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

[Agent Kay]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Amazing Spider-Man 1 did. I think Resident Evil Retribution may have as well

Oh yes! A ratio switch lost to time.
I forgot about that, I cannot wait for the Plymouth one to open so I have a halfway nearby IMAX

[ghornett]

Saw Apollo 11 at the BFI IMAX. What a room. Seats are a bit shit and need an upgrade. Also $30(!) for a ticket.

[Agent Kay]

Originally Posted by ghornett

Saw Apollo 11 at the BFI IMAX. What a room. Seats are a bit shit and need an upgrade. Also $30(!) for a ticket.

It's a lovely screen tho.
But unless its 70mm I'm empire all the way now

[BluBonnet]

Definitely happy to have watched SFFH on an IMAX, will watch again with 3D IMAX later this week, some of those scenes most look FREAKING AWESOME in 3D!!

[xbs2034]

AMC 34st in NYC has completed their IMAX laser renovation so I decided to do a second viewing of Far From Home to check it out. I don’t particularly like that theater (smallest of the NYC IMAXes, plus the general theater layout and area is not my favorite), but the IMAX presentation quality has certainly improved there now. Also made some changes to the entrance and interior design, weirdly I very much get a Dolby Cinema (which this theater also has) from the new appearance.

I really liked getting the expanded IMAX scenes, and the sound mix was definitely a nice improvement from the standard 3D theater of my first viewing (enjoyed the overhead effects as well as the Mysterio mind trick sequences), but it wasn’t a knock out IMAX presentation like I thought Captain Marvel was. I saw all Marvel adaptations this year twice in theaters, and this was more like Dark Phoenix where there were certainly things I enjoyed seeing it again and the movie is fine, but it also drags at times and wasn’t a ton of fun to revisit several days later like Captain Marvel and Endgame were, and I think those two (especially Endgame) are better movies.

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

And how close is 1.85 to 1.90? Could people even tell the two apart in a theatre?

I couldn't tell the difference when I saw Bumblebee at the only IMAX (2K, 1.9:1) screen in our city. I only found towards the very end of the screening that there were tiny black bars at the sides. It's not at all obvious to a casual observer.

I was recently reading an article about the Empire Cinemas Screen 1 being split into two screens and I realised that I miss "looking up" to the screen from the floor rather than "looking down" on it. The single-screen cinema experience, especially when you sat on the stall, made the screen appear imposing purely because it was situated above your line of sight. Low-angle vision makes things look and feel imposing and grander than high angle.

This was Empire Cinemas Screen 1 (photos are collected)




The screen was a revered object back in the day. The sound also echoed slightly, creating an ethereal quality because of the large auditoriums with very high ceilings. This kind of feeling of grandeur is completely gone in the modern multiplex environment and digital IMAX theatres. Apart from a big screen, there's nothing that feels like "cinema" in these modern multiplex auditoriums. Now it even feels claustrophobic.

[ITDEFX101]

So a few tidbits from my recent visit to my local home theater. I asked about what complexity level is the theater because of the upcoming Regal Unlimited promo and found quite a bit of information.

-My local home theater (Manassas, VA)is Complexity Level 4 and due for an overhaul and upgrade (which is constantly being push back for some reason. Management was like "Don't know what your talking about.." when it comes to the new Regal Unlimited program, which I could understand if HQ is telling their employees not to talk about it until official release.
-The nearest newer (6 years old) theater is Complexity Level 3. That's Gainesville, VA.
-Was told that once upgrades are complete, Manassas will go to Complexity Level 3.
-And the most interesting news is that Screen 14 which is across from the IMAX Screen 10 is getting upgraded to 4DX. I find this interesting as I believe this might be the only theater in the area which will get 4DX as the nearest 4DX theater is at Regal Gallery Place & 4DX in DC.

I am surprised since the nearest motion controlled seating equipped theater that I know of is COBB Theater in Leesburg, VA.

[xbs2034]

https://www.imax.com/content/LK-143-preview

Here’s a list of the IMAX locations which will play select sequences in The Lion King in expanded 1.43. I imagine there are a few 1.43 museum sites left which will not be playing the film, and it’s likely not being distributed in 15/70 so locations which haven’t converted to laser would be stuck with a smaller digital version, but does seem like the list of currently active 1.43 sites is pretty small.

[voltz]

IMAX certainly is on it's way out if they can't even stick with 1:43:1

If they love digital so much, instead of worrying about how much film costs, they need to get digital tech up to 12-16k standard with that ratio.

[Geoff D]

Looks like no 15/70 at all so yeah, several 1.44 locations will be missing because they only have 15/70 or 2K digital (which is 1.90 by default).

[voltz]

Well print is only dying because they want it to die, then we still get advertising which we have to drive xxx amount of miles for.

It's almost a true waste at this point filming shots that 90% of us will never see.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

https://www.imax.com/content/LK-143-preview

Here’s a list of the IMAX locations which will play select sequences in The Lion King in expanded 1.43. I imagine there are a few 1.43 museum sites left which will not be playing the film, and it’s likely not being distributed in 15/70 so locations which haven’t converted to laser would be stuck with a smaller digital version, but does seem like the list of currently active 1.43 sites is pretty small.

It's a damn shame there are still 1.43 venues that don't have IMAX Laser projections fitted. I'd hate to see the true IMAX aspect ratio die out.

At least hearing about Lion King getting 1.43 sequences is a welcome surprise.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by GLaDOS

It's a damn shame there are still 1.43 venues that don't have IMAX Laser projections fitted. I'd hate to see the true IMAX aspect ratio die out.

At least hearing about Lion King getting 1.43 sequences is a welcome surprise.

The biggest effing IMAX screen in the UK STILL doesn't have a Laser install, not even the cheapy version. It's ridiculous.

[voltz]

Originally Posted by GLaDOS

It's a damn shame there are still 1.43 venues that don't have IMAX Laser projections fitted. I'd hate to see the true IMAX aspect ratio die out.

At least hearing about Lion King getting 1.43 sequences is a welcome surprise.

It reminds me of the pan shot of the engineer room in Prometheus and the battle scene from the 2nd Transformers.

Going out of style man!

[ITDEFX101]

Wait was Lion King filmed only for the background plates? Or is the entire movie 100% photo digital?

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The biggest effing IMAX screen in the UK STILL doesn't have a Laser install, not even the cheapy version. It's ridiculous.

And they are planning on demolishing the BFI IMAX for transport issues.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

And they are planning on demolishing the BFI IMAX for transport issues.

They WHAT?!? Now the lack of a laser upgrade makes perfect sense. Bastards.

[fighthefutureofhd]

DAMN!!!!! That really sucks. Sorry to hear that. Our local "true IMAX" screen closed due to massive flooding and wasn't going to reopen in time for Tron: Legacy. So I had to see the movie in LIEMAX. I hated it. Was so pissed. Hopefully, movies don't get the same treatment music has for the last 11 years. It would be a real bummer. I enjoy going to the movies and watching them on a big screen. Just as much as I enjoy watching them at home on my LG RANDY TV.

[Geoff D]

Nothing seems to be confirmed yet but there are lots of plans being mooted for redeveloping that area.

[fighthefutureofhd]

Well, I understand the frustration. I don't get out to the good cinemas much (Dolby Cinema, IMAX, etc.) as much as I'd like to, but I would be remiss if they weren't here.