Truth, Lies and IMAX

The summer is upon us in the CCCV. Humidity and daily rain is not the only signal that this glorious season is here; we can’t forget those fantastical summer blockbusters.

Unless your boy Tito works at the AMC and lets in you for freeskis you are shelling out your hard earned cash money to get your mind off the epic negative shit that is going down in the world on the daily.

Well this summer is not just your average summer. This is the summer of the revival of IMAX. Yes, IMAX that thing they had at Sunset Place back in the day when it was still cool to listen to Ja rule.  Chances are you never went to the IMAX at Sunset Place or in the one in Ft. Lauderdale, because honestly Ft.Lauderdale is so not worth it.

As the economy tanks and movie ticket sales decrease rapidly (what’s up ninjavideo.net!!) they have found new gimmicks to make you feel as though you are seeing something special. Something unique, and in their mind better than the normal movie experience(sounds familiar circa 1950's).

Back in the day when you went to that summer camp at some fancy school (Ransom, Gulliver etc...) or Tropical Park, you would take that much anticipated trip to see a IMAX film on the days when it rained mad. When you went you viewed some ridiculously boring yet beautiful films on such riveting topics as 1991's Antarctica, 1993's The Discoverers and we cant forget my favorite 1999's Siegfried & Roy’s :The Magic Box.

These films were shot specifically for the IMAX screen shot on a film stock that is double that of the regular 35mm film stock. IMAX film stock is a gigantic 70mm!!

The new IMAX experience is trying to trick you into thinking you are seeing what you remember so vividly from your childhood. They are betting that you will pay more money for this IMAX "experience" and so far America you have. IMAX films cost an extra 5$ more. That’s like mad Taco Bell or a slice of Casolas with a coke.

It is a changing world when it comes to cinema formats. The new wave of digital cinema is at the door knocking but still most major films are shot on 35mm film and if they are shot digitally using a RED or a Cinealta(long list more) they too have limitations. I digress to not get technical because it’s boring and no one but me enjoys it. I think, ladies???

What they are doing is converting existing theaters to make you feel like its bigger by removing X number of rows and moving the screen up and allowing the screen to become bigger by 6 feet. This makes the screen physically closer to you allowing you feel like you are watching Pete & Pete at your parents house sitting Indian style in front of the TV. That and they also turn the volume up enough so your mind gets clogged with massive amounts of sound while also bleeding sound into the adjacent theatre showing Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

So when you sit in your chair waiting to see that new epic fail of a summer blockbuster *caughterminator don’t get tricked in to paying into seeing extra for the IMAX Experience. If it’s not in a room that is so fucking big you go " wow look how big this screen is " then you might have a issue.

If those thoughts do not occur in your brain then there is a good chance you are not in a true IMAX facility. You are better off seeing it in DLP projection (Theatre 21 at AMC in Sunset place). It’s digital and beautiful and if you hate seeing those film scratches DLP is the way to go, as far as the crazy lady eating Pop Rocks behind you, you’re fucked.

To save the confusion and my personal image I will not go in to the deep technical quandaries about the new IMAX experience because they are many and I don’t want the world to know how nerdy I truly am. I am also not discussing the IMAX 3D and IMAX Dome that has totally different systems using Lenses and techniques tailored to each process.

So in conclusion, be smart and save your 5$ when you hit up the theatres this summer.