Large Format/"Premium" Theaters (IMAX 15/70, Digital IMAX, XD, ETX, RPX, etc.)

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

It's something a lot of WB movies have done in the past year or so (Blade Runner 2049, Justice League, Tomb Raider, Rampage) and IMAX has said they are leaving it up to studios if they want to do 2D, 3D, or a mix of showings for domestic releases.

I don't get why WB just don't do the mix like most big titles from other studios (Star Wars, Marvel, Jurassic World) are doing, but they seem to want all 2D or pretty much all 3D (they did have Ready Player One showing in 3D only at the vast majority of locations).

Yes I read about that IMAX is toning down movies shown in 3d only...however if money and time is spent on Frame Breaking, you might as well show it. I thought Frame Breaking was well done for Ghostbusters (2016) but I saw that in 3d non IMAX.

I am assuming Aquaman will be 3d frame break non imax as well.

[Geoff D]

I guess IMAX were serious about cutting back on 3D.

[Scorpion Soldier]

Just saw Fantastic Beasts in IMAX 3D w/laser. The film itself was quite lackluster with characters and storylines doing little to remain interesting. The frame breaking was quite a nice touch though and was utilized quite a lot.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Scorpion Soldier

Just saw Fantastic Beasts in IMAX 3D w/laser. The film itself was quite lackluster with characters and storylines doing little to remain interesting. The frame breaking was quite a nice touch though and was utilized quite a lot.

how was the 12-channel sound? was it as bombastic as the first movie?

[Scorpion Soldier]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

how was the 12-channel sound? was it as bombastic as the first movie?

I'd say it's about on-par with the first film in terms of soundmixing. The opening scene definitely seemed the most dynamic.

[benji888578]

on a more positive note, Aquaman is going to have 92 minutes opened up for IMAX

https://www.imax.com/news/Experience...to-the-Fullest

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by benji888578

on a more positive note, Aquaman is going to have 92 minutes opened up for IMAX

https://www.imax.com/news/Experience...to-the-Fullest

Geez, how long will that movie be if they mention 92 minutes is more than half. I would hope that would at least qualify as 2/3 of the movie

[Creed]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Geez, how long will that movie be if they mention 92 minutes is more than half. I would hope that would at least qualify as 2/3 of the movie

Runtime is 139 minutes.
IMAX scenes are 92 minutes.

Including credits, that'll be 47 minutes of non IMAX scenes. Yowza!

[xbs2034]

Anyone know the sound system AMC is using for their Prime theaters? I recall some used Atmos, but wasn't sure if it was by location or a policy for that format (and clicking on the info about Prime at Fandango is not very helpful).

AMC Empire 25 which already has IMAX with laser and Dolby Cinema (converted from a Prime theater) recently opened up a Prime screen as third premium, and I saw they were doing Prime 3D screenings of Into the Spider-Verse, so was curious about that.

[Creed]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Anyone know the sound system AMC is using for their Prime theaters? I recall some used Atmos, but wasn't sure if it was by location or a policy for that format (and clicking on the info about Prime at Fandango is not very helpful).

AMC Empire 25 which already has IMAX with laser and Dolby Cinema (converted from a Prime theater) recently opened up a Prime screen as third premium, and I saw they were doing Prime 3D screenings of Into the Spider-Verse, so was curious about that.

They also had Prime showings for Venom, A Star is Born, Halloween, Bohemian Rhapsody and Fantastic Beasts 2 (Prime 3D). Looks like they're not stopping with the format.

Looking like Atmos.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by benji888578

on a more positive note, Aquaman is going to have 92 minutes opened up for IMAX

https://www.imax.com/news/Experience...to-the-Fullest

Not actually shot on anything remotely IMAX-related, not even the Alexa 65, just the regular Alexa XT. Nothing stopping them from opening up the movie for the entirety of its run time, but they gotta keep up the pretence I guess.

[rwc]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Not actually shot on anything remotely IMAX-related, not even the Alexa 65, just the regular Alexa XT. Nothing stopping them from opening up the movie for the entirety of its run time, but they gotta keep up the pretence I guess.

Well hang on it’s CGI-laden, could be like Fantastic Beasts 2 with only CGI escaping the standard frame (the brief Atlantis shot that IMAX have posted on their Instagram there is fully CGI after all)...

That said, 92 minutes of expanded ratio CGI remains to be seen...

[Geoff D]

Plenty of opened up 1.77 stills in the link above, CG or no CG. Still got nothing to do with true IMAX either way but then what does these days aside from Nolan wheeling out his latest movie? Just another add-on that makes for great marketing sizzle but means ****-all.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Anyone know the sound system AMC is using for their Prime theaters? I recall some used Atmos, but wasn't sure if it was by location or a policy for that format (and clicking on the info about Prime at Fandango is not very helpful).

AMC Empire 25 which already has IMAX with laser and Dolby Cinema (converted from a Prime theater) recently opened up a Prime screen as third premium, and I saw they were doing Prime 3D screenings of Into the Spider-Verse, so was curious about that.

Prime seems to be making a slow comeback for AMC. The Rio in Gaithersburg Maryland is getting a makeover, new look and all; and one of the converted theaters will be a Prime auditorium with Dolby Atmos.

[testmon112]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Not actually shot on anything remotely IMAX-related, not even the Alexa 65, just the regular Alexa XT. Nothing stopping them from opening up the movie for the entirety of its run time, but they gotta keep up the pretence I guess.

Who shoots on 15/70 these days anyway?

[Geoff D]

there's me waiting for a load of wanky gifs to load

[rwc]

Hopefully someone here can clear this up for me...
What is the resulting on-screen aspect ratio when IMAX takes a 3D film in 2.35:1 (like Spiderverse and Grinch recently, and many others), which is then “digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology”...
Is the film simply presented in 2.35:1 on an IMAX screen, or are we to assume it will be expanded to 1.90:1 or another ratio? If the latter, do they basically cut off the sides to achieve this or is there a genuine vertical gain in image?
I’ve only ever been to IMAX 3D when I’ve heard about specific expanded scenes, whether ‘real’ or not (like Aquaman soon), or frame breaks (like Fantastic Beasts 2).

For me, there has to be an aspect ratio of 1.90:1 or better for >10min, or at least frame-breaks, to justify the IMAX 3D (it’s expensive and an hour away). Otherwise regular 3D in my local cinema is good enough. It’s just surprisingly difficult to find out which of these upcoming 3D releases normally in 2.35:1/2.39:1 will have a different aspect ratio in IMAX 3D, if any...

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by rwc

Hopefully someone here can clear this up for me...
What is the resulting on-screen aspect ratio when IMAX takes a 3D film in 2.35:1 (like Spiderverse and Grinch recently, and many others), which is then “digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology”...
Is the film simply presented in 2.35:1 on an IMAX screen, or are we to assume it will be expanded to 1.90:1 or another ratio? If the latter, do they basically cut off the sides to achieve this or is there a genuine vertical gain in image?
I’ve only ever been to IMAX 3D when I’ve heard about specific expanded scenes, whether ‘real’ or not (like Aquaman soon), or frame breaks (like Fantastic Beasts 2).

For me, there has to be an aspect ratio of 1.90:1 or better for >10min, or at least frame-breaks, to justify the IMAX 3D (it’s expensive and an hour away). Otherwise regular 3D in my local cinema is good enough. It’s just surprisingly difficult to find out which of these upcoming 3D releases normally in 2.35:1/2.39:1 will have a different aspect ratio in IMAX 3D, if any...

Typically what they do is just present the film letterboxed (for 1.9 and 1.43 screens, they are a few scope IMAX screens where it will obviously fill the screen then, but haven't come across any IMAX screens with moveable masking), and that's actually the majority of IMAX releases.

The expanded ratio film uses extra image area rather than cropping (I think Blade Runner 2049 did have to crop like 3 shots in the entire film for 1.9 framing, though that's a really tiny amount for a movie of that length), but sometimes those are really well thought out and add to the experience, while other times it is obviously more along the lines of open matte material and stands out having a lot of extra headroom.

[rwc]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Typically what they do is just present the film letterboxed (for 1.9 and 1.43 screens, they are a few scope IMAX screens where it will obviously fill the screen then, but haven't come across any IMAX screens with moveable masking), and that's actually the majority of IMAX releases.

Thanks, so the baseline/assumption is that if IMAX says the following about a 3D film that is normally in 2.35:1 or 2.39:1:

The IMAX release of [insert film title] will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

...and nothing else is specified, then they’re presenting exactly the same aspect ratio as normal cinemas. Which means the only benefits are a bigger screen + supposedly their DNR (whatever that involves)...

[Geoff D]

Yes.