Best Movies and Shows to Test your Surround Sound System
[Last updated: April 2024]
Looking for the best movie scenes to test your surround sound system? Or looking for deep, chest-thumping explosions that show off the might of your subwoofers to your friends, family (and neighbors)? Be it from streaming platforms such Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max or Blu-Ray Discs, we’ve got your weekends covered with our surround sound movies that are both a treat to watch and listen to. Just add popcorn! 🍿
In this action-packed thriller, Ryan Gosling plays a CIA agent "Sierra Six" who finds himself with a bounty on his head after uncovering a damning corruption scandal. As Six becomes the target of an assassination attempt on board a plane, your surround speakers will be put through their paces. Relish in the realistic height and directional effects delivered through your surround speakers, with the plane taking a violent nosedive in midair before it bursts into flames. Punctuated by the flurry of knives and fists exchanging blows through your center channel, you'll find yourself transported straight into the heart of the action.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Based on various works by Edgar Allen Poe, this gothic horror mini-series is bound to send chills down your spine. A mysterious slew of deaths strikes the Usher family, all of which are explored in grotesque detail throughout the show. In episode 7, when a certain character meets his end, listen out for the haunting, slow strike of a pendulum through your center channels. Chunks of huge debris fall from above, with sounds of impending destruction recreated through your height channels. Your subwoofers will rock your room at ominous intervals, before the inevitable collapse of the building, while the character finds himself helpless to do anything but meet his imminent doom.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐ ⭐
Executive-produced by former US president Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground Productions banner, Leave the World Behind is an apocalyptic psychological thriller film that digs deep into its criticism of human nature through a series of increasingly unsettling events. Look forward to the hair-raising moment where an oil tanker runs ashore on a leisure beach. The deep rumble of the oil tanker's engine as it approaches, while beachgoers begin to flee, will give your subwoofers a workout. Then, listen out for the shrill screech of wheels through your center channel, as self-driving Teslas that were attempting to evacuate crash into each other at full speed.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
This space epic starring Academy Award winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney finds two astronauts struggling for their lives after their space shuttle is destroyed in orbit. The height and surround channels add vibrant directionality that will leave you on the edge of your seat, as space debris whizzes towards Dr Ryan Stone and sends her tumbling through space. Listen out for the ominous drag of debris against the space shuttle, making their weight felt through the rumbling bass from your subwoofers.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Maestro is a biographical film that chronicles the love story between conductor Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre. It follows Leonard, known for writing beloved musical West Side Story, as he starts a relationship with Felicia, and the complicated marriage that follows. Your center channel will capture the hushed, tender moments shared between the couple. At the same time, Leonard's talents as a legendary conductor of his time shine through with the rousing musical compositions and performances interspersed throughout this show, putting the sonic accuracy of your surround speakers to the test.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
From the director of 300 and Man of Steel, Rebel Moon brings together fantasy and sci-fi to deliver an action-packed film. A mysterious girl, Kora, becomes the only hope for survival for the peaceful community of farmers she has settled down in. Desperate to protect them, she travels to different worlds to amass fighters to help with the defense effort. When Kora arrives to save a hostage, your surround channels will capture the shrill sound of bullets shooting through the air as she engages her opponents. Later in the movie, your subwoofers will add dramatic punch to every hit that Kora lands on the main villain during their final fight.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
This fantasy-comedy movie named after the iconic Mattel dolls took the world by storm for good reason. It turns the world as we know it on its head while exploring deeper societal issues in a light-hearted manner. Be amused by the surreality of every doll being named Barbie or Ken. Their names will resound all around you through the surround channels, while your center channel jazzes it up as the dolls head out onto the dancefloor. Then, get caught up in an exciting car chase: Your subwoofers will add to the thrill with pounding bass, as the characters floor the pedal.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
In this wildly acclaimed film adaptation of the book, the heir to the noble Atreides family finds himself embroiled in an interstellar war for the galaxy's most valuable asset. The ability of your surround speakers to reproduce height effects will be put to the test, as characters flee from huge sandworms that displace the desert in looming mountains of sand. Inevitably, the different factions find themselves facing off against each other in the final showdown. Every anti-airship cannon Atreides fires toward the Harkonnen airships will have your subwoofers shaking your room, while the center channel makes the efforts of ground forces known as they engage in a fierce clash of weapons.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
A big Hollywood star is recruited for an undercover mission to stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology by arms broker Greg Simmonds. Look out for the scene where Simmonds, as part of negotiations, shows off the Maverick Missiles he controls. The center channel will bring out the unnerving nonchalance in his voice as he cues for the missiles to rain down. Your subwoofers will pound with every missile strike, as they destroy the satellites in the background.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Fair Play centers on a pair of lovers Luke and Emily that work in the same competitive hedge fund. Lust and love spiral into manipulation and distrust in this emotionally charged show. As a rift opens between the couple following an unexpected promotion, tempers are raised and barbs are exchanged with increasing hostility, both whispered and in direct argument. A powerful center channel will articulate the nuances of these conflicts with clarity, bringing out the crisp, chilling sound of glass shattering during one particular scene. Doubtlessly, this is a show that will keep you on the edge of your seat all throughout.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
This 4-part Netflix adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning book follows blind French teenager Marie-Laure and German soldier Werne. The overhead effects as warplanes soar over occupied France bring you straight into the scene, set in the final days of World War 2. As the radio that connects Marie-Laure and Werne from opposite sides of the war plays on in the background, every surround channel adds directionality and positional accuracy to the scene. And as they flee from the heat of the conflict, your subwoofers and surround channels add dramatic impact to the devastation, as gunshots and explosions ring out around them.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
When an astronaut's spaceship crashes on ancient Earth, he is left fighting for his life. Alongside a young girl, the sole other survivor, they fend off prehistoric creatures as they search for a way home in this dramatic movie from the writers of A Quiet Place. You'll be transported into the spaceship as it hurtles to the ground, with alarms blaring from the left and right surround channels. And as the protagonists flee an approaching T-Rex, your seat will shake from the pounding of your subwoofers, adding to the looming ominosity of the scene.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Join Monkey D. Luffy on an adventure riddled with trials and tribulations in this highly acclaimed TV adaptation of the popular manga. Luffy amasses a ragtag crew of pirates on his search for the One Piece, a treasure left buried by the greatest pirate of all time. Action-packed and light-hearted in equal measure, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat as Luffy's crew engages in naval combat with other ships. Prepare to hear the rumbling of cannonfire from your subwoofers, and the vicious clang of cutlasses ringing out from the surround channels around you.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
The action-packed sequel to Equalizer (2014) features the return of Robert McCall, a retired CIA Black Ops operative-turned-Lyft driver who moonlights as a vigilante on the side. When his long-term friend is murdered, Robert embarks on a quest for vengeance that brings him around the world. Your surround channels will capture the crisp sound and positional accuracy of every gunshot as Robert's opponents try to snipe him from afar. As Robert engages in battle, your subwoofers will reverberate with the hurricane raging in the background, bringing you straight into the tension of the fight.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
This TV series focuses on Miep Gies, who risked her life sheltering Anne Frank's family during World War II. The center channel picks up the desperate, hushed dialogues with clarity, adding to the feeling of dread that builds up with each episode. Listen out for the directionality and overhead effects from your upfiring speakers as airplanes fly by, a reminder of the war that the show is backdropped against.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
In this heartwarming family film, Judy Hopps breaks barriers by becoming the first rabbit to join the police force. However, she grapples with her role within the force. Seizing the opportunity to prove herself, Judy crosses paths with the cunning fox, Nick Wilde, while working on a challenging case. Together, they embark on a thrilling mission to get to the bottom of things. Watch on and hear your subwoofers deliver powerful bass thumps during intense scuffles while your surround speakers capture the exhilarating rush of a hurtling train headed straight for our dynamic duo.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
During the Korean War in 1950, two close friends are Naval aviation pilots stationed on an aircraft carrier. Their friendship is put to the test when one of them crash lands a faulty plane and the other has to mount a rescue mission. The sounds of overhead helicopters will test the upfiring speakers of your sound system. Listen to the change in sound directions during the test flight scene (06:30 - 08:30), your surround speakers will produce a distinct directional change as the aircraft takes off from the ground to the sky.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
A man awakens in a hospital with no memory and soon finds himself on the run in a locked-down hospital, with the Cartel hot on his tail. He scrambles in the most vicious way to discover his true identity. Prepare to be wowed by the sound of the machinery, bullets, destroyed buildings, and explosions happening across all your surround channels throughout the movie. Also, the thunderous explosions (37:10-37:40) can very well be felt from your subwoofers. Get ready to feel the rumble in your living room and experience true surround sound via your home surround system.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
Back from the brink of death, highly skilled commando Tyler Rake takes on another dangerous mission to save the imprisoned family of a ruthless gangster. Get ready to be immersed in every sound detail and movement in this thriller. In the train fight scene (42:40 to 47:10), listen out for loud, crisp gunshots and explosions from your left and right surround speakers. Also, pay attention to the directionality of the overhead effects from the helicopter. Pockets of explosions and heavy blows will reverberate through your chest by your subwoofers, adding weight to every scene.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Black Mirror is a popular TV series that delves into the dark side of humanity amid advancements in technology. In the "Crocodile" episode (Season 4, Episode 3 - 01:20-02:30), listen for a directional transition in sound when Rob gets into a car accident with the cyclist; you will hear loud thumps at the right, followed by a distant crash of the lifeless body at the left. To complete the surround sound experience, the up-firing speakers will add height effects to the point of impact between the cyclist and the car, giving you the impression that the cyclist's body is sent flying above the vehicle.
IMMERSIVENESS RATING: ⭐⭐
WARNING: The TV Series / Movie recommendations contain scenes that some viewers may find disturbing and/or may not be suitable for younger audiences, including strong adult language, sexual content and violence. Viewer discretion is advised.
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