In the film’s sole nomination (there should’ve been more), Sharon Stone plays Ginger, a gal with the line on all the side people at the casino but with a line on the man in charge and a line of coke at the same time. She plays a gal that no matter how much love Ace gives to her, she sees herself still attached to her slimeball ex-boyfriend (played brilliantly by James Woods).

Another interesting element of the film is the many comics that fill serious roles amongst the films. All of them (Don Rickles, Alan King, Kevin Pollak, Dick Smothers and a cameo by Steve Allen) this viewer is sure has played Vegas at one point or another and to bring their presence non-comedically into the flow of Scorsese’s film is most welcomed and they do extremely well in their supporting parts.

Through all the good moments, Casino never feels overlong and follows in the long tradition of films made in Vegas as a thing of beauty visually (thanks to cinematographer Robert Richardson) and in all aspects is a film like many of Scorsese’s worth going back to if you haven’t and worth appreciating if it’s been your umpteenth time. Casino is a winner all around, bet, place and show.

Video: How’s it look?

Casino has been a favorite of mine since I first saw it many moons ago. I’ve owned several copies of it across various formats, but felt that the visuals were never quite up to par. Even the Blu-Ray left a lot to be desired. It was passable, but the flaws were just too evident for me to not notice. When I heard that this film was going to receive the 4K treatment, I was more than a little optimistic. Well the short of this is that the film looks absolutely amazing. This disc offers a clear improvement over previous versions. The HDR10 presentation leaves nothing to be desired as the details are heightened and evident from the opening moments. The film has plenty to offer in terms of visuals, and there wasn’t a moment that I felt the transfer was lacking. The ratio is a wide 2.35:1 ensuring that we can take it all in. The film has never looked this good and will probably never be better than this. This is an easy recommendation for fans of the film.

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Audio: How’s it sound?

The DTS:X track is also impressive. There’s so much to this film that the vocals are front and center, but there’s plenty of action and background noise. The excellent soundtrack also shines through nicely in the background throughout several scenes, enhancing its presence just as needed. The dialogue never gets lost in the mix. In short, this is a strong track from start to finish.

Supplements: What are the extras?

The 4K disc only includes the Moments commentary with cast and crew. The rest of the supplements are carried over onto the Blu-ray disc.

• Moments with Martin Scorsese, Sharon Stone, Nicholas Pileggi and More – This is essentially an audio commentary even though it’s just segments of conversations about the film. It’s very worthwhile, but a standard commentary across the film would’ve been most welcome.
• Deleted Scenes – Some little throwaway moments that were wisely cut, but still fun to see.
• Vegas and the Mob – A lengthy Television special which gives a nice overview of the true story that inspired the film
• History Alive: True Crime Authors: Casino with Nicholas Pileggi – This gives us a nice behind the scenes look at the man who wrote the books that inspired Casino and Goodfellas.
• U-Control – A bit dated now, this is essentially picture-in-picture segments that let us access behind the scenes footage as we watch the film.

The Bottom Line

Not only is Casino one of my favorite Martin Scorsese films, it’s also one of my all-time favorite films. It’s easily one of the breeziest 3 hour films ever made. The 4K release improves on all old releases big time in terms of visuals and audio. In short, it’s a must own. The features, while carried over are still good. I do wish some new supplements were produced, but that wasn’t meant to be. This set comes highly recommended.

• 4K
• (2.35:1)
• Video Codec: HEVC (H.265)
• Audio: DTS: X
• 2 Disc Set
DISC FEATURES

• Theatrical Trailer
• Audio Commentary
• Deleted Scene(s)
• Featurette
• Documentary
• Digital Copy

Casino Royale 4k Blu Ray Review

• Film/Program Grade: A
• Video Grade: A-
• Audio Grade: A
• Extras Grade: C

Review

After impressing audiences with his horror debut Get Out, which was not only a genre refresher but also dealt with racism in a darkly funny but easily absorbable package, all eyes were fixed upon Jordan Peele’s next move as a filmmaker. Would he fall prey to the sophomore curse or rise to the occasion with another entertaining piece of material? The answer came in March of 2019 with Us, one of the most discussed horror films of recent memory.

The film opens in the 1980s as the Hands Across America campaign, a movement to bring people of all backgrounds together to help put an end to hunger, is taking place. Late one evening, a young girl named Adelaide wanders away from her parents at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, is eventually drawn into a hall of mirrors, and is horrified by what she finds there. Years later, Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) grows up to be a mother of two young children, Zora and Jason (Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex), as well as a loving wife to her supportive husband Gabe (Winston Duke). The four take a vacation together at a lake house in Santa Cruz, despite Adelaide’s misgivings about going back after what happened to her there as a child.

In the middle of the night, a group of four unknown people appear outside their house in red jumpsuits, unwilling to communicate or listen to reason. Despite Gabe’s attempt to make them go away, they descend upon the house, holding the family hostage in the living room. To their shock, the intruders look exactly like them. The leader, Red, the doppelgänger of Adelaide, explains that they are called the Tethered and have surfaced to destroy their above ground counterparts. Fighting to escape certain death, Adelaide and her family learn that not only are their doppelgängers more instinctual and self-driven than they are, but that their own encounter with them is only the tip of the iceberg.

Once again, Jordan Peele taps into something primordial in Us. It’s not a complex film, but more of one that, once the curtain is pulled back, you begin to notice minor details you didn’t pick up on before, making repeat watches valuable. The film explores the notion of identity, but also, when put to the test, whether one can rise above their situation and be as good or better than the ideal version of themselves. Granted, the Tethered are not the ideal versions of these people, but they are better in certain ways. For instance, Zora’s character participates in track at school, something she expresses a general boredom with early on. Meanwhile, her other self is not only a fast runner, but can outrun Zora when given the opportunity, which forces Zora to, in a sense, become more like her in order to survive.

The most-talked aspect of the film is its ending. If one pays close attention, the groundwork is laid for it at multiple points, making it a more natural conclusion than typical “twist” endings which often feel forced. A scene towards the end, wherein Red explains to Adelaide the entire backstory of the Tethered, is a bit problematic. Exposition was going to be a necessity at some point, but there’s a little too much here, it’s not presented in a terribly interesting way, and it steals too much narrative drive and tension from the moment.

Still, the response to Us was almost unanimous upon its release, with one critic even referring to it as “the best horror film ever made.” Ultimately, only time will tell what kind of impact Us will have on its viewers. With its multiple layers of ideas, as well as Easter eggs that coincide with those layers, the film is a stunning piece of work and a rollercoaster ride in the theater if you were lucky enough to see it with a good audience.

Interstellar Blu Ray 4k Review

Us was shot digitally in the ARRIRAW codec (at 3.4K) using Arri Alexa cameras with Zeiss Master Prime lenses. It was finished as a native 2K Digital Intermediate, was upsampled for this Ultra HD release, and was graded for high dynamic range in HDR10 (as well as Dolby Vision). It’s presented here in the proper 2.39:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The image offers very good (though not terribly refined) detail and texturing—not as much as a native 4K image would provide, but it’s a modest improvement on the Blu-ray. This improvement is particularly appreciated in dark scenes, as this is a moody, brooding film where much takes place in the shadows. Even in daylight moments, the tone feels dark. HDR enhances the contrast well, with the darkest areas of the image inky black, while highlights are bold but shy of eye-reactive. The overall color palette is warm and earthy, and the wider color gamut renders more subtle shadings of skin, clothing, and vegetation. The colors are even richer in select scenes, an example being Adelaide’s escalator descent later in the film. Dolby Vision improves on this just a bit more, with 12-bit color lending the image an added measure of nuance and depth. Lighting in the film tends to be from natural sources. The only visual flaws are by design, including the use of analog TV and cell phone footage, as well as the softness of a split diopter shot.

The audio selection includes English Dolby Atmos, as well as Spanish and French 7.1 Dolby Plus, with subtitle options in English SDH, Spanish, and French. The Atmos track is a solid surround experience, though one that tends to be more low key at times, taking full advantage of ambience and low frequency activity over explosiveness. Sound effects present a range of well-mixed and effective moments, from the subtle pitter-patter of scurrying small animals to the brutal impact of golf clubs and baseball bats, and even blood splatter. The score, though lacking in percussion, offers an abundance of depth, almost exclusively using strings to great effect. Dialogue is clear and well-placed, including the clicking sounds of the Tethered, as well as low breaths and guttural utterances. The height channels are mostly used to extend the soundfield vertically and add a bit more immersion. This is a highly enveloping soundtrack that doesn’t become overtly volatile, but prioritizes its assortment of elements with crisp precision.

Both the 4K and Blu-ray discs included in this release contain the following special features, all in HD:

• The Monsters Within Us (4:45)
• Tethered Together: Making Us Twice (7:28)
• Redefining a Genre: Jordan Peele’s Brand of Horror (5:31)
• The Duality of Us (9:56)
• Becoming Red (4:09)
• Scene Explorations (3 clips – 7:36 in all)
• Deleted Scenes (6 scenes – 6:28 in all)
• We’re All Dying (6:22)
• As Above, So Below: Grand Pas de Deux (5:02)

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All of this material will play automatically after the film ends. Unfortunately, despite the look of a package that includes a copious amount of extras, they’re more fluff than educational. The featurettes, particularly Tethered Together and The Duality of Us, go into slightly more detail than the others, highlighting the challenges of shooting the film, including the approach of shooting as if there were two different actors playing two different characters. The Deleted Scenes are also fairly inconsequential, including raw takes of the beach scene between Gabe and Josh. The most interesting extras are the Becoming Red and As Above, So Below segments. While the former utilizes footage in between takes of Lupita Nyong’o in character as Red, which is creepy in its own right, the latter is an uncut version of the ballet performance seen towards the end of the film. The rest gives minor background on the motivations of the actors and the director, but it doesn’t really go into enough depth to be enlightening. Sorely missing is an audio commentary or a long-form documentary on the making of the film. A paper insert with a Movies Anywhere Digital Copy code is included in the packaging.

While the 4K disc of Us offers a satisfactory A/V presentation, the extras don’t live up to expectations. The film is entertaining, and certainly worthy of a more expanded release, but this will have to suffice for now.

- Tim Salmons