May 7, 2009. Star Trek fans eagerly awaiting this movie flock to the theaters to catch the early screenings around 8pm, rather than wait for a midnight release. Of course, it’s not just about watching movies anymore, it’s seeing them the best way possible: in IMAX. So I actually get to attend an 8:30 show in IMAX with fellow Popcorn Kids Whosdamike and Toyyg. Personally, I am not that big of a Star Trek fan. I’m more of a Star Wars person, Original Trilogy to be precise. And none of that Special Edition crap either. Most of my Trek knowledge comes from outside sources, namely other friends and popular culture references through other shows. However, I was actually interested and excited to watch the film, and with the early reviews being very positive, I had high expectations.
So I arrived at the AMC Century City theater to watch it in their IMAX screen, where I previously saw Watchmen in IMAX. We got good seats, had lots of food, excitement level was high. Cue film, and…it was great! Loved the film. I’m glad that I understood most of the original series references, with a lot of help from the audience members as well. I was also surprised that Karl Urban and Winona Ryder were a big part of the cast. But that’s beside the point. I left the film satisfied…it was a fun experience, but something was still missing.
In the next couple of days, I received an e-mail from one of my friends that took me to Aziz Ansari’s blog (NSFW: language), whom you might’ve seen on Scrubs or Parks & Recreations. And therein lies the culprit. I’ve been swindled! Something just felt off watching both Watchmen and Star Trek in IMAX compared to watching The Dark Knight last year. And I’m not just talking about the IMAX exclusive scenes that were featured in TDK. It’s more than that. I’m sure most of you have seen this blog talking about Lie-MAX screenings, but if you haven’t, then spread the word.
I had to remedy this, so I did something I don’t normally do: I saw Star Trek again. And in IMAX this time. Not Lie-MAX, IMAX. I went with one of my other friends who hadn’t seen the film yet and watched it at The Bridge. This was the first IMAX theater I saw a film in (TDK), so I knew what I was getting into. As pointed out by Aziz, the screen was definitely taller. Also, The Bridge IMAX screens are in a smaller sized theater, roughly fifteen rows with around thirty seats each. The small number of rows allowed for a much more elevated stadium seating experience along with what felt like an increased sound experience. I could feel the sound effects as I heard them, moreso here than at the Century City theater. I’m almost certain that it’s because of the smaller sized theater, but I’m not a sound expert so someone else can chime in on that subject. The best part was the booth projectionist making an announcement over the PA system of the theater welcoming everyone to their screening and reassuring that this is a REAL IMAX screen, not a fake one. He even referenced the blog as well!
Point being, don’t go to AMC/Regal IMAX theaters, with the exception being the AMC Universal Citywalk theater. Their IMAX screen is legit. But yeah, be careful which IMAX theater you go to. To quote the Grail Knight from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, “You must choose, but choose wisely.” As for me, I’ll stick with going to The Bridge. Assigned seating is really hard to pass up.
