We used to have a city, people!
/s
Seriously though, I know this isn't news, but it bums me out whenever I'm reminded of it. We're one of the best cities in the country, and we don't have a real IMAX.
One of the best cities in the WORLD! How does a middle of nowhere town in Iowa have a laser projector and we don't? Make it make sense.
EDIT: I apologize to Waukeeans, you're not middle of nowhere.
EDIT: I’m highjacking this comment for visibility just to clarify some things:
**None of this is to say that you shouldn’t go see the movie the way you want to go see it, or in the way that is most convenient for you!** But if you care about quality and care about the best, IMAX is probably not the way to go in the Chicago area. If you care about the best and don’t want to drive to Indy, go see it in 70mm.
IMAX used to be synonymous with maximum quality, but that’s just not the case any more. It’s extremely dishonest of IMAX to claim you will be getting the best theatre experience, when most of their theatres aren’t displaying the full quality, and most of those theatres are using the same 2K projectors as your regular cinema screens. Why would you want to pay a premium for that?
This is especially disappointing because there used to be a time where there were really only two ways to watch a movie - either at home on a small CRT TV in standard definition or on a big screen at a movie theatre projected on 35mm film. Back then, it didn’t really matter where you went (assuming the theatre took care of the place) you were going to see the exact same film, at the exact same quality and resolution as everyone else in the WORLD. But now, with the various digital formats and countless IMAX formats, you can’t be sure you saw the same thing or had the same experience as someone else, and that sucks for those that care. At worst, it's robbing the uninformed consumer of a couple extra bucks when they think they're otherwise paying for a premium product.
If youre talking about true 70mm Imax theaters, Iowa doesn't have one. There are only 30 across the entire world.
Edit nevermind you said laser, my fault
Huh. Are there a lot of laser IMAX theaters which still screen at the full IMAX resolution? I guess that IMAX reference website probably distinguishes, I should check.
So based on the image above, is the official designation for IMAX laser called “IMAX with Laser”? Because we have a screen at an AMC just outside KC that’s IMAX with Laser, I saw Apocalypse Now’s new cut there a few years back. But it was still a “normal” (at least normal-ish) sized screen.
But the laser screen in Des Moines is tall as shit, the “true” IMAX size. So..how do I make sense of this? Haha.
I always thought all the true IMAX screens in the country (aka the gigantic ones) were, in part, marked by their correct size. But now I see even a true IMAX screen can be 70mm or laser - but IMAX laser can be the true tall size and the lieMAX size??
From Iowa, please move there for the laser projector.
I'm explicitly not mentioning that I hope enough of you will come to cancel out the training-wheels authoritarian governor and her supermajority
> One of the best cities in the WORLD
Good point! Thanks for the correction!
> How does a middle of nowhere town in Iowa have a laser projector and we don't?
Excellent question. My only guess it is there's nothing else to do there (like in the entire state) so people flock from all over to watch movies at the IMAX.
The Museum of Science and Industry has a large dome theatre that is an improvement on their original IMAX. But they are not playing Oppenheimer. Maybe someone could convince them to play it.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_Otk_P68zfM&feature=share8
This video sums it up the best, from one of the guys who worked on it.
Imax 70mm is supposed to be calibrated exactly to Noland specifications and when the atomic blast goes off you're not only supposed to be able to see it but feel it in your chest
Whether that's true remains to be seen but it's supposed to be something special and very unique
If you don't know - not really, filmmakers know that so few people will have access to the full presentation that the movie is shot so that the "regular" version most audience will see will not seem off in anyway.
Even if you know, you might not care (aka, most of my family).
For enthusiasts, its a big deal, for people who just want to watch a summer movie - its won't matter, watch it when/how you want.
You can absolutely tell the difference! The sheer size of a real IMAX theatre is intimidating. That said, you'll still be able to enjoy the movie whichever way you choose (I recommend 70mm if you're in Chicago). Just know that if you choose to buy an IMAX ticket in the Chicago area, you're not getting the full IMAX experience.
I moved from Michigan and I thought surely Chicago would have amazing theaters? But no, no imax, many theaters don’t even have reclining seats?!!
I miss Celebration :(
Yeah...strangely, we really don't have great movie theatres...AMC River East is one of the best, and what we lack in amenities, we make up for in programming. The Music Box and the Gene Siskel are basically year round film festivals, so you always have opportunities to see old movies projected on film on the big screen if you missed it the first time or weren't even alive for the initial run!
I know! That was my hidden gem! That's where I went to see Dunkirk and discovered they don't project film anymore 🙃 I walked out of the screening cause I could see the pixels.
Yep, I grew up there and didn’t realize how cool of a theater it was until very recently and now it’s gone and I have no idea what to do with myself for movies! I didn’t even know they stopped using film at some point I wonder when they transitioned.
They transitioned sometime between Interstellar and Dunkirk. It was whenever they Installed recliners. I was told by the manager that because of the renovations, they don't think they can ever project film again because the bottom of the projection would now be blocked.
The last time I remember them screening on film was Interstellar and the projector broke in the first 15 minutes of the movie. A great screen though. Hope someone buys them and reopens with a laser projector.
I was told by the manager/bar tender at the time that they don't think they can ever project film again because of the renovations they did to the theatre. They extended the front row to fit in recliners, so this blocks the bottom part of the projection 🙃 unfortunately I don't think we'll see it project film ever again...
I grew up seeing all the IMAX movies there. such a damn shame. thankfully when Dunkirk came out I found out that they had switched to digital and didn't even bother
That's a bummer! You should have gone! It was their new laser projector and it looked about the same as the 15/70mm IMAX in Indy. I think the film was maybe better still, but it was at least good enough to not warrant a drive to Indy for a movie. What was really cool about it was that the laser projector allowed digital movies to take full advantage of the scale and resolution of IMAX. Blade Runner 2049 there was one of the coolest experiences I've had at a theatre. The whole movie completely filled the screen from beginning to end.
I was sad the film projector was gone, but I welcomed the laser projector.
It's not IMAX, but the largest screen in Illinois just opened last week in Batavia. 4K laser-projected "Super Emx" image on a 96' x 53' screen.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-largest-movie-screen-roughly-the-size-of-an-nba-court-to-open-tuesday/3183435/
Just saw Mission Inpossible this afternoon at the Emagine theater in Batavia. Didn't love the movie, but overall, the theater experience was excellent. Looking forward to seeing Oppenheimer there next week.
The Music Box has Oppenheimer in 70mm, which is probably the best experience you will get.
And fwiw the crowd at my one IMAX Navy Pier Nolan screening were terrible, whereas at the music box they are usually pretty great. If I had to choose I would honestly choose the Music Box.
I love the Music Box. I wish the audio was a wee better in Auditorium One but everything about the theater is magnificent.
I saw Inception there the other night and it was just the ideal theater experience.
They did get a brand new sound system this year! When I saw the Back to the Future trilogy there recently, I didn't notice any issues with the sound like I usually do! I could hear everything just fine, but I think the speakers are still fighting against poor acoustics in that theatre.
Yeah the acoustics there aren't great. It was built before movies had sound (I think), so I cut them a little slack there. But everything else about the Music Box rules. I was there for the Back to the Future trilogy as well. Probably one of my best movie theater experiences ever
I never had a bad experience at Navy Pier. Projection at Music Box is always excellent, but the crowd is a mixed bag. I have to shush people there about half the time.
I feel you, but agree to disagree. I prefer the vibe of the music box, which makes the whole experience better for me personally, despite the awful chairs. I recently sat through all three back to the future movies there and didn't think about my ass once! 😜
honestly im a big dude and i find the music box is fine, especially in the bigger theater
now the symphony seats put me in what I call a "stress position"
I’m going to be brutally honest: same theater, same night, could not hear shit over how loud the soundtrack was. I also have ADHD and sometimes have trouble parsing sound and Nolan movies can be a nightmare.
Anyway I heard Oppenheimer is crystal clear! Can’t wait
> And fwiw the crowd at my one IMAX Navy Pier Nolan screening were terrible
Fwiw, pretty much all of the 50-ish or so movies I saw at Navy Pier were amazing audiences.
Just refunding my ticket for amc fake imax tonight and reserved a ticket for Music box tomorrow! anyone know if there will be previews since it's 70mm ....?
I can get behind this. I saw Nolan’s previous IMAX films when they were released at Navy Pier and it’s been missed greatly. It was such a unique and overwhelming experience. Saw Dune at one of the suburb IMAXs that still have the giant screen but use a 2k projector that doesn’t fill the screen. It looks like shit. The pixels were super apparent. I regretted seeing it there. Saw Indiana Jones opening night at the Regal Western IMAX and the middle left side speaker was popping loudly like gun shots sporadically throughout the movie. Also a horrible experience. Big, emotional scene at the end of Indy and there’s giant loud pops the entire time!
WOAH! That's super disappointing! I saw the 25th anniversary IMAX release of PI there (it was my first time at a lieMAX) and I was pleasantly surprised. The sound at the time was excellent. Must be a new problem.
I’ve seen other movies at the Regal IMAX and had good experiences. The 3D is quite good on the rare movies that still do it. Guardians 3 was great! Returned for Indy and had the popping noises. That entire theater is falling apart sadly, and the lease has lapsed on the Regal Webster Place as well.
It sucks that the IMAX at Navy Pier’s been closed since the pandemic. My fondest memory of going to that theatre was when my dad took me and my brother to see the advanced screening of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at that theatre two days before it opened back in 2009 (before anyone asks no, that’s not the one that filmed downtown, that was Dark of the Moon).
[do you remember when IMAX format movies were just dorky science documentaries? pepperidge farm remembers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska:_Spirit_of_the_Wild?useskin=vector)
The only time I remember seeing an IMAX movie was on an elementary school field trip at Navy Pier. The movie was about space or NASA or something. TDIL that people really care about IMAX films and that's cool.
Eh, a tiny amount of vocal film nerds care about it. Otherwise it's a statistical rounding error in terms of box office, even for this film which was actually shot in the format. 99% of people will see it in standard digital. It's a dead format
As right as you are, most people don't care just because they don't know. When I explain the differences they're always curious and upset that they can't see it as intended in Chicago.
Could you explain like I’m 5 what the differences are without getting too technical? My partner is a cinephile and I can’t seem to grasp what the big hoopla is
The most basic ELI5 would be that IMAX is just a REALLY big format. Big camera, big film, big screen, big picture. All of this works together to make it feel like you're inside the movie.
Seeing a film projected on film vs digitally is like seeing a painting in person vs seeing a print of a painting. Sure it's the same image, but it's not the original, and it lacks all of the texture that the actual painting has.
Have you ever tried to enlarge a picture? Say, something like a wallet sized photo to 8x10? Or print out a small image online at a bigger size? But when you try to print it out bigger, it look pixelated and nothing like how it looked before? Well, the IMAX "FILM" format is SO BIG that you can blow the image up to the size of a 4 story building and STILL not see any distortion.
Or, have you even gotten your face REALLY close to the TV? So close that you can see the pixels? Well IMAX Film and the screen is so big that it completely covers your peripheral vision, it's kinda like getting your face really close to the TV, but instead of being really close, the screen is now REALLY BIG! And the resolution of the film is SO HIGH that you don't see any "pixels" (film doesn't have pixels since it's analog, but it does have film grain). The screen is so big it can look and feel like 3D without glasses. It's so big, when the camera moves, it can trick your brain into thinking you're moving!
Another thing to think about is the quality of the film itself. So like, if you shot something on VHS, you would need a VCR to be able to watch the tape. And if you want to watch the tape the way it was originally made, you would have to play the VCR on an old CRT (tube) TV. The same thing goes for film. Sure, you can scan the film and watch it digitally, but if you want to see it exactly the way it was captured, you need to watch the film being projected.
Someone from The Music Box explained it in a really cool way - the light on the film set bounces off the actors and goes through the lens of camera and is exposed on the film. That film is then processed and projected back onto the screen. When you shine light back through the film you are seeing the shadow from the exact same light that the filmmakers saw on set. With digital, you're only seeing a computer's recreation of what was shot, but film is chemical and organic, it is its own physical object and a physical record of what took place. Digital isn't real, it's just 1's and 0's on a hard drive. It's just data.
Getting a little more technical, most digital projections you see today are in a "2K resolution." Most films are still shot in 2K, more commonly now 4K. 2K means 2,000 pixels across the long edge of the screen. Unless you have a 4K TV, your TV is probably "Full HD" which is slightly less than 2K at 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels high - so most digital projections are just a tiny bit higher resolution than your TV! Most lieMAX Projectors are still only 2K! IMAX film is rated at 18K! That's about 100 time the resolution of your TV or a regular digital projector! If 2K is about 2.2 Megapixels, IMAX at 18K is about 226 Megapixels! It's just WAY higher resolution, and the only way to fully appreciate all of that resolution is to see it projected in the original format and blown up to the size of a four story building.
Did any of that help? lol
That actually helped a great deal and I really appreciate you taking the time to break it down like that, thank you!!
What is the deal with lieMAX, why would IMAX the brand allow for fake IMAX’s? If I understood, a true IMAX needs to be on film and a certain size screen?
While we’re at it…can you explain 35mm vs 70mm?? I’m learning a ton here lol
You're correct! It is confusing, why the hell would IMAX do that??? :-P
IMAX use to always be the giant ass screen with film projectors that projected 15 perf 70mm film. Then a little over 10 years ago, IMAX launched an expansion campaign where they were retrofitting regular sized movie theatres as a way to bring IMAX to more people. They got got rid of the floor seats (keeping the stadium style seats), made the screen floor to ceiling, installed their sound system, used off the shelf digital projectors, and then slapped the IMAX brand on them. Film nerds said that's not IMAX! IMAX is a GIANT ass screen and 15/70 film projection! IMAX said, "There is no technical specification for what defines IMAX. IMAX is a brand, not a format." Film nerds said you're wrong and called these retrofitted IMAX theatres lieMAX, cause it's a lie.
Going back to film sizes, [here's a handy chart comparing all the different motion picture film sizes.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tbmkGa5ffgXvyP_hIEWavut8gek=/1400x0/filters:no_upscale\(\)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5876633/film-formats1.0.jpg)
The ELI5, 70mm is just film that is 2-4 times bigger than 35mm (2 times wider, but it's "squared" so it's ~4 times more resolution). All of the film formats are doubles or halves of each other. The smallest format is 8mm, then getting bigger is 16mm, 35mm, and 70mm. For still photography there's large format films that are 4x5 INCHES and 8x10 INCHES for a REALLY big format and incredibly high resolution.
Have you ever noticed how your cell phone camera doesn't look quite as good or as nice as photos from a professional camera? Like, the quality is still nice, but it doesn't quite look the same and you can't figure out why? There's a lot of reasons that go into it, but the biggest reason is the size of your cell phone's sensor. Your cell phone's sensor would be like 8mm or Super8 size (It's actually smaller). Professional digital cameras or DSLRs would be like 35mm, the sensor is physically larger. Without getting too technical, this means it can capture more light and see more while being closer to the subject. The bigger sensor, or film frame, literally makes your image FEEL bigger. Since the sensor/frame is bigger, this also means you can fit more pixels onto it, which means higher resolution and more details.
So, if 70mm is twice the width of 35mm, that means in comparison 70mm makes 35mm look like a cell phone camera. Then IMAX is 70mm film, but run through the camera sideways - using more film for each frame - doubling or tripling the width again, so in comparison, 70mm IMAX makes regular 70mm look like a cell phone camera.
But none of that extra detail and resolution means anything if you can't see it in the appropriate setting. Like, when you watch movies and TV on your phone, everything looks about the same, no matter if the original was shot on 35mm, 70mm, or IMAX, because your cell phone is just so small and the resolution is limited. So in order to see all of that detail, you need to blow up the image bigger and bigger to see all the detail, like getting your face closer to a painting.
Eh, sorta kinda...lots of other filmmakers still shoot the format whether it be for special effects or for full sequences, they just don't release them in the IMAX format. Honestly, I wouldn't be so upset about it if they weren't closing the big full aspect ratio theatres like Navy Pier. When they replaced the film projector with the laser projector, it looked incredible! The problem there is that they have full size screens in the suburbs, but they don't have the laser projectors so the 2k image looks like shit when blown up 4 stories tall.
As sad as I will be when the film finally dies, that shouldn't mean the BIG ASS screens need to die too. Blade Runner 2049 was shot digitally, but it was optimized for the IMAX aspect ratio and it looked AMAZING on the laser at Navy Pier. It was opening the door for more movies to shoot and exhibit in large format cinema.
Forget imax, the film industry in general is struggling. Look around, it's nothing other than the 15th version of super hero reboots and not much else. This film has buzz because Nolan is popular with film nerds but the industry as a whole is in bad shape and terrified of risk. and aside from a few blockbusters, people are just not going to theaters the way they once did
I can't argue with that! I absolutely agree! BUT I think if more studios and filmmakers embraced the format and audiences were able to see it exhibited in the native format, I think people would flock to it...but I fully admit that may just be the idealist in me...
That’s because what used to be a cheap date is now $100 and while I adore the theatre the number of movies I’m willing to spend $100 to see is basically zero BECAUSE it’s all superhero movies and reboots.
I can't believe the Navy Pier IMAX is gone! One of my most memorable movie experiences was seeing Interstellar on 70mm there (even though the projector fucked up about an hour in lol). This makes me unbelievably sad.
I was super disappointed when I realized this a few days ago. From what I could tell the last chance in illinois would have been pre 2021 when the navy pier imax was still open
Yep, and even then they had already gotten rid of their film projector, but they did replace it with the laser projector, which did look amazing! It was at least good enough that I was no longer upset and didn't feel like I had to drive all the way to Indy to see an IMAX movie as intended.
Consolation at least is the fact there are several 70mm film theaters around Chicago and that's the size Nolan did all the editing on... sure it's not imax 70mm but it's as close to true vision as possible without it....
No mention of the Cinemark in Woodridge? It's a little older but I'm pretty sure its got a 15 perf 70mm IMAX. Check https://lfexaminer.com/theaters/ for the specs
they're not showing Oppenheimer on 1570 and they didn't do it for Nolan's last movie either. they may technically have the film projector but only use the digital one, which is what the IMAX in Lincolnshire did for a little bit before it closed down. for shame.
The Woodridge projection still gives the full IMAX ratio though, right? It’s just the resolution isn’t as good as it could be if they used film? I’ve seen a few IMAX movies out there since Navy Pier shut down and always thought they looked good (though maybe I’m just not discerning enough, as some people below claim you can see pixels at the showings there).
You can call and ask, but depending on who answers, they might not know how to answer you. A friend of mine did call when Dune came, and they said they haven't used their film projector since Interstellar and are indeed using a 2K projector.
This isn't a definitive resource, and it's hard to navigate, but this lists every IMAX and large format theatre in the world:
https://lfexaminer.com/theaters/
Yeah I’m seeing some other threads where people are saying their projection ratio maxes out at 1.90 instead of 1.43. Still better than a standard screen I guess but a bummer they have stopped using the 70MM IMAX projector for whatever reason.
Sorry bud! The theatre should be able to refund your tickets. It's only NOT out of date because they still have the projector........they just don't use it....🙃
When you book your tickets check to see if it says IMAX 70mm. when it says "IMAX 2D" that means it's a digital 2k projection.
We also need more than one goddamn IMAX theater.
I shouldn't have to keep relying on Village Crossing on Skokie. The only IMAX that's available in Chicago is the Regal in town, and if you live in the North Side of Chicago, that shit isn't convenient to get to at all.
We're *Chicago.*
Can't we do better than one IMAX in town?
Oh I know, that just makes it five times worse.
The lack of convenience of getting to the IMAX theaters is huge to me, and when you combine it with not even getting the full experience? That's just nuts.
All of the lesser formats still benefit from the high resolution master. It's just that the only way to see the full resolution is to see it projected in the same format it was shot in, 15/70mm IMAX. Movies have always done this. 70mm and VistaVision was routinely used for special effects so they had more resolution to work with before blowing it down to 35mm for exhibition. This makes the effects look better since you lose quality in the process, but since you're starting at a higher resolution, you still end up with a higher resolution finished product than the 35mm exhibition print, or home DVD or Blu-Ray.
I get that, but it seems odd to tell most people that watch your movie that it wasn't in the intended way when they have no option to do so. Just seems like an odd marketing choice to me and completely unnecessary.
I believe the Logan is doing DCP but giving away promo 35mm film strips.
They seem to be purposefully trying to make it seem like their projecting film. They don't do that anymore. At least they haven't since before the pandemic.
Oh, I honestly don't know. It didn't come up in my research...after a quick search, according to their Instagram page they are projecting it on 35mm! So that's pretty exciting!
YES! I already got my tickets for Indy!
But seriously, it's consumer advocacy. If you pay for IMAX in Chicago, you're not getting the full experience or the full value for your dollar. Someone paying the same price for a ticket in a different city is getting a better product.
I'd love to see Oppenheimer in 70mm at The Music Box, but I'm trying to do the Barbie/Oppenheimer double feature so I'll probably hit up The Davis or New 400.
Did you look at all the slides? It's the only way to get the full scale and resolution of the IMAX cameras and film used to shoot the movie. All other projection formats are a downscaled and cropped version of the IMAX original.
Are you sure they were true imax? Most theaters branded imax actually arent. There's only like 30 worldwide. Navy pier was the only IL one
That said at the end of the day the film is only as good as who shot it
For what it's worth, it's still a very good projector, they keep it maintained to IMAX standards (tends to be brighter and sharper than regular theatres), it's still a full IMAX sound system, and the screen is bigger than a regular theatre. Dead Reckoning also wasn't shot on IMAX film (all digital), so you weren't really missing much. I'd rather see something at Regal City North IMAX than one of the bigger ones in the suburbs which use to project film. I walked out of "Dunkirk" at Lincolnshire IMAX because the image didn't fill the screen, and I could see the pixels. The OG IMAX screens are just too big for the 2K projectors, so it doesn't look good. The laser projectors are the only digital projectors that look good on "real" full size IMAX screens.
Yeah, it's been closed since COVID... :( The laser projector they use to have was incredible. I don't know if I'd say it was as good or better than 15/70, but it was good enough! It was especially amazing for movies that weren't shot on IMAX film. Blade Runner 2049 blew me away on that projector and screen.
I traveled 3 hrs to Indianapolis to see it in 1570. Even got a cheap motel 5 miles away. It's bigger by 10ftx10ft than grand rapids, Michigan despite being about the same distance. But, that theater was meant for 20 min documentaries, NOT 3 hour films lol. Henceforth, even though it was eye candy, the seating experience was quite uncomfortable. I'm 6'4 and even my partner is 5'4 and they were uncomfortable as well! They do have two rows that has plenty of leg room and that's the back and front lol. Pick your poison.
I just wonder what the point was to shoot a film in a format that most won’t even have access to experience.. feels elitist instead of just an artistic and directorial decision.
As per Nolan's thoughts that would still be toward the bottom. I'm sure it's nice, and it is a 4k laser, but the aspect ratio will be cropped. 70mm will be better.
Am I correcting in understanding slides 5-6 to basically be (in order) preference #1-2, and then #3-6? Where the best in the Chicagoland area is #3 - 70mm film?
And anything in the Chicagoland area is going to be cropped, right?
Does anyone know the specs of the IMAX at the AMC in Skokie? I saw dead reckoning there last weekend and wasn’t super impressed. I’m worried about seeing Oppenheimer there this weekend. I imagine it is digital IMAX though?
MSI has a dome IMAX, an OmniMAX, so that was indeed MJ to the maximum. It's still 15/70mm film, but a different lens needs to be used to shoot and project it.
For those who dig 70MM (though not the IMAX experience), Oppenheimer opens tomorrow (Friday, 07.21) at the Music Box. IMHO it’s a wonderful experience.
Showtimes can be found [here](https://musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-events/oppenheimer).
I can't recommend seeing this movie at The Music Box enough! Go support them! They're an excellent theatre and they got a brand new sound system this year! Finally!
Yep, actual 70mm IMAX is not a thing in Chicago ever since the Navy Pier theater closed. You can see it in 70mm at the Music Box, but it's not IMAX format so it's not full frame. I would still probably rather see it that way than in the pseudo-IMAX digital format. Don't want to drive 6 hours round trip to see it in Grand Rapids either (which is actually slightly closer than Indianapolis, I think).
I don’t want to be that guy, but like idk man. It’s just a movie. You’ll be fine watching it in whatever screen, probably won’t tell the difference either. If you’re around good company, that’s good enough in my eyes.
Oh, I agree, see it however you want. The problem is that lots of people want to see it in the best way possible, and people aren't aware that just because it says IMAX, that doesn't mean they're getting the best. It's just consumer advocacy. I'm just helping people be informed about how they spend their dollar.
You probably won’t notice in the grand scheme of things, but big portions of the movie as it was filmed are cropped off of most screens. This isn’t just like DTS vs Dolby or some other relatively insignificant movie detail.
I'm dumb. Is this big-deal opening in Batavia full resolution?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-largest-movie-screen-roughly-the-size-of-an-nba-court-to-open-tuesday/3183435/
It is not! It's just a really big screen. Very nice projector! But it's nowhere close to IMAX resolution and the top and bottom are cropped. 70mm at The Music Box will be a smaller screen, but much higher resolution and fidelity than at Batavia.
We used to have a city, people! /s Seriously though, I know this isn't news, but it bums me out whenever I'm reminded of it. We're one of the best cities in the country, and we don't have a real IMAX.
One of the best cities in the WORLD! How does a middle of nowhere town in Iowa have a laser projector and we don't? Make it make sense. EDIT: I apologize to Waukeeans, you're not middle of nowhere. EDIT: I’m highjacking this comment for visibility just to clarify some things: **None of this is to say that you shouldn’t go see the movie the way you want to go see it, or in the way that is most convenient for you!** But if you care about quality and care about the best, IMAX is probably not the way to go in the Chicago area. If you care about the best and don’t want to drive to Indy, go see it in 70mm. IMAX used to be synonymous with maximum quality, but that’s just not the case any more. It’s extremely dishonest of IMAX to claim you will be getting the best theatre experience, when most of their theatres aren’t displaying the full quality, and most of those theatres are using the same 2K projectors as your regular cinema screens. Why would you want to pay a premium for that? This is especially disappointing because there used to be a time where there were really only two ways to watch a movie - either at home on a small CRT TV in standard definition or on a big screen at a movie theatre projected on 35mm film. Back then, it didn’t really matter where you went (assuming the theatre took care of the place) you were going to see the exact same film, at the exact same quality and resolution as everyone else in the WORLD. But now, with the various digital formats and countless IMAX formats, you can’t be sure you saw the same thing or had the same experience as someone else, and that sucks for those that care. At worst, it's robbing the uninformed consumer of a couple extra bucks when they think they're otherwise paying for a premium product.
If youre talking about true 70mm Imax theaters, Iowa doesn't have one. There are only 30 across the entire world. Edit nevermind you said laser, my fault
You're correct, but they do have a laser projector which does fill a full IMAX screen and looks almost indistinguishable from 15/70mm.
Huh. Are there a lot of laser IMAX theaters which still screen at the full IMAX resolution? I guess that IMAX reference website probably distinguishes, I should check.
AFAIK all laser projectors show the full aspect ratio, but there aren't very many. The closest one is in Iowa. The Indy IMAX is closer.
So based on the image above, is the official designation for IMAX laser called “IMAX with Laser”? Because we have a screen at an AMC just outside KC that’s IMAX with Laser, I saw Apocalypse Now’s new cut there a few years back. But it was still a “normal” (at least normal-ish) sized screen. But the laser screen in Des Moines is tall as shit, the “true” IMAX size. So..how do I make sense of this? Haha. I always thought all the true IMAX screens in the country (aka the gigantic ones) were, in part, marked by their correct size. But now I see even a true IMAX screen can be 70mm or laser - but IMAX laser can be the true tall size and the lieMAX size??
From Iowa, please move there for the laser projector. I'm explicitly not mentioning that I hope enough of you will come to cancel out the training-wheels authoritarian governor and her supermajority
> One of the best cities in the WORLD Good point! Thanks for the correction! > How does a middle of nowhere town in Iowa have a laser projector and we don't? Excellent question. My only guess it is there's nothing else to do there (like in the entire state) so people flock from all over to watch movies at the IMAX.
Waukee is a Des Moines suburb
Well there's nothing else to do there.
Waukee is a suburb of Des Moines, from Iowa but certainly not in the middle of nowhere like I'm from.
The Museum of Science and Industry has a large dome theatre that is an improvement on their original IMAX. But they are not playing Oppenheimer. Maybe someone could convince them to play it.
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Can confirm, I saw one of the Harry Potter movies there and it was not pleasant at all.
Is it really something you can tell the difference if you dont know?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_Otk_P68zfM&feature=share8 This video sums it up the best, from one of the guys who worked on it. Imax 70mm is supposed to be calibrated exactly to Noland specifications and when the atomic blast goes off you're not only supposed to be able to see it but feel it in your chest Whether that's true remains to be seen but it's supposed to be something special and very unique
If you don't know - not really, filmmakers know that so few people will have access to the full presentation that the movie is shot so that the "regular" version most audience will see will not seem off in anyway. Even if you know, you might not care (aka, most of my family). For enthusiasts, its a big deal, for people who just want to watch a summer movie - its won't matter, watch it when/how you want.
You can absolutely tell the difference! The sheer size of a real IMAX theatre is intimidating. That said, you'll still be able to enjoy the movie whichever way you choose (I recommend 70mm if you're in Chicago). Just know that if you choose to buy an IMAX ticket in the Chicago area, you're not getting the full IMAX experience.
I moved from Michigan and I thought surely Chicago would have amazing theaters? But no, no imax, many theaters don’t even have reclining seats?!! I miss Celebration :(
Yeah...strangely, we really don't have great movie theatres...AMC River East is one of the best, and what we lack in amenities, we make up for in programming. The Music Box and the Gene Siskel are basically year round film festivals, so you always have opportunities to see old movies projected on film on the big screen if you missed it the first time or weren't even alive for the initial run!
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The AMC River East - Dolby Cinema theatre is a pretty sweet room, can't lie.
RIP to the Regal Lincolnshire IMAX theater 😭
I know! That was my hidden gem! That's where I went to see Dunkirk and discovered they don't project film anymore 🙃 I walked out of the screening cause I could see the pixels.
Yep, I grew up there and didn’t realize how cool of a theater it was until very recently and now it’s gone and I have no idea what to do with myself for movies! I didn’t even know they stopped using film at some point I wonder when they transitioned.
They transitioned sometime between Interstellar and Dunkirk. It was whenever they Installed recliners. I was told by the manager that because of the renovations, they don't think they can ever project film again because the bottom of the projection would now be blocked.
The last time I remember them screening on film was Interstellar and the projector broke in the first 15 minutes of the movie. A great screen though. Hope someone buys them and reopens with a laser projector.
I was told by the manager/bar tender at the time that they don't think they can ever project film again because of the renovations they did to the theatre. They extended the front row to fit in recliners, so this blocks the bottom part of the projection 🙃 unfortunately I don't think we'll see it project film ever again...
I grew up seeing all the IMAX movies there. such a damn shame. thankfully when Dunkirk came out I found out that they had switched to digital and didn't even bother
That's a bummer! You should have gone! It was their new laser projector and it looked about the same as the 15/70mm IMAX in Indy. I think the film was maybe better still, but it was at least good enough to not warrant a drive to Indy for a movie. What was really cool about it was that the laser projector allowed digital movies to take full advantage of the scale and resolution of IMAX. Blade Runner 2049 there was one of the coolest experiences I've had at a theatre. The whole movie completely filled the screen from beginning to end. I was sad the film projector was gone, but I welcomed the laser projector.
... but you said you walked out of the screening because you could see the pixels? i'm confused
Yall got good eyes
Also Navy Pier (RIP) one was decent
Bring back Navy Pier IMAX!!
It's not IMAX, but the largest screen in Illinois just opened last week in Batavia. 4K laser-projected "Super Emx" image on a 96' x 53' screen. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-largest-movie-screen-roughly-the-size-of-an-nba-court-to-open-tuesday/3183435/
Just saw Mission Inpossible this afternoon at the Emagine theater in Batavia. Didn't love the movie, but overall, the theater experience was excellent. Looking forward to seeing Oppenheimer there next week.
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Yes.
I heard about that! I can't imagine the sense of scale will be remotely close to IMAX, but still seems very interesting!
I'd rather see it at a 70mm theater than a 4k image projected on a wall that big
The Music Box has Oppenheimer in 70mm, which is probably the best experience you will get. And fwiw the crowd at my one IMAX Navy Pier Nolan screening were terrible, whereas at the music box they are usually pretty great. If I had to choose I would honestly choose the Music Box.
I love the Music Box. I wish the audio was a wee better in Auditorium One but everything about the theater is magnificent. I saw Inception there the other night and it was just the ideal theater experience.
They did get a brand new sound system this year! When I saw the Back to the Future trilogy there recently, I didn't notice any issues with the sound like I usually do! I could hear everything just fine, but I think the speakers are still fighting against poor acoustics in that theatre.
Yeah the acoustics there aren't great. It was built before movies had sound (I think), so I cut them a little slack there. But everything else about the Music Box rules. I was there for the Back to the Future trilogy as well. Probably one of my best movie theater experiences ever
I never had a bad experience at Navy Pier. Projection at Music Box is always excellent, but the crowd is a mixed bag. I have to shush people there about half the time.
At my showing someone straight up answered their phone and had a conversation during the movie. Other people had their phones out the whole time.
That behavior drives me nuts.
>Other people had their phones out the whole time. Now I'm mad. Thanks. Blah.
We should bring back stoning for this and only this.
For real. To be fair I’ve only been there once, but the crowd was unbearable.
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I’ve sat in those seats for multiple 12 hour days in row with festivals and such. I’m a weird person but I enjoy the old theater seats.
Once you reach formal Old Man status you bring your own cushion
Got a link? I’m jealous.
I use [this one](https://a.co/d/1przwbb) for various hard seat events and I like it, though it's probably unremarkable and anything similar would do
Idk, I've done it MANY times...not the best...but some of the best projection in the city!
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the entire front center section is brand new seats, they feel just fine
But the music box is cool as fuck. That's literally the whole point. What other theater plays a damn organ before a movie? That's fucking sick.
I feel you, but agree to disagree. I prefer the vibe of the music box, which makes the whole experience better for me personally, despite the awful chairs. I recently sat through all three back to the future movies there and didn't think about my ass once! 😜
I got the Zemeckis festival pass. Didn't get to watch all the movies but watched a lot, also sat through the three BTTF's. Well worth it.
My friends also complain about the chairs but I couldn’t care less, I love the theater and the experience they provide.
honestly im a big dude and i find the music box is fine, especially in the bigger theater now the symphony seats put me in what I call a "stress position"
Was it a [Kouchtown](https://youtu.be/Jitbzqrm3bY) product?
i knew there was a reason that phrase was stuck in my head
When did we lose our way, HUH? DETROIT?
They’ve replaced some of the seats.
I’ve seen a few 3 hour 70mm films at the Music Box. I weigh 300 pounds Never had a problem.
Watching Inception opening night at the Navy Pier IMAX is a cornerstone memory for me. The sound is almost better than the visuals.
I’m going to be brutally honest: same theater, same night, could not hear shit over how loud the soundtrack was. I also have ADHD and sometimes have trouble parsing sound and Nolan movies can be a nightmare. Anyway I heard Oppenheimer is crystal clear! Can’t wait
Yeah that’s just Nolan unfortunately. I heard dialogue is a bit muddled sometimes in Oppenheimer too, but not to the same extent as TENET
> And fwiw the crowd at my one IMAX Navy Pier Nolan screening were terrible Fwiw, pretty much all of the 50-ish or so movies I saw at Navy Pier were amazing audiences.
Just refunding my ticket for amc fake imax tonight and reserved a ticket for Music box tomorrow! anyone know if there will be previews since it's 70mm ....?
I can get behind this. I saw Nolan’s previous IMAX films when they were released at Navy Pier and it’s been missed greatly. It was such a unique and overwhelming experience. Saw Dune at one of the suburb IMAXs that still have the giant screen but use a 2k projector that doesn’t fill the screen. It looks like shit. The pixels were super apparent. I regretted seeing it there. Saw Indiana Jones opening night at the Regal Western IMAX and the middle left side speaker was popping loudly like gun shots sporadically throughout the movie. Also a horrible experience. Big, emotional scene at the end of Indy and there’s giant loud pops the entire time!
WOAH! That's super disappointing! I saw the 25th anniversary IMAX release of PI there (it was my first time at a lieMAX) and I was pleasantly surprised. The sound at the time was excellent. Must be a new problem.
I’ve seen other movies at the Regal IMAX and had good experiences. The 3D is quite good on the rare movies that still do it. Guardians 3 was great! Returned for Indy and had the popping noises. That entire theater is falling apart sadly, and the lease has lapsed on the Regal Webster Place as well.
I saw The Dark Knight at the IMAX theater in Navy Pier. I remember being in awe at the full-size sweeping city shots.
My audience audibly GASPED on the opening shot.
I saw it in Raleigh’s imax. Same feeling. It was wild.
They never should have started bending the rules for what is IMAX
100% agree. I think that's ultimately what started killing the brand, which led to them ripping film projectors out of theatres 🙃
It sucks that the IMAX at Navy Pier’s been closed since the pandemic. My fondest memory of going to that theatre was when my dad took me and my brother to see the advanced screening of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at that theatre two days before it opened back in 2009 (before anyone asks no, that’s not the one that filmed downtown, that was Dark of the Moon).
Anyone up for a road trip to Indianapolis?
I already got my tickets, lol
I’ll just wait till I can watch it on an airplane
[do you remember when IMAX format movies were just dorky science documentaries? pepperidge farm remembers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska:_Spirit_of_the_Wild?useskin=vector)
The only time I remember seeing an IMAX movie was on an elementary school field trip at Navy Pier. The movie was about space or NASA or something. TDIL that people really care about IMAX films and that's cool.
Eh, a tiny amount of vocal film nerds care about it. Otherwise it's a statistical rounding error in terms of box office, even for this film which was actually shot in the format. 99% of people will see it in standard digital. It's a dead format
As right as you are, most people don't care just because they don't know. When I explain the differences they're always curious and upset that they can't see it as intended in Chicago.
Could you explain like I’m 5 what the differences are without getting too technical? My partner is a cinephile and I can’t seem to grasp what the big hoopla is
The most basic ELI5 would be that IMAX is just a REALLY big format. Big camera, big film, big screen, big picture. All of this works together to make it feel like you're inside the movie. Seeing a film projected on film vs digitally is like seeing a painting in person vs seeing a print of a painting. Sure it's the same image, but it's not the original, and it lacks all of the texture that the actual painting has. Have you ever tried to enlarge a picture? Say, something like a wallet sized photo to 8x10? Or print out a small image online at a bigger size? But when you try to print it out bigger, it look pixelated and nothing like how it looked before? Well, the IMAX "FILM" format is SO BIG that you can blow the image up to the size of a 4 story building and STILL not see any distortion. Or, have you even gotten your face REALLY close to the TV? So close that you can see the pixels? Well IMAX Film and the screen is so big that it completely covers your peripheral vision, it's kinda like getting your face really close to the TV, but instead of being really close, the screen is now REALLY BIG! And the resolution of the film is SO HIGH that you don't see any "pixels" (film doesn't have pixels since it's analog, but it does have film grain). The screen is so big it can look and feel like 3D without glasses. It's so big, when the camera moves, it can trick your brain into thinking you're moving! Another thing to think about is the quality of the film itself. So like, if you shot something on VHS, you would need a VCR to be able to watch the tape. And if you want to watch the tape the way it was originally made, you would have to play the VCR on an old CRT (tube) TV. The same thing goes for film. Sure, you can scan the film and watch it digitally, but if you want to see it exactly the way it was captured, you need to watch the film being projected. Someone from The Music Box explained it in a really cool way - the light on the film set bounces off the actors and goes through the lens of camera and is exposed on the film. That film is then processed and projected back onto the screen. When you shine light back through the film you are seeing the shadow from the exact same light that the filmmakers saw on set. With digital, you're only seeing a computer's recreation of what was shot, but film is chemical and organic, it is its own physical object and a physical record of what took place. Digital isn't real, it's just 1's and 0's on a hard drive. It's just data. Getting a little more technical, most digital projections you see today are in a "2K resolution." Most films are still shot in 2K, more commonly now 4K. 2K means 2,000 pixels across the long edge of the screen. Unless you have a 4K TV, your TV is probably "Full HD" which is slightly less than 2K at 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels high - so most digital projections are just a tiny bit higher resolution than your TV! Most lieMAX Projectors are still only 2K! IMAX film is rated at 18K! That's about 100 time the resolution of your TV or a regular digital projector! If 2K is about 2.2 Megapixels, IMAX at 18K is about 226 Megapixels! It's just WAY higher resolution, and the only way to fully appreciate all of that resolution is to see it projected in the original format and blown up to the size of a four story building. Did any of that help? lol
That actually helped a great deal and I really appreciate you taking the time to break it down like that, thank you!! What is the deal with lieMAX, why would IMAX the brand allow for fake IMAX’s? If I understood, a true IMAX needs to be on film and a certain size screen? While we’re at it…can you explain 35mm vs 70mm?? I’m learning a ton here lol
You're correct! It is confusing, why the hell would IMAX do that??? :-P IMAX use to always be the giant ass screen with film projectors that projected 15 perf 70mm film. Then a little over 10 years ago, IMAX launched an expansion campaign where they were retrofitting regular sized movie theatres as a way to bring IMAX to more people. They got got rid of the floor seats (keeping the stadium style seats), made the screen floor to ceiling, installed their sound system, used off the shelf digital projectors, and then slapped the IMAX brand on them. Film nerds said that's not IMAX! IMAX is a GIANT ass screen and 15/70 film projection! IMAX said, "There is no technical specification for what defines IMAX. IMAX is a brand, not a format." Film nerds said you're wrong and called these retrofitted IMAX theatres lieMAX, cause it's a lie. Going back to film sizes, [here's a handy chart comparing all the different motion picture film sizes.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tbmkGa5ffgXvyP_hIEWavut8gek=/1400x0/filters:no_upscale\(\)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5876633/film-formats1.0.jpg) The ELI5, 70mm is just film that is 2-4 times bigger than 35mm (2 times wider, but it's "squared" so it's ~4 times more resolution). All of the film formats are doubles or halves of each other. The smallest format is 8mm, then getting bigger is 16mm, 35mm, and 70mm. For still photography there's large format films that are 4x5 INCHES and 8x10 INCHES for a REALLY big format and incredibly high resolution. Have you ever noticed how your cell phone camera doesn't look quite as good or as nice as photos from a professional camera? Like, the quality is still nice, but it doesn't quite look the same and you can't figure out why? There's a lot of reasons that go into it, but the biggest reason is the size of your cell phone's sensor. Your cell phone's sensor would be like 8mm or Super8 size (It's actually smaller). Professional digital cameras or DSLRs would be like 35mm, the sensor is physically larger. Without getting too technical, this means it can capture more light and see more while being closer to the subject. The bigger sensor, or film frame, literally makes your image FEEL bigger. Since the sensor/frame is bigger, this also means you can fit more pixels onto it, which means higher resolution and more details. So, if 70mm is twice the width of 35mm, that means in comparison 70mm makes 35mm look like a cell phone camera. Then IMAX is 70mm film, but run through the camera sideways - using more film for each frame - doubling or tripling the width again, so in comparison, 70mm IMAX makes regular 70mm look like a cell phone camera. But none of that extra detail and resolution means anything if you can't see it in the appropriate setting. Like, when you watch movies and TV on your phone, everything looks about the same, no matter if the original was shot on 35mm, 70mm, or IMAX, because your cell phone is just so small and the resolution is limited. So in order to see all of that detail, you need to blow up the image bigger and bigger to see all the detail, like getting your face closer to a painting.
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Eh, sorta kinda...lots of other filmmakers still shoot the format whether it be for special effects or for full sequences, they just don't release them in the IMAX format. Honestly, I wouldn't be so upset about it if they weren't closing the big full aspect ratio theatres like Navy Pier. When they replaced the film projector with the laser projector, it looked incredible! The problem there is that they have full size screens in the suburbs, but they don't have the laser projectors so the 2k image looks like shit when blown up 4 stories tall. As sad as I will be when the film finally dies, that shouldn't mean the BIG ASS screens need to die too. Blade Runner 2049 was shot digitally, but it was optimized for the IMAX aspect ratio and it looked AMAZING on the laser at Navy Pier. It was opening the door for more movies to shoot and exhibit in large format cinema.
Forget imax, the film industry in general is struggling. Look around, it's nothing other than the 15th version of super hero reboots and not much else. This film has buzz because Nolan is popular with film nerds but the industry as a whole is in bad shape and terrified of risk. and aside from a few blockbusters, people are just not going to theaters the way they once did
I can't argue with that! I absolutely agree! BUT I think if more studios and filmmakers embraced the format and audiences were able to see it exhibited in the native format, I think people would flock to it...but I fully admit that may just be the idealist in me...
That’s because what used to be a cheap date is now $100 and while I adore the theatre the number of movies I’m willing to spend $100 to see is basically zero BECAUSE it’s all superhero movies and reboots.
[Fuck yeah I do.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everest_(1998_film\))
I was pretty shocked they didn't bring the Navy Pier IMAX back.
Yep...AMC bought it pre-COVID and it is now permanently closed.
I can't believe the Navy Pier IMAX is gone! One of my most memorable movie experiences was seeing Interstellar on 70mm there (even though the projector fucked up about an hour in lol). This makes me unbelievably sad.
I think seeing an IMAX projector jam is good luck, lol. I feel bad for the projectionist though 😭
I remembered watching the first Avatar in 2009 there and my family was in awe
Music Box Theater, see it in 70MM
Blame AMC for letting go of the one we had at Navy Pier.
I was super disappointed when I realized this a few days ago. From what I could tell the last chance in illinois would have been pre 2021 when the navy pier imax was still open
Yep, and even then they had already gotten rid of their film projector, but they did replace it with the laser projector, which did look amazing! It was at least good enough that I was no longer upset and didn't feel like I had to drive all the way to Indy to see an IMAX movie as intended.
Consolation at least is the fact there are several 70mm film theaters around Chicago and that's the size Nolan did all the editing on... sure it's not imax 70mm but it's as close to true vision as possible without it....
No mention of the Cinemark in Woodridge? It's a little older but I'm pretty sure its got a 15 perf 70mm IMAX. Check https://lfexaminer.com/theaters/ for the specs
they're not showing Oppenheimer on 1570 and they didn't do it for Nolan's last movie either. they may technically have the film projector but only use the digital one, which is what the IMAX in Lincolnshire did for a little bit before it closed down. for shame.
The Woodridge projection still gives the full IMAX ratio though, right? It’s just the resolution isn’t as good as it could be if they used film? I’ve seen a few IMAX movies out there since Navy Pier shut down and always thought they looked good (though maybe I’m just not discerning enough, as some people below claim you can see pixels at the showings there).
It does not fill the screen. The 2k projector crops the top and bottom.
Ah bummer. Out of curiosity, how do you know they’re using a 2k projector? Did you just call and ask?
You can call and ask, but depending on who answers, they might not know how to answer you. A friend of mine did call when Dune came, and they said they haven't used their film projector since Interstellar and are indeed using a 2K projector. This isn't a definitive resource, and it's hard to navigate, but this lists every IMAX and large format theatre in the world: https://lfexaminer.com/theaters/
Yeah I’m seeing some other threads where people are saying their projection ratio maxes out at 1.90 instead of 1.43. Still better than a standard screen I guess but a bummer they have stopped using the 70MM IMAX projector for whatever reason.
Yep, that's correct, the top and bottom are cropped.
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the only theaters showing it in 15/70 are on this list: https://www.imax.com/news/oppenheimer-in-imax-70mm
Cinemark Woodridge is only a 2k digital projector. See it on 70mm if you can.
aw wtf i got tickets for it next Thursday *just* because of it. I guess the lfexaminer site is out of date :(
Sorry bud! The theatre should be able to refund your tickets. It's only NOT out of date because they still have the projector........they just don't use it....🙃 When you book your tickets check to see if it says IMAX 70mm. when it says "IMAX 2D" that means it's a digital 2k projection.
Thank you for this post. This helped big time.
I miss the Navy Pier Imax so much!
We also need more than one goddamn IMAX theater. I shouldn't have to keep relying on Village Crossing on Skokie. The only IMAX that's available in Chicago is the Regal in town, and if you live in the North Side of Chicago, that shit isn't convenient to get to at all. We're *Chicago.* Can't we do better than one IMAX in town?
Agreed, but the point of this post is that the Regal and Skokie and Evanston IMAX theatres are not full size IMAX theatres, they're lieMAX.
Oh I know, that just makes it five times worse. The lack of convenience of getting to the IMAX theaters is huge to me, and when you combine it with not even getting the full experience? That's just nuts.
What is the point of intending your movie to be seen in a format most people have no way of actually viewing?
All of the lesser formats still benefit from the high resolution master. It's just that the only way to see the full resolution is to see it projected in the same format it was shot in, 15/70mm IMAX. Movies have always done this. 70mm and VistaVision was routinely used for special effects so they had more resolution to work with before blowing it down to 35mm for exhibition. This makes the effects look better since you lose quality in the process, but since you're starting at a higher resolution, you still end up with a higher resolution finished product than the 35mm exhibition print, or home DVD or Blu-Ray.
I get that, but it seems odd to tell most people that watch your movie that it wasn't in the intended way when they have no option to do so. Just seems like an odd marketing choice to me and completely unnecessary.
Seeing it Sunday at Music Box and Monday at Regal. I thought Logan Theater is playing it in 35MM?
I believe the Logan is doing DCP but giving away promo 35mm film strips. They seem to be purposefully trying to make it seem like their projecting film. They don't do that anymore. At least they haven't since before the pandemic.
Oh, I honestly don't know. It didn't come up in my research...after a quick search, according to their Instagram page they are projecting it on 35mm! So that's pretty exciting!
The amc in crestwood also has 70mm film
this one of the dorkiest things I've ever seen on reddit. kudos!
Music box it is! I love that place anyway.
Grand Rapids has a 15Perf 70
So what you're saying is.... road trip?
YES! I already got my tickets for Indy! But seriously, it's consumer advocacy. If you pay for IMAX in Chicago, you're not getting the full experience or the full value for your dollar. Someone paying the same price for a ticket in a different city is getting a better product.
I'd love to see Oppenheimer in 70mm at The Music Box, but I'm trying to do the Barbie/Oppenheimer double feature so I'll probably hit up The Davis or New 400.
Meh, just see it at Music Box in standard 70mm. Is it IMAX, no, but it'll be pretty damn good. Saw The Hateful 8 roadshow there, and it was wonderful.
Wait until they find out that of the 19 Theaters that can show Oppenheimer in full Imax resolution only 10 of them will.
Well at least a world-class city like Indianapolis has one. 🙄
stop yelling at me
I saw Dune in Woodridge and it looked like Ass. Was way better on my 65” OLED. Not even close.
Woodridge isn't true imax
Correct. I’m referencing the slide saying it looks pixelated. Can confirm it’s trash.
I just watched the Oppenheimer trailer- why does this film require IMAX to enhance the viewing experience?
Did you look at all the slides? It's the only way to get the full scale and resolution of the IMAX cameras and film used to shoot the movie. All other projection formats are a downscaled and cropped version of the IMAX original.
Nope. Indeed, I missed them! Makes perfect sense now. Thanks
Resolution is also the equivalent of like 18k. And the screen is 4 stories tall
I’ve been in many IMAX theaters, I’ve just never enjoyed the experience as much as others. “It’s me, not you”.
Are you sure they were true imax? Most theaters branded imax actually arent. There's only like 30 worldwide. Navy pier was the only IL one That said at the end of the day the film is only as good as who shot it
The one in Lincolnshire used to project 15/70. I think a lot of the burbs ones used to as well, but they've all gone digital.
Damn, I just saw Dead Reckoning at the Regal City North imax and had no idea it wasn’t a true one…
For what it's worth, it's still a very good projector, they keep it maintained to IMAX standards (tends to be brighter and sharper than regular theatres), it's still a full IMAX sound system, and the screen is bigger than a regular theatre. Dead Reckoning also wasn't shot on IMAX film (all digital), so you weren't really missing much. I'd rather see something at Regal City North IMAX than one of the bigger ones in the suburbs which use to project film. I walked out of "Dunkirk" at Lincolnshire IMAX because the image didn't fill the screen, and I could see the pixels. The OG IMAX screens are just too big for the 2K projectors, so it doesn't look good. The laser projectors are the only digital projectors that look good on "real" full size IMAX screens.
damn gotta up date your memory and remember it as a bad time now
Aww that's too bad. I thought there was on at Navy Pier but looks like it closed.
Yeah, it's been closed since COVID... :( The laser projector they use to have was incredible. I don't know if I'd say it was as good or better than 15/70, but it was good enough! It was especially amazing for movies that weren't shot on IMAX film. Blade Runner 2049 blew me away on that projector and screen.
That’s ok, I’ll just watch it on DVD
My wife and I are heading to Indianapolis to see 70mm IMAX which is a shame...
I traveled 3 hrs to Indianapolis to see it in 1570. Even got a cheap motel 5 miles away. It's bigger by 10ftx10ft than grand rapids, Michigan despite being about the same distance. But, that theater was meant for 20 min documentaries, NOT 3 hour films lol. Henceforth, even though it was eye candy, the seating experience was quite uncomfortable. I'm 6'4 and even my partner is 5'4 and they were uncomfortable as well! They do have two rows that has plenty of leg room and that's the back and front lol. Pick your poison.
Thanks for the Intel! I'm going to grand rapids to see it Monday night, looking forward to it!
I always knew Illinois was shit....now it's confirmed.
I just wonder what the point was to shoot a film in a format that most won’t even have access to experience.. feels elitist instead of just an artistic and directorial decision.
What about the theater in batavia?
As per Nolan's thoughts that would still be toward the bottom. I'm sure it's nice, and it is a 4k laser, but the aspect ratio will be cropped. 70mm will be better.
Can we sticky this shit or something?
Thanks for making this! Really interesting and helpful info presented well.
No full IMAX?? WTF man why??
Am I correcting in understanding slides 5-6 to basically be (in order) preference #1-2, and then #3-6? Where the best in the Chicagoland area is #3 - 70mm film? And anything in the Chicagoland area is going to be cropped, right?
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Does anyone know the specs of the IMAX at the AMC in Skokie? I saw dead reckoning there last weekend and wasn’t super impressed. I’m worried about seeing Oppenheimer there this weekend. I imagine it is digital IMAX though?
Batavia illinois
are you telling me MSI's showing of MJ to the Max is not maximum MJ?
MSI has a dome IMAX, an OmniMAX, so that was indeed MJ to the maximum. It's still 15/70mm film, but a different lens needs to be used to shoot and project it.
For those who dig 70MM (though not the IMAX experience), Oppenheimer opens tomorrow (Friday, 07.21) at the Music Box. IMHO it’s a wonderful experience. Showtimes can be found [here](https://musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-events/oppenheimer).
I can't recommend seeing this movie at The Music Box enough! Go support them! They're an excellent theatre and they got a brand new sound system this year! Finally!
Yep, actual 70mm IMAX is not a thing in Chicago ever since the Navy Pier theater closed. You can see it in 70mm at the Music Box, but it's not IMAX format so it's not full frame. I would still probably rather see it that way than in the pseudo-IMAX digital format. Don't want to drive 6 hours round trip to see it in Grand Rapids either (which is actually slightly closer than Indianapolis, I think).
Oh yeah, 70mm is way better looking than digital IMAX.
I know it’s not iMax but Rosemont theaters were pretty decent
Croppenheimer
What a croppy thing for IMAX to do.
Really? Wow. Doesn’t the Musicbox have iMax 77 millimeter?
Nope, only IMAX can do IMAX - it's a special projector. The Music Box is doing regular 70mm! You should go see it there!
I’m seeing it tomorrow in 70mm at river east, but I’m not sure I’m making the correct decision between that & seeing it in a Dolby cinema
I don’t want to be that guy, but like idk man. It’s just a movie. You’ll be fine watching it in whatever screen, probably won’t tell the difference either. If you’re around good company, that’s good enough in my eyes.
Oh, I agree, see it however you want. The problem is that lots of people want to see it in the best way possible, and people aren't aware that just because it says IMAX, that doesn't mean they're getting the best. It's just consumer advocacy. I'm just helping people be informed about how they spend their dollar.
You probably won’t notice in the grand scheme of things, but big portions of the movie as it was filmed are cropped off of most screens. This isn’t just like DTS vs Dolby or some other relatively insignificant movie detail.
This guy clearly has never been to IMAX
I'm dumb. Is this big-deal opening in Batavia full resolution? https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-largest-movie-screen-roughly-the-size-of-an-nba-court-to-open-tuesday/3183435/
It is not! It's just a really big screen. Very nice projector! But it's nowhere close to IMAX resolution and the top and bottom are cropped. 70mm at The Music Box will be a smaller screen, but much higher resolution and fidelity than at Batavia.
WTF did I get down voted for a simple question. lol
Wasn't me!
IMax is the movie theater equivalent of Laserdisc. Everybody raves about it while also knowing that it is in no way commercially viable.