Yesterday 4K Ultra HD

In "Yesterday," Jack Malik's (Patel) life is changed forever when he discovers he is the only person on earth who remembers the music of The Beatles and must decide if he truly wants the spotlight, or if all he needs is love, after all. Jack was just another struggling songwriter...but that was yesterday. After a mysterious blackout, Jack discovers he is the only person on earth who remembers The Beatles. As he rockets to fame by passing off the Fab Four's songs as his own, Jack risks losing Ellie (James)––the one person who has loved him and believed in him from the start. (Gary Reber)

Special features commentary with Director Danny Boyle and Writer/Producer Richard Curtis; an alternate opening (HD 04:47); alternate ending (HD 03:10); 12 deleted scenes (HD 23:29); a gag reel (HD 02:04); seven featurettes: "Live At Abbey Road Studios" (HD 09:50), "Ed Sheeran: From Stadium To Screen" (HD 03:09), "Agent Of Comedy: Kate McKinnon" (HD 03:17), "A Talented Duo" (HD 03:25), "Playing For Real" (HD 05:35), "Soul Mates" (HD 04:47) and "A Conversation With Richard & Ed" (HD 03:22); upfront previews and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Panavision® using the RED Weapon 8K camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format.

The color palette is gorgeously natural with perfectly executed hues. Often colors pop with vibrancy as well as being effectively saturated without exaggeration. Fleshtones are also perfectly natural. The wide color gamut exhibits subtle variations in hues, which enhances the visual resolution and the sense of realism. Color variations extend from normal interior home settings and recording studio environments to bright colorful staging and lighting at concerts. HDR contrast is well balanced with nicely defined deep blacks, revealing shadow delineation, and naturally bright highlights. Sunny days are naturally bright with gorgeously blue skies, and the dark, blue skies at night are perfectly illuminated and saturated. Interiors are warmly saturated, both at Malik's home and in studios and clubs, as well as outdoor concert settings. The imagery throughout is sharp. Resolution is excellent with fine detail finely captured with the RED Wagon 8K camera system. Facial features, including hair, beards, stubble, lines and makeup are wonderfully revealing. As well, objects, such as evident in a brick wall, exhibit texturally vivid imagery. WOW! segments are from 28:56 to 30:12, 38:56 to 40:36, 42:21 to 43:11, 01:09:20 to 01:12:22, 01:22:59 to 01:28:04 and 01:38:02 to 01:40:05. This is a wonderfully naturally saturated visual experience with appealing environments, for a picture that engages throughout. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is overall excellent, though, dialogue is rather forward and often disconnected with the scene. Still, dialogue is intelligible with a strong English accent delivered by the main characters. The music, of course, is pure Beatles and fidelity is excellent. At times the focus is frontal and at other times the soundstage is energized with energy extended to the four surrounds. Dynamics are superb. Surround energy is pretty much the extension of the score with the occasional discrete and directionalized sound effect or voice.

The Immersive Sound element, unfortunately, is limited in that it is comprised of various brief and sparse sound effects with various intensities such as screeching sounds, rain, a "Back In The USSR" segment singing and audience excitement, a marketing meeting male voice, a talk show host and audience, Malik's and his Manager's voices, an audience on the beach screaming and cheering, Malik singing Beatle hits to a responsive "All You Need Is Love" stadium audience, and really nothing else. No ambience to enhance dimensionality and virtually no music, even though this movie is all about how an impersonator brought The Beatles' music back in a time when no one knew that they ever existed.

This is a beautifully engineered holosonic® soundtrack, in which the musical scenes, both the intimate acoustic segments and the large concerts, project emotional energy. But the Immersive Sound component is a disappointment. Still, fans of The Beatles music will love this soundtrack. (Gary Reber)