My Yearly Excursion to the Movie Theater

[j_garcia]

Check for Lowes in your area. Some , not all, of their theatres have IMAX. That's where we go to an Imax.

Next up, "Superman Returns" next month.

And, I may be wrong, but I THINK I saw then advertising a feature in 3D a while back.

Yes, the new Superman is supposed to be in 3D on the IMAX screens. The nearest screen here is a dome, and it makes it very difficult to watch any kind of action movies - the motion is sickening. I saw SW:EP2 there and it was terrible. We have a giant flat screen just a few blocks away, but it is part of an amusement park.

 

[birdonthebeach]

wow - that place looks great. That might make me break my promise again.... good thing I live so far away!!

 

[korgoth]

best non imax theater ive been in is the metreon in san francisco. sounds like it doesnt compare to the one in la though.

 

[Sheep]

You think IMAX is good?

Have any of you heard of "Science World"?

See that big ball? That is a movie theater. Thats right, 1(!) movie theater.

It has to be the coolest movie experience I have heard felt. Not just sound either, the video screen is SO BIG you think you're flying around. Its been a LONG time since I saw a movie there, so I can't comment on the sound, but the video alone is enough to make me want to go.

From what I can remember, before every movie they turn the screen see-through, and you can see a bunch of speakers behind it. The theater basically turns into a person and talks to the audience, explaining itself.

Some more pictures,

SheepStar

 

[j_garcia]

That's looks pretty much the same as our Hackworth IMAX dome here. It is very cool, but mainly for IMAX films - not so much for feature films.

 

[birdonthebeach]

The dome theaters make my head hurt!!

 

[got_hp?]

ENTER the new theater close to my house. Cinetopia. In a word AMAZING.
Every theater is High Def. Leather seats with room to stretch out your legs AND still be able to have someone who needs to pee, walk past.
Here is a link so you guys can drool. Peruse the site. Last I heard it was the only one in the country that shows high def.
http://www.cinetopiatheaters.com/cinema/theaters.htm

and a link from Klipsch
http://www.klipsch.com/newscenter/feature.aspx?cid=1153


Notice the no one under twenty one in the "living room" theaters. Live jazz before the show, food served to you in the theater before the showing. All for the same price as Regal.

now THAT is the type of theater i wouldnt mind going to, especially the 21&up rooms, looks like a nice place.

 

[Sheep]

That's looks pretty much the same as our Hackworth IMAX dome here. It is very cool, but mainly for IMAX films - not so much for feature films.

They don't play any feature films in the dome theater. I believe they are all Imax or something else.

SheepStar

 

[Rob Babcock]

SheepStar
__________________
If heaven and hell decide, That they both are satisfied, Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs, If there's no one beside you, When your soul embarks, Then I'll follow you into the dark.

Your new sig is from DCfC, isn't it SheepStar?

 

[Sheep]

SheepStar
__________________
If heaven and hell decide, That they both are satisfied, Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs, If there's no one beside you, When your soul embarks, Then I'll follow you into the dark.

Your new sig is from DCfC, isn't it SheepStar?

Yep. Why do you ask?

SheepStar

 

[ned]

Actually, several IMAX theaters now show first-run movies - full length. Not in 3D, of course...

Superman is going to be shown in parts. And yes in 3D!

http://www.imax.com/ImaxWeb/filmDetail.do?type=comingSoon&movieID=code__.__27

 

[Ax-man]

Great editorial! This only helps to curb my desire to go see a movie in a theatre ever again....ain't nothing like watching a movie with your fine tuned system while drinking a beer and eating Orville Redenbacher's and wearning nothing but the boxers!

 

[kleinwl]

Theater in LA

Thanks for the heads up. I've lived in LA for 3 years and never knew about the Mann Theator. I'll plan on taking my wife on of these weekends.

On a seperate note, I went to the Hollywood Bowl this weekend for a Marachai Festival (USA) event... and it was HORRIBLE. The bands were no-talent... and the sound quality was poor on top of it. I know, outdoor can be harder than indoor, but they just placed 2 giant stacks of speakers on either side of the stage and blasted that into the audience. Given that the Hollywood bowl is a perminate installation and they already have 4 towers in the audience area for repeator screens, I would have thought they could have at least effect tower with more speakers not the basic 2.1 set up that they did.

 

[Tom Andry]

Clint did not write the editorial, a new writer of ours, J.Walker Clarke, Jr. did. You'll be reading more of his work in the coming months I do believe.

If you are going to Graumen's Chinese, make sure you go to the main theater. I can't vouch for the quality of the other theaters. The seats aren't as comfortable as they could be but it is in an old theater and the sound is amazing. At least amazingly loud. You can buy tickets online though I've rarely had to unless it was some sort of summer blockbuster like the Matrix or Superman Returns. If you plan on seeing one of those, get there early and be prepared to wait in a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGG line. For the Matrix Reloaded, we were around the block.

Down the street from Graumen's is the Arclight Cinerama Dome which is also a good theater though a bit silly. They have assigned seating. I saw Tears of the Sun there with about 5 other people in the theater. Four of them were assigned to sit in front of me. So stupid. More comfortable seats and actual ushers don't make up for the incredibly high ticket price in my opinion (around $15 a pop if I remember).

The Hollywood Bowl was one of my wife's favorite things to do during the summer months in LA. Bring your own booze and food, picnic in the stands, listen to some good music. You never really know what you are getting into when you go but for us, it was more about the whole experience than just the music. The music I heard varied from good to mediocre. I wouldn't ever say the sound was amazing.

 

[birdonthebeach]

Thanks Tom! ; )

As for good outdoor sound, it is possible. Anyone who saw the last Pink Floyd tour (Division Bell), it was amazing. I saw it for the first time outdoors in Vanderbilt's football stadium in Nashville. I saw on the field, and the show was in surround. It was stunning. Better than any controlled room - even home theaters and recording studios - I have heard. The bass slightly "thumped" your chest, and everything was perfectly placed and crystal clear. Just amazing. I also saw the tour in the dome in Indy, then again in Earls Court in London (arena). The sound was consistently good. All this to say, with the right engineer and PA, it can be done.

 

[Hi Ho]

ENTER the new theater close to my house. Cinetopia. In a word AMAZING.
Every theater is High Def. Leather seats with room to stretch out your legs AND still be able to have someone who needs to pee, walk past.
Here is a link so you guys can drool. Peruse the site. Last I heard it was the only one in the country that shows high def.
http://www.cinetopiatheaters.com/cinema/theaters.htm

That's in Vancouver??? I may just have to make the two hour trip down there just for that!

The only theaters close to my house are the local privately owned one (nothing special... at all) and several in Olympia (still, 40 minutes away). The nicest one in Olympia is the Regal 16 cineplex. They have digital projection and decent sound. They need more bass though!

 

[markw]

It's a good thing, too.

Superman is going to be shown in parts. And yes in 3D!

http://www.imax.com/ImaxWeb/filmDetail.do?type=comingSoon&movieID=code__.__27

They were the best parts of the movie.

We're traveling and caught in a Nashville Imax. More to come when I get home but let's just say that, over all, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.

I find it hard to believe that the same guy that did the first two X-Men movies did this one.

Effects were good, though.

 

[goodman]

I will go and see a movie if it is at an IMAX theater. If not, then I am waiting for DVD. Superman Returns is coming to our IMAX, and I WILL go see that.

I would go to the Imax for Superman, but unfortunately it is 2 1/2 hours away.

 

[goodman]

I can toatlly relate to that article on every level. The Regal theaters in my neck of the woods leave much do be desired.
We do however have a theater own by Century and they are THX approved, you are welcome to bring your own snacks and are very well kept. You still have the annoying talkers and punk-*** kids though.

ENTER the new theater close to my house. Cinetopia. In a word AMAZING.
Every theater is High Def. Leather seats with room to stretch out your legs AND still be able to have someone who needs to pee, walk past.
Here is a link so you guys can drool. Peruse the site. Last I heard it was the only one in the country that shows high def.
http://www.cinetopiatheaters.com/cinema/theaters.htm

and a link from Klipsch
http://www.klipsch.com/newscenter/feature.aspx?cid=1153


Notice the no one under twenty one in the "living room" theaters. Live jazz before the show, food served to you in the theater before the showing. All for the same price as Regal.

The Cintetopia is awesome, but a four day drive from my house.

 

[Sheep]

That's in Vancouver??? I may just have to make the two hour trip down there just for that!

The only theaters close to my house are the local privately owned one (nothing special... at all) and several in Olympia (still, 40 minutes away). The nicest one in Olympia is the Regal 16 cineplex. They have digital projection and decent sound. They need more bass though!

Theres a Vancouver in Seattle?! TRAVISTY!

SheepStar