While Knowing won't go down as a classic sci-fi thriller, it may sell well on Blu-ray due to its first-rate AVC encode and impressive sound design. Sure, the screenplay is laughable at times, but the same can be said for a lot of movies these days. What really matters in our Ultimate Demos is how good a disc looks and sounds, and in these departments, Knowing delivers. (Warning: spoilers below.)

Filled with drama and gripping rounds of golf, The Greatest Game Ever Played showcases a fabulous AVC encode and an immersive surround-sound experience. The video includes fantastic attention to detail in flesh tones, textures in clothing, and the many different green hues found on the Massachusetts golf course. The audio is just as impressive, especially with the crystal-clear dialog and superior ambience.

With an intelligent script but sour ending, The International is another outstanding video encode from Sony. Using a mixture of 35mm and 65mm film, it showcases how great Blu-ray can look with meticulous attention to detail. The audio isn't as good as the video, but one scene in particular stands out in this regard and features one of the best gun battles I've viewed in the past couple of years.

Alfonso Cuaron's vision of the future is bleak and depressing, but damn it looks and sounds awesome on Blu-ray. Don't expect a cornucopia of color, which is virtually nonexistent in 2027 with perpetual overcast skies and gloomy lighting, and there certainly isn't any stimulus money being spent on infrastructure—the world needs some fresh paint! The disc excels in detail—both foregrounds and backgrounds are always razor-sharp. The audio features top-notch frequency response, dynamic range, and imaging.

The little horse that could debuts on Blu-ray with a fantastic VC-1 encode and an encompassing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. It was difficult to pick only three scenes to highlight here, since virtually the entire film is filled with worthy scenes. For example, any of the racing sequences will give you the illusion of riding a horse in the middle of a high-stakes race with the animals' labored breathing and pounding hooves. The same can be said of the video and its impeccable attention to detail. Each of the three scenes below will give you a general idea of why this disc deserves the title of "Ultimate Demo."

One of the best action movies I've seen in a long time offers a great picture and kick-ass audio. The AVC encode reveals phenomenal shadow detail and offers a razor-sharp image. The audio is just as impressive with an enveloping surround stage, first-rate frequency response, and pervasive ambience.

Even older films and TV shows can look great on Blu-ray, and Season One of Star Trek is a perfect example. Of course, the series was broadcast in standard definition, but it was shot on 35mm film, which has far more resolution than even HDTV. Paramount remastered the Blu-ray discs from the film prints, allowing them to reveal the cheesy sets and props in excruciating detail. By contrast, the audio wasn't all that great to begin with, and there's not much that can be done about it, so these discs are video demos only.