Last week, I went to see a preview of John Wick Four at Cineworld Leicester Square IMAX in London. The movie is too, and if you enjoyed the first three, you’d be crazy to miss this new installment. To quote John Wick from the wonderful Keanu Reaves in the film, I would summarize my review as follows: “yes. . . “said Nuff.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth watching in IMAX, you should know that although the film was partially shot with an Arri Alexa LF camera, which is part of the “Filmed for IMAX” program, the film is not formatted. for IMAX (it’s an overall aspect ratio of 2. 29:1), probably because the preference was to shoot in anamorphic, as indicated by the use of the Arri ALFA anamorphic lens. That’s not to say it doesn’t look good in IMAX, far from it. – It looks majestic. In fact, the length of the IMAX screen and the Leicester Square auditorium matched perfectly with the grandeur of the venue and the non-stop action of the ballet.
However, there was a problem. When I usually go to the cinema the seats are reserved in advance, however on this occasion, as it was an advance, I did not realize that although your call had to be on the list to download it, they were assigned. on a first-come, first-served basis. So, for the first time in many visits to Leicester Square’s IMAX, I couldn’t sit in the middle block and had to settle for a seat to the side. In fact, it was so far to the right that it extended beyond the edges of the screen. And since Leicester Square IMAX has the largest IMAX screen in the country, that’s saying a lot. I wasn’t very happy, but it was my fault, so I had to face it. As the film began without publicity or fanfare (sadly it wasn’t the official premiere, in the same position the actors were placed in a few days later), I looked to my left at the crowded theater and felt like I was hunting. in a room full of other people watching a movie, than being in the room itself.
Sitting where I was, I feared the worst, but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as I feared. That’s not to say it was perfect. First of all, naturally, since I was at an angle, the attitude of the frame seemed a little small to me. Second, there were some changes to color and contrast, which made it harder to stumble upon the main points in the darker spaces of the image. Third, there was the audio. IMAX doesn’t have a subwoofer and yet it generates an excellent base because each speaker has complete diversity and is very wide. I was sitting, say, very close to one of them, and naturally his exit dominated the process: I can almost still feel the throbbing rhythm of the club scene ringing in my ears.
At the end of the day, although I still have a good time at the cinema, if the center block of a cinema is full, I prefer to go later and have a larger seat if possible.
It is true that I have had worse reports with the seats. Leaving a friend’s reservation for The Northman last year, I was surprised to find myself sitting in the last row on the left, near the rear speakers, and with a projection booth spinning in the room to the right of me. right edge of the screen. This one is rare.
The rest of the bad reports reach the dreaded number one. Everyone agrees that the front row at the movies is not good. I’ve sat in the front row of an IMAX movie theater several times and it’s not great. Don’t Look Up would be an appropriate movie to watch in this situation.
This brings me to this eternal discussion: what is the most productive position in a cinema?This answer depends on the nature of the room and your preferences. As we’ve established, the front row of an IMAX is rarely wonderful because of the giant screen. You go through to stick your neck out and look left and right to put everything in, it’s not comfortable. Some pass the other excessively and opt for the last row. Yes, you’ll be able to see the whole screen, but you want to think about the sound.
If you’re in the back row of a movie theater, you’re too close to the rear speakers and won’t be able to enjoy the sound balance of the mix. Some say it’s in the middle row center block, and while that might be optimal for sound in my experience in most IMAX theaters, it’s still too close to the screen. I prefer about two-thirds of the way forward, right in the middle. You should be looking at the center of the screen, or just above it and still in the sound bubble of the side and rear speakers. You’re also close enough for the screen to fill your peripheral vision.
However, when I apply the front two-thirds rule to the popular screen, I find that because of that smaller screen, it is too far back, so hitting the middle from front to back is the way to go. continue.
Some want to be at the end of a hallway with noisy diners or to be able to pass out without problems if they wish, but this is only ideal for practical reasons and too compromising on an audiovisual level. This only makes sense if you have small children. to take care of or if you have a weak bladder.
So even if John Wick Four is smart enough to enjoy it even from afar in IMAX, I’d make sure you arrive and book in advance when there’s a movie you need to see or you’ll be dropped off in front, and despite a joke. on Reddit proclaiming that this is the most productive seat to watch the movie before everyone else in the theater, your neck will appreciate waiting a few billionths of a moment longer and sitting a little further back.
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