Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Sony has released the 2014 film 'Still Alice,' directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland and starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. No new audio or supplements are included. No Blu-ray disc is included; all extras are found on the UHD disc. At time of writing, this release is exclusive to the eleven-film Sony Pictures Classics: 30th Anniversary Collection boxed set.

Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Still Alice still looks quite good on the UHD format. Sony's 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation offers a fine image all around. It's not a standout, but it's also not in any way a disappointment. The picture, like the Blu-ray, is stable and clear. The upped resolution allows for a modest gain to textural characteristics in the most common areas of concern, like faces and clothes. The resolution bolsters core characteristics with added definition and sharpness, but the picture also holds to a mild softness at times. It's not as texturally aggressive and endlessly sharp as other films on the format, but this is within the picture's intended visual parameters. Like the Blu-ray, the picture thrives within its confines, but within the format-at-large it is not a particularly memorable UHD. The picture does reveal some mild source noise but there are no other source drawbacks or encode anomalies to report.

The Dolby Vision grading likewise brings a sense of stability and tonal stature to the colors on hand. Moore's red hair enjoys a gain to depth and accuracy. Warm woods (see the 11:08 mark) enjoy deeper color and more naturally inclined tonal nuance. Blacks are very deep but do at times teeter on crush. Skin tones range from warm to pasty and pale, though such contrasts appear to be within the film's natural color spectrum. White balance is excellent, offering brighter and more natural output. This is a fairly unassuming presentation. It's just fine and suits the film well; just don't expect a high performance and fully memorable UHD.

Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rather than re-encode for Dolby Atmos, Sony has left well enough alone and simply ported over the Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is not a surprise; the film is dialogue heavy and its sonic needs are modest. The track is excellent in every facet. For convenience find below the text from the original Blu-ray review:

Still Alice features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's of relatively simple construction. It's largely a dialogue dependent film, and the spoken word plays evenly, accurately, and naturally from the front-center speaker. The track incorporates a fair bit of ambience when necessary, such as background din at a restaurant or rolling waves beachside. Music is well defined and precise, particularly in some more deliberately confused bits that swirl through the back.

Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Still Alice, as it ships in the Sony Pictures Classics 30th Anniversary boxed set, includes the same extras from the 2018 Blu-ray. See below for a list of what's included and please click here for full coverage. As it ships in that boxed set, a non-embossed slipcover is included.

• Directing Alice
• Finding Alice
• Interview with Composer Ilan Eshkeri
• Deleted Scenesy
• Theatrical Trailer

Still Alice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sony's UHD release of Still Alice, as it ships in the Sony Pictures Classics 30th Anniversary boxed set, delivers solidly performing 2160p/Dolby Vision video which suits the film very well and looks fine; just don't expect a showstopper. Audio and supplements are both fine and remain unchanged from the 2015 Blu-ray. Highly recommended.