The best movies to watch in 4K to show off the crystal-clear picture quality of ultra-high-def monitor and smart TVs. In the age of high-definition streaming and 4K Blu-rays, there's no shortage of classic movies, art films, and blockbusters for cinephiles to enjoy at home. Today, this is the closest to a cinematic theater experience for those who'd rather view movies from the comfort of their couch or desk.

The best 4K movies aren't just visual stunners or action-filled hard hitters. Whether through cinematography, choreography, character development, production, scoring, or plot, they are also some of the best movies in their respective genres. Viewed at 4K resolution, these films take on a whole new life. This is not only true for movies with big-budget action scenes, but even for smaller movies and horror films that deliver some great moments in high definition.

30 Akira (1988)

The Cyberpunk Anime Classic

Anime is a massively popular genre that is filled with many breathtaking and visually brilliant masterpieces. So it is no surprise that one of the most acclaimed and celebrated anime movies of all time is also a terrific 4K movie option. Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk action movie based on a manga of the same name. It is set in the futuristic city of Neo Tokyo where the leader of a rebellious teen biker gang must help save his childhood friend who has become targeted by the military after developing telekinetic abilities.

Akira is a stunning display of vivid colors that burst off the screen in 4K. While some of the futuristic metropolis is reminiscent of Blade Runner, it is also a very unique and distinct world that looks beautiful and engrossing in high definition. When the animated action sequences take over the movie, the presentation is even more impressive. From the opening bike chase sequence to the wild final battle, it is an amazing anime achievement.

29 Heat (1995)

Al Pacino And Robert De Niro Face Off In This Crime Saga

Michael Mann's directing career is filled with many great movies, but the crime epic Heat is considered his greatest. The movie marked the long-awaited moment when acting legends Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared the screen, but Heat is far greater than just those two in a scene together. It follows a highly skilled and disciplined heist team, led by De Niro, who is being hunted by a determined Los Angeles detective, Pacino.

Mann is known for the distinct digital look of his movies, which is perhaps best shown in his crime movies. Heat's 4K look makes the steely blue colors and the dark shades of the movie all the more engrossing, while the high-definition sound is perhaps the star of the show. Heat features one of the greatest movie shootouts in history, and the thunderous presentation of the action sequence deserves to be witnessed in the best format available.

28 Sicario (2015)

Denis Villeneuve's Dark Thriller About The War Of Drugs

Long before Denis Villeneuve was making massive blockbuster epics like Dune, he was proving himself one of the most visually compelling new filmmakers in Hollywood with smaller-scale thrillers. Sicario still makes for one of Villeneuve's best movies as it stars Emily Blunt as an FBI agent who s a covert CIA operation to take on the drug cartels in Mexico.

However, with the cryptic agent in charge (Josh Brolin) and the mysterious asset (Benicio Del Toro) taking a bold approach, she witnesses the morally grey business of dealing with such a dangerous enemy. 4K movies that give detailed and crisp looks at cinematography from the great Roger Deakins will always be of interest to movie fans.

Sicario is a stark and grounded movie, but the simple visual style puts the audience right in the middle of the tense and dangerous world with no escape. The mix of stunning visuals and engrossing sound is seen in a number of standout moments, especially the intense mission across the border into the city of Juarez.

27 Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)

David Lean's WWI Epic

With a reputation as one of the greatest movie epics of all time, Lawrence of Arabia was always going to be a popular choice for 4K viewing. Peter O'Toole gives an iconic performance in the lead role in this sweeping story of the life of T.E. Lawrence, a British soldier during the conflicts in the Ottoman provinces during the First World War.

Lawrence of Arabia is one of the most iconic movies filmed in 70 mm and is often seen as the example of how the format lends itself to epic filmmaking.

Lawrence stages many grand attacks while struggling with his allegiance to his home country, his newfound loyalty to the Arab people, and his disdain for the violence of war. Lawrence of Arabia is one of the most iconic movies filmed in 70 mm and is often seen as the example of how the format lends itself to epic filmmaking.

It is filled with beautiful locations that the audience is thrust into unlike any other movie ever made. The grand visual style of the movie is appropriately matched by the iconic musical score. It is a movie that lends itself well to the 4K experience as a movie that influenced many of the greatest directors of all time.

26 Coraline (2009)

The Stop-Motion Fantasy Masterpiece

While there are a lot of animated movies that look stunning in 4K, putting a stop-motion movie to the test in 4K is a bigger challenge. However, a stop-motion legend, Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), delivered one of the most visually compelling entries into the genre with Coraline.

The strange and darkly alluring fantasy movie follows the titular young girl who moves to a new home with her mother and father only to discover a doorway that leads to another twisted reality. The surreal and magical visual style of the movie is given unbelievable detail in the 4K transfer.

The clean and crisp image really makes it clear the work that went into the movie with all the amazing detail right there for the audience to see. It is as incredible to look at the magic tunnels that transport Coraline to the fantasy world as it is to see the threads of the stop-motion models in clear detail.

25 Oppenheimer (2023)

Christopher Nolan's Best Picture Winner

Following Oppenheimer's Oscar success, there will be even more people checking out the movie, and the 4K presentation is clearly the best home viewing option. Compared to some of Nolan's other movies, it could be assumed by some that Oppenheimer wouldn't necessarily benefit from a better picture quality as so much of the movie is about conversations between characters.

However, that is ignoring the epic way in which Nolan stages those riveting conversations, including how he pushed his filmmaking style ahead even more. For Oppenheimer, Nolan shot on a combination of IMAX cameras and 16mm as well as using IMAX for black-and-white photography.

The result is a stunning display of the movie's quieter scenes, such as the extended moments of conversations and tense arguments, and the pulse-pounding ones. Those beautiful black-and-white flashbacks are equally as gorgeous as the stunning sequence of the bomb test.

24 Ford V Ferrari (2019)

The True Story Of A Racing Showdown

One of the best car movies and based on an incredible true story, Ford v Ferrari puts the audience in the driver's seat of some intense races. The Best Picture nominee is set in the 1960s following the showdown between the dominating Ferrari organization and the sport's new hopefuls, Ford Motor Company as they compete in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Director James Mangold sought to create a grounded and authentic look for the races, using CGI very sparingly and mostly to hide wires and tracks used by the filmmaking crew. The various rigs and filming vehicles used for the racing sequences help to create an engrossing 4K experience that is one of the best representations of a high-speed car race ever put on film. Even the quieter character moments, such as Christian Bale and his son sitting on the racetrack at sunset, are a joy to watch in this stunning presentation.

23 The Road Warrior (1981)

The Dystopian Action Sequel

While there is some debate whether Mad Max: Fury Road is actually the better Mad Max movie, the first sequel in the dystopian action franchise is the better 4K upgrade of the two. After Mad Max was a hit in Australia and gained some international notice, The Road Warrior made Mad Max an action icon while also creating one of the wildest and most impressive action movies of all time.

The vehicular stunts in George Miller's movie are impressive no matter what format they are viewed in, but there is certainly an overwhelming sense of awe witnessing the mayhem on the road in stunning 4K. There are some truly mind-blowing sequences that will have audiences revisiting them again and again, trying to figure out how Miller pulled it all off. Even the barren wasteland of the movie's settings is more impressive with the better colors and details of 4K.

22 Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg's Invention Of The Summer Blockbuster

Steven Spielberg elevated the killer shark movie with Jaws while also creating what is often seen as the first summer blockbuster. While there might be no way of recreating the feeling of seeing Jaws on the big screen on opening weekend in 1975, the 4K upgrade of the movie reminds audiences of the chilling effectiveness of the Hollywood classic.

From the iconic opening scene, the movie throws audiences into the water with Chrissie Watkins and a hungry shark circling below. Spielberg maintains that tension and excitement throughout while the restoration of the movie presents the beautiful 4K look in a way that further cements it as a masterpiece of filmmaking. The gritty '70s style is maintained while the third-act scenes on the open ocean are even more engrossing and intense, fulfilling the movie's intended blockbuster feel.

21 Parasite (2019)

The South Korean Best Picture-Winning Thriller

To date, Parasite is the only non-English language movie to win Best Picture and the acclaim is well-deserved. South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho creates a gripping thriller with its gradual dark and foreboding tones coming through beautifully in a 4K presentation. It follows a lower-income family who work their way into becoming employees for a wealthy family only to discover something unexpected within the family's home.

The movie builds tension not only through its unpredictable story but also through the changing visual language of the movie. The architecture of the movie as well as the various locations communicate as much about the message of class divide as the movie's brilliant screenplay does. Bong is a master at using visuals to tell his stories, with the 4K presentation enhancing the dread as the movie progresses as well as the themes of economic divide.