What's IMAX like?

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Jack7Of7Spades7

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Some people say it's all around the theater, like you're in the movie, others say it only goes halfway, and someone else told me it's just a big screen. Any input?
 
Imax goes most of the way around the theater so pretty much the only thing you can see is the movie.
It's really good for things filmed for Imax, though I saw Batman Begins on the Imax and it was horrible with the quick cuts. Imax Aspect Ratio is 1.43:1 and they displayed it in 2:35:1 the ends of the picture curved, which looked really weird.
 
Different IMAX theaters have different set-ups. Some wrap around a large portion of the room, and others are just a large screen.

That being said, it ain't worth it if there isn't anything action-y or explosion-y goin' on.
 
Movies made especially for the IMAX are tons better than those that are made for normal screens and adapted for IMAX. The 3D movies are the best!
 
agreed. If it was shot on IMAX camera and Film, then it's gonna be amazing! If it's just played on an IMAX screen...then expect the movie to be letterboxed. For example Transformers IMAX. I was expecting the entire movie to be huge, however when it was started up the upper 20% and lower 20% of the screen was not filled. It felt like they just took the normal prints and projected it on a IMAX screen. Either the film was never filmed in IMAX format during production or IMAX theaters falsely advertise the movie. Shame shame.
 
i have been to a couple different ones. there is one in the science museum in san jose, ca where the entire dome ceiling is the screen, with speakers all over the place, even behind the screen. that one is amazing, because you can literally see nothing but screen in there.

there is one in dublin, ca also that i have been to, and that one sucks. just a really big screen, and is crap compared to the one in san jose.

as far as action movies go, i saw batman begins opening night at the dome one, and while it was amazing, so very amazing, i had to go see it again in a normal theater the next day because the action scenes moved too fast. its like trying to sit in the very front row and see everything happening all at once... kinda tough.

personally, i prefer normal theaters unless its something really cool that deserves to be seen in imax
 
compared to the IMAX theater I went to at Sunset place in Florida and the one here at the Air Museum near the Dulles Airport, that Sunset place one was a lot better...the screen was bigger and the image filled the screen.. My friend told me they closed down the sunset place IMAX a few years ago :whistle2:(

aww
 
I've only seen a few movies at IMAX, but seeing them in the IMAX definitely benifitted them, rather than taking anything away. I saw I am Legend at the brand new IMAX that just opened (it turns out I am Legend was its inaugural showing) and it was incredible. Well, more the extended preview of Batman: Dark Knight than the actual movie. More to come on I Am Legend in its respective thread a little bit later. For IMAX, think of everything being crystal clear with amazing sound. It's also a giant screen. 3D IMAX is even better and definitely very cool.
 
I saw Polar Express and Beowulf in IMAX 3-D and those were amazing. Worth every penny of the ticket price.

This past weekend I watched I am Legend in IMAX. It was my first time watching a non-3D movie in IMAX. I found the experience to be underwhelming. I didn't find the picture to be amazing by any stretch. It was just BIG...that was it. The resolution of the picture didn't look very high in certain scenes as well.
 
Yeah, it depends on the setup. I've been to the domed curved screenings and those are awesome. The just a large screen variety are just that, a large screen.
 
The one and only movie I've ever seen in IMAX was Beowulf in 3-D. I don't think it was worth the $18 admission price (which is $18 more than what I usually pay :razz: ), but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.
 
[quote name='-Never4ever-']The one and only movie I've ever seen in IMAX was Beowulf in 3-D. I don't think it was worth the $18 admission price (which is $18 more than what I usually pay :razz: ), but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.[/QUOTE]


ouch.. my local imax charges 10.

is yours a dome or just a large flat screen?
 
I've seen a few IMAX movies in different theaters. All of them had a curved screen

Milwaukee, WI - Mt. Everest documentary (avalanche scene scared the shit outta me because it was like 10 and I've never heard of IMAX)

Des Moines, IA - Titanic documentary

Chicago, IL - saw Michael Jordan to the MAX!!!! The most awesome IMAX movie ever!!!
 
[quote name='Jack7Of7Spades7']Sounds interesting. I generally don't watch many 3D movies, so you're saying live action is a bit sub-par in IMAX?[/quote]
Not if it's filmed for Imax. Movies filmed for traditional screens are subpar on IMAX screens.
 
There are several in Seattle, but all focus on the two I've been too.

The first was a classic titled Dome(Often called OMNIMAX) across from the Seattle Aquarium that was opened in '79. Showed alot of nature films, under the sea stuff. Really great, felt like you were in a fishbowl. To bad it closed.

The other was a Curve at the Science Center, last thing I saw there was Prisoner of Azkaban. Best thing about that theater is the seats and rows are numbered, so it's easy to figure which seats are in the exact center as to get the best experiance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Prisoner_of_Azkaban_(film)
 
like others have said, if its filmed in imax its great, if its a normal movie then meh. however one thing i think imax does have going for it regardless of the type, is much better sound.
 
IMAX is awesome because it's like the Xbox 1 of movie theaters. LOL, GET IT, THEY'RE HUGE.

Seriously, though, theatrical movies in IMAX are cool (300 was really nice, Beowulf is sick, et cetera), but perhaps best are the specially-made IMAX documentary films, especially anything to do with space. They're all amazing; nothing else compares.
 
IMAX isn't that great, other than the sound. The sound is always phenomenal. The video is pretty average, regardless of whether it's an IMAX film or not.

I usually avoid 'em when I have a chance just because they're always full. I hate being in a full theatre.
 
IMAX Dome > Big Screen IMAX

In an IMAX Dome, your peripheral vision is covered by the IMAX screen. You literally feel like you are part of the movie, whether it is 3D or not. In a regular IMAX theater, it is just big. You still see the sides of the walls and ceiling so you are not as immersed.
 
[quote name='Jack7Of7Spades7']Is there a list of movies filmed for imax, sounds like it could be interesting first I go, but I want to make sure I don't end up wasting money on crap.[/QUOTE]
You stole my question!!! :whistle2:x

j/k
I also would like to know if anyone can recommend movies to see in IMAX. I live in NYC, the price of a movie ticket in IMAX is sky high. Plus I can't stand wasting my time on something I could have seen and better enjoyed in a "regular" theater/format. :roll:

Thanks in advance.
 
In high school we took a trip to a museum in San Jose and we watched a film in the Imax theater and was one of the most awesome viewing experiences I've ever had, the seats also lean back which was nice. Here is a picture of the setup, I sat in the lower area:

imax-theatre.gif


The Imax screen in my area is just the normal screen but is still cool to go see movies on. So if you get the chance to see anything in Imax I highly recommended, especially the dome.
 
IMAX is usually awesome regardless if it's a 3D animated film or not... but I will say, seeing a giant blue cock (Watchmen) was quite disturbing.
 
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