Saturday, January 16, 2010

IMAX Experience

I was totally blown away. The size of the screen was not what I expected. I had to confirm my expectation on the internet. The IMAX CEO says it's just not the screen size.

My brain said my first IMAX experience was a museum. Problem... can't remember which one and where. I think the trip involved a bus. My next one was at the Lincoln Square movie theater complex. Both of them were nature related, I think. Both screens were humongous. I think it was 3 or 4 stories tall. My last one was when I decided to take my Mom, older sis and baby sis to see Happy Feet. Boy, those penguins were really larger than life ;)

I saw Avatar two weekends ago in 3D. I loved the beauty of it and wanted to try it in IMAX 3D. I checked the theater listings and found one not too far from me. Now, I don't need to go into NYC.

Today's IMAX experience was a disappointment for me. I was expecting the humongous screen, and it was not. The experience was not any different than my original viewing of Avatar. Yes, the screen was a bit bigger, but I did not get what I wanted to feel. I think I got that size screen in one of the movie theaters in NYC because I'm sure I experienced Star Wars on that size screen. With the real humongous screen, I thought I would feel like I was on Soaring Over California or Circle Vision of China.

As I caught the matinee showing both times, the only difference in price was $1.00 -- $9.00 vs. $10.00. I was not required to return the glasses, but I had to return the IMAX glasses.

In my opinion, the other theaters have fake IMAX. Once you've experienced the humongous screen, the retrofitted movie theater IMAX screens just don't cut it. This ordinary person, moi, would not notice the other things mentioned by the IMAX CEO about the rest of the IMAX experience.

Now I know if I want the "real" IMAX experience is to double check theaters that have the humongous screen. Or I'll just head on into New York City where I know I can find the real thing.