Movies that must be seen to be believed on a new OLED

The appeal of an OLED TV is that its individual pixels create stunning contrast and improve color accuracy, making it easier to enjoy shows that are naturally dark or take place in dimly-lit spots. These impressive screens are best served by anyone who enjoys cinematic content: TV shows, films, and even games that are made with a distinct vision. Better yet, when they embrace all the ways in which contrast, color, lighting, frame rate, and other cinematic tools influence storytelling, it creates a fully immersive experience.

That means that when you do in fact invest in your first OLED TV, a lot of content is going to look a lot different.

I recently bought a Samsung OLED smart TV, and went through a bunch of movies I thought were enhanced by the screen technology and the latest smart TV features. Here are some titles I think you have to check out if you’re taking your OLED TV on its first spin.

1 The Dark Knight Trilogy

Christopher Nolan’s Batman films are dark and atmospheric

A new OLED TV makes it worth a revisit to the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, a series of three films that are both figuratively and literally dark. There are plenty of scenes set in the shadows and at night, and an OLED TV will offer a better TV and a more immersive experience. While all the films are superb, turn on the second entry, The Dark Knight — perhaps the most brooding and intense of the three — and you’ll find that it’s abundant in dimly-shot scenes and set pieces.

These films will be particularly enjoyable on a new OLED TV from a top manufacturer, as is the case with most Nolan films, for its ability to automatically adjust a variety of settings to fit the filmmaker’s vision. With a proper OLED TV, you’ll be able to watch this iconic trilogy exactly how Nolan wants you to.

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2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

A colorful and comedic space opera

There are plenty of Marvel movies worth checking out, particularly those from phase two and three where the effects were better before the MCU started rushing out content. The second Guardians of the Galaxy entry, while not the most compelling story, kicks off and ends with two electric scenes amid the backdrop of space.

With so many vibrant scenes that require stark contrast in order to witness each color as well as the darkness detailing, an OLED TV will really make this movie pop.

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3 Barbarian

Gripping horror finds terror in the darkness

It’s also very much worth exploring scary movies as you embrace your new OLED TV. Horror might be filled with creepy things lurking in the darkness, but the genre’s scenes can be a bit lackluster if there’s too much blurring or shadowing taking place on an inferior TV. You’re simply not going to get the small scares and chills if you can’t see everything the director wants you to see, especially if there’s something hiding in the background.

Barbarian is a worthwhile watch, in part because it’s an engaging horror that blends genuine scares with some dark humor and shocking twists. The movie ratchets up tension as a short-term rental guest explores the mysterious tunnels below a house in a desolate neighborhood. There’s something down there, and this immersive, genre-bending film will be the most satisfying if you can see exactly what’s going on as flashlights whip back and forth in the darkness.

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4 Prey

The latest Predator movie reinvigorated the franchise

Keeping with the trend of scary movies, a revitalizing entry into the Predator series makes for another great watch on an OLED TV, in part due to its setting. But the prequel, Prey, takes place in the early 18th century in the Great Plains of North America, following a young Comanche woman named Naru. Wanting to prove her worth as a warrior, she soon gets the opportunity when the alien, Predator, comes to Earth.

The beautifully-shot film is atmospheric and tense, with lots of natural lighting and dark scenes best observed with a quality OLED TV. There are a few night scenes as well that are illuminated by fire, as well as a finale that takes place after dusk. If you don’t have a worthy smart TV, you might not be able to fully embrace the exhilarating battle in this film and others like it.

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5 Avatar: The Way of Water

James Cameron’s imaginative epic deserves a quality screen

While there may be room for criticism when it comes to the writing in James Cameron’s Avatar series, the wonder of the visuals in both entries so far cannot be emphasized enough. Cameron notably waited for technology to catch up with his vision when making a movie, and the second film, The Way of Water, shows why it was worth the wait.

This film deserves a TV that can faithfully recreate the incredible colors and contrast this movie achieves in many beautiful, natural settings, from the depths of the ocean to the lush tree tops. Because OLED screens are able to reproduce color accurately, the shades of blue in the ocean and greens across the world really pop on screen, creating mesmerizing landscapes that truly feel authentic in a computer-generated reality. A finale set across the night that includes explosions, fires, and sinking ships becomes infinitely clearer and more detailed on a TV that has a perfect contrast ratio.

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6 Coco

A beautiful journey to the Land of the Dead

So many Disney animated movies are filled with colorful characters and stunning backgrounds, particularly more recent entries. Coco sets itself apart from the others, though, with its blues, grays, and blacks in a story filled with shadows, masks, and underworld happenings.

The film follows a young boy named Miguel who journeys to the Land of the Dead, a place that the filmmakers infuse with bright colors and textured landscapes, as well as lots of sentient skeletons. Miguel himself wears sugar skull makeup to blend in with the inhabitants, and the result is a film that has more literal darkness than other Disney films, but the level of detail is still exquisite, and better viewed on an OLED TV.

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The benefit of an OLED TV resides in what its individual pixels can do that a backlit TV typically struggles with. With pixels that can turn on and off, you’re better off watching films with dark scenes, lots of shadows, and dynamic colors that really stand out on screen.