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Author Topic: Best/worst Atmos mixes Antti Nayha Master Film Handler Posts: 268 From: Helsinki, Finland Registered: Oct 2008 posted 05-07-2014 03:32 AM                     Living in a country with no Atmos installations, I haven't experienced that many Atmos features with my own ears. I've heard some complaints, though, that a lot of them are actually quick-and-dirty remixes, based on the 7.1 mix with a few ceiling speaker effects thrown in... Would you agree or is that just FUD? While we're there, let's list some of the best and worst Atmos mixes. Starting with the good ones, Brave and Gravity sounded pretty impressive to me. Care to share your opinions?  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 05-07-2014 04:15 AM                     I haven't seen all Atmos releases in Atmos, so I can only judge the movies I have seen so far. I did see some of the movies I've seen in Atmos twice, in different formats. For me Gravity was absolutely the best Atmos mix until now, but the 7.1 mix was also great. The worst Atmos mix for me was Thor: The Dark World, but that did have a lame 7.1 mix too. Also underwhelming was the Atmos mix of The Hobbit, especially for such a big release. And The Hunger Games: Catching Fire also didn't really impress me. Although there was one scene in the latest Hunger Games movie that really put Atmos to good use. That was when it went dark during the actual games. Although generally a lame movie, 300: Rise of an Empire had a very powerful Atmos mix. Most of the Atmos mixes I've heard were somewhere between good and OK, but few were really outstanding. In my opinion, Atmos is great, but not all movies equally benefit from it, so I sometimes skip Atmos in favor of a "traditional" experience. Thor 2 definitely sounded like a Monday morning 5.1 mix with some occasional "Atmos gimmicks" thrown in.  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 05-07-2014 08:42 AM                        Which Hobbit movie are you referring to? I didn't get a chance to see Desolation of Smaug in Atmos, but I did for An Unexpected Journey, and I thought that sound mix was pretty good. Most especially, the Riddles in the Dark scene with Bilbo and Gollum, where you could hear Gollum moving around in the dark, which gave you a "you are there" type of experience.  |  IP: Logged Connor Wilson Expert Film Handler Posts: 190 From: Sterling, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2011 posted 05-07-2014 03:08 PM                     I'll rank the films I have seen in Atmos from best-sounding to worst-sounding, just to give you an idea. 1. Gravity (mix grade A+) 2. Pacific Rim (mix grade A) 3. Noah (mix grade A-) 4. Oz the Great and Powerful (mix grade A-) 5. A Good Day to Die Hard (mix grade D) So, for me, Atmos is mostly positive although there is one dud being the first Atmos film I saw in the infamous ETX screen in AMC Tyson's Corner 16. Since Pacific Rim, I have made the extra mileage to Regal Kingstowne Stadium 16 in Alexandria to see films that were only showing in D-IMAX at Tyson's. It also became my favorite Atmos venue. Regal is opening up a 10-screener with RPX at the Dulles Town Center mall. DTC is only a hop, skip and a jump away from my current location and possibly by the time it opens we would've moved, but still in Northern Virginia. I mention this because I wish with all my heart that Dolby can install Atmos in DTC, removing the need for a half-hour or so drive.  |  IP: Logged Buck Wilson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 894 From: St. Joseph MO, USA Registered: Sep 2010 posted 05-07-2014 03:21 PM                     Brave was an Atmos movie? Would've loved to see that. My favorite mixes were Gravity and Cap America: Winter Soldier Hobbit 2 was decent, Spiderman 2 could've been better  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 05-07-2014 04:58 PM                     quote: Scott Jentsch Which Hobbit movie are you referring to? The Desolation of Smaug, I actually forgot the first one had Dolby Atmos too.  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-07-2014 05:23 PM                     Captain America gets an A+ 300: Rise of Empire gets a solid F.  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 05-07-2014 06:08 PM                     quote: Ron Lacheur 300: Rise of Empire gets a solid F. Just out of curiosity, what was your problem with this mix?  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-08-2014 12:38 AM                     Wayyy to much music coming from the Atmos and surrounds in general, takes you right out of it.  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 05-08-2014 02:18 AM                     Ya Buck Brave was the first movie to come out in Atmos. I was at the Atmos grand opening at the AMC Barrywoods in KC the opening weekend for Brave. I really enjoyed the mix. Dolby reps were there too and came into the theater before the show and talked about Atmos a bit and what to expect and answered questions in the lobby afterwards. They also handed out posters and had questionaires on how you liked the Atmos experience.  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 05-08-2014 04:08 AM                     quote: Ron Lacheur Wayyy to much music coming from the Atmos and surrounds in general, takes you right out of it. It's a matter of taste, but I actually liked the fact that they didn't ignore the surrounds for their musical score. It's not like music is something that occurs naturally anyway . So, for me, music doesn't need to be limited to front left and front right. What took me right out of it was the movie itself.  |  IP: Logged Buck Wilson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 894 From: St. Joseph MO, USA Registered: Sep 2010 posted 05-10-2014 02:01 PM                     Jarod, that's awesome! That would've been really cool.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-12-2014 11:54 AM                     Gravity was absolutely the best by a wide margin. A very dynamic mix, which ranged from in your face loud to whisper quiet. By far the best use of the pan through surround array. At one point while Clooney is in orbit, he circles the whole auditorium, touching every surround speaker. Other stand out Atmos mixes are Brave, Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Live Free or Die Hard. The most underwhelming was Oz The Great and Powerful which did not sound any different than a normal 7.1 mix.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 05-12-2014 12:30 PM                     Star Wars had a great Atmos mix. I remember seeing it opening day here May 25 1977, in 70mm too. I remember it very well. I couldn't believe they had Atmos for this one, but it's true. I was there.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-17-2014 01:38 PM                     Erthquake's Atmos mix was so intense, it shook down masonry work off the ceiling!  |  IP: Logged

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