Sleepless in Seattle - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Columbia Classics Vol.4)

In the thirty years since its original theatrical run, Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle has gained well-deserved recognition as one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, and upon closer inspection, it is easy to see why. The script, which Ephron shares writing credit with David S. Ward (The Sting) and Jeff Arch, is an ingenious and unique take on the genre while remaining faithful to the basic formula, meaning that it hits many of the familiar tropes but with a twist. For example, our protagonists' "meet-cute" takes place over the radio where the two share similar ideas and viewpoints about love. But more importantly, Ephron uses this opportunity to ask questions about our collective desire to believe that our perfect match or soulmate is a matter of destiny written in the stars, often to the extent of adding more meaning to what are ultimately pure coincidences, such as thinking that ordering the same sandwich is somehow romantic. 

Yet, as the story progresses, Ephron has her audience believing that perhaps, just maybe, these mere coincidences really are more than happenstance. Our protagonists come from disparate situations with widower and single father Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) accepting that he'll never find the same magic he had with his recently deceased wife. Meanwhile, journalist Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) is engaged to a good guy yet oddly dull Walter (Bill Pullman) but feels that the magic is severely lacking. In all this, Ephron explores ideas of finding love in the contemporary world with subtly quirky jokes, like advice from Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride) about dating the modern woman, fantasizing about love through movies from Rosie O'Donnell and men quoting the ridiculously absurd 1986 Newsweek article about a woman's chances of marriage. It's all in good, rib-nudging fun that leaves viewers believing the right person is out there. We just need to pay attention to the coincidences and take a chance. (Movie Rating: 5/5)

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle to Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer for a Digital Copy, which grants access to the 4K Dolby Vision HDR version with Dolby Atmos audio. A Region Free, triple-layered UHD100 disc containing only the film while a Region Free, BD50 copy with bonus features sits on the opposing panel. Both discs are housed inside a black, eco-elite vortex case with a glossy slipcover. At startup, the UHD disc goes straight to a static main screen with the usual options along the bottom while music plays in the background.

Currently, the package is only available with Sony's Columbia Classics Volume 4 6-film collection which also includes:

His Girl Friday

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 

Kramer vs. Kramer

Starman

Punch-drunk Love

The classic rom-com is fated with Ultra HD, sporting richly saturated colors throughout thanks to the Dolby Vision HDR grading. Primaries, especially reds, are fuller and deeper while secondary hues are more varied and accurately rendered, and facial complexions appear natural with a lifelike peachy-rose shade in the cast, revealing pores, small wrinkles and negligible blemishes. A spot-on contrast and brightness balance brings new life to the photography of Sven Nykvist, boasting vividly clean whites and raven midnight blacks while maintaining excellent visibility within the darkest corners of the 1.85:1 image. Crisp, radiant specular highlights add a brilliant, sparkling glow along the clouds, the water and metallic edges, supplying exterior daylight sequences with an energetic, eye-catching pop. Fine lines and objects are incredibly sharp and well-defined for a majority of the runtime although a few scenes are noticeably softer and not as well resolved as others, which is to be accepted and easily forgiven. Nevertheless, the native 4K transfer is the best the film has ever looked, awash in a thin, better-refined layer of natural grain, giving the video an attractive film-like quality. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 88/100)

Love is destined for home theaters thanks to a surprisingly good and satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack that may not put one's sound system to the test, but it nonetheless brings the classic film to new heights in several unexpected ways. Granted, the focus and priority still very much remain on the dialogue and character interactions, coming through with exceptional intonation in every performance. But various atmospherics are allowed to travel into the surround and ceiling channels, like the sound of rain falling from above or the hustle and bustle of the city lightly filling the room, which nicely expands the soundfield without feeling forced or artificial. However, Marc Shaiman's score does much of the leg work, spreading all around the listening area while exhibiting excellent distinction and definition within the orchestration. All of this widens the soundstage with impressive balance and a sense of presence as background activity flawlessly pans across the screen and into the top heights. And a healthy, occasionally hearty low-end supplies some appreciable weight to the visuals, making for an enjoyable listen full of warmth and fidelity. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 84/100)

For this UHD edition, Sony ports over the same collection of bonus features as previous releases, all housed in the Blu-ray copy, but they also add one more bonus for this package. 

• NEW Audio Commentary features screenwriter and culture critic Karen Han analyzing the film with critic and journalist David Sims.
• NEW A Conversation on Sleepless in Seattle (HD, 4 min) is a much-too-short chat between star Meg Ryan and producer Gary Foster.
• Audio Commentary features director Nora Ephron chatting with her sister, Delia.
• Love in the Movies (SD, 13 min) is a vintage EPK piece with cast & crew interviews and BTS footage
• Music Video (SD, 4 min) shows Céline Dion and Clive Griffin performing "When I Fall in Love" 
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 4 min) houses four excised scenes
• Trailer (HD)

Romance and the magic of finding the right person still exist in Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle, a quirky fairytale romp exploring love in the modern world. Starring Tom Hanks in a career-turning role and Meg Ryan as the would-be destined couple from disparate situations, the classic rom-com drama remains as heartfelt and magical as it did thirty years ago, earning its place as one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. The film is fated for 4K Ultra HD thanks to a beautiful, film-like Dolby Vision HDR presentation and a surprisingly satisfying Dolby Atmos. With two new featurettes joining the same set of bonuses as before, this UHD edition is an excellent upgrade over its Blu-ray counterpart and comes Highly Recommended.

All disc reviews at High-Def Digest are completed using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market. More about the gear used for this review.