My thoughts on, "Interstellar"

3 hours? 'And Michael Caine'? I doubt I'll
see it even when it makes it to Netflix.
Brevity in all things, especially blowhard
screenplays. It's why Hemingway is the
most famous writer of the 20th century.
He strove to say the most with the least
number of words.

Quote: Ayecarumba

The 4K was advertised like folks would want to see it, but it was either this or a "small" IMAX format which they charge extra for, and I don't care for. Now that I have seen their 4K offering, I will try to avoid it too.

It's difficult to know what is being offered. Carmike has begun offering Big D format which is a a screen 79 feet wide the custom QSC DIGITAL audio system is
tuned to a 7.1 speaker array with 16 channels. But they don't say 4K. It clearly is a way to get a big screen without paying for Imax name, but some people have complained that it is fuzzy.

"True" IMAX, (the 5 story high screen type) that uses the 70 mm film is an amazing experience. Unfortunately, IMAX appears to have settled on an inferior projector system in an attempt to gain system installations without forcing theatre owners to actually build 5 story high screens that cannot easily accommodate other formats. The projectors simply do not have the resolution of film, so in larger formats the pixels are larger and edge details are washed out.

Quote: Ayecarumba

"True" IMAX, (the 5 story high screen type) that uses the 70 mm film is an amazing experience.

So, do you have one of these theaters within an hour from your house, and would you drive there to see Interstellar?

IMAX 70MM FILM
1. AB CALGARY SCOTIABANK CHINOOK & IMAX
2. AL HUNTSVILLE IMAX, U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER
3. AZ TEMPE HARKINS ARIZONA MILLS 25 & IMAX
4. CA DUBLIN REGAL HACIENDA CROSSINGS STADIUM 21 & IMAX
5. CA HOLLYWOOD TCL CHINESE THEATRES IMAX
6. CA IRVINE EDWARDS IRVINE SPECTRUM 21 IMAX & RPX
7. CA ONTARIO EDWARDS ONTARIO PALACE STADIUM 22 IMAX & RPX
8. CA SACRAMENTO ESQUIRE IMAX
9. CA SAN FRANCISCO AMC METREON 16 & IMAX
10. CA SAN JOSE HACKWORTH IMAX DOME, THE TECH MUSEUM
11. CA UNIVERSAL CITY AMC UNIVERSAL CITYWALK STADIUM 19 & IMAX
12. CO DENVER UA COLORADO CENTER STADIUM 9 & IMAX
13. DC WASHINGTON LOCKHEED MARTIN IMAX, NATIONAL AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
14. FL FORT LAUDERDALE AUTONATION IMAX, MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY & SCIENCE
15. FL TAMPA IMAX DOME, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY
16. GA BUFORD REGAL MALL OF GEORGIA STADIUM 20 & IMAX
17. IA DES MOINES BLANK IMAX DOME, SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
18. ID BOISE EDWARDS BOISE STADIUM 22 & IMAX
19. IL CHICAGO NAVY PIER IMAX
20. IL LINCOLNSHIRE REGAL LINCOLNSHIRE STADIUM 21 & IMAX
21. IN INDIANAPOLIS IMAX, INDIANA STATE MUSEUM
22. MI DEARBORN IMAX, THE HENRY FORD
23. MI GRAND RAPIDS CELEBRATION! CINEMA GRAND RAPIDS NORTH & IMAX
24. MN APPLE VALLEY GREAT CLIPS IMAX, MINNESOTA ZOO
25. MO BRANSON BRANSON'S IMAX
26. NV LAS VEGAS BRENDEN THEATRES & IMAX AT THE PALMS
27. NY NEW ROCHELLE REGAL NEW ROC STADIUM 18 & IMAX
28. NY NEW YORK AMC LOEWS LINCOLN SQUARE 13 & IMAX
29. NY ROCHESTER CINEMARK TINSELTOWN USA & IMAX
30. NY WEST NYACK AMC LOEWS PALISADES 21 & IMAX
31. ON MISSISSAUGA COLISEUM MISSISSAUGA & IMAX
32. ON TORONTO SCOTIABANK THEATRE TORONTO & IMAX
33. PA KING OF PRUSSIA UA KING OF PRUSSIA STADIUM 16 & IMAX
34. PA PHILADELPHIA TUTTLEMAN IMAX, THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE
35. QC MONTREAL CINEMA BANQUE SCOTIA MONTREAL & IMAX
36. RI PROVIDENCE PROVIDENCE PLACE CINEMAS 16 & IMAX
37. TN NASHVILLE REGAL OPRY MILLS STADIUM 20 & IMAX
38. TX AUSTIN IMAX, THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
39. TX DALLAS CINEMARK 17 & IMAX
40. TX SAN ANTONIO AMC RIVERCENTER 11 & IMAX
41. VA CHANTILLY AIRBUS IMAX, STEPHEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER
42. WA SEATTLE BOEING IMAX, PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER

I have normal digital 10 minutes away, IMAX digital 17 minutes away, and IMAX 70mm film 60 minutes away.

I would not do the drive. It costs an extra $3 for IMAX, and I don't think any of these digitally remastered movies are worth the extra money.

Came across a piece on the web where IMAX executives admit that digital is still inferior to film. IMAX piece on CBS

Interstellar earned $52m opening weekend compared to Inception's $62m. Of course Inception had unusually strong "legs" for a modern film, and went on to bring in almost 5X it's opening weekend (including $68m in China).

Films with "legs" that capture the imagination of the North American public are increasingly rare today. Last year's Gravity that earned $274m on an opening weekend of $55.8m was the best example.

Of course, domestically it may not matter. China has a high percentage of showy theaters (with IMAX) and is much more tolerant of confusing storylines than the USA.

The visual texture of film is different from that of TV, even of projecting TVs. It goes beyond resolution.

That said, I've yet to read a review of Interstellar that would entice me to see it. That's true of most films that have come out recently (ie the last five years, which is about as long since I've seen a movie in theaters).

Just read a bunch of tweets from Neil deGrasse Tyson regarding the movie.
He approves of the science in the movie.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/neil-degrasse-tyson-interstellar_n_6133178.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Thanks for the link terapined. If you haven't seen it yet, I would hold off on reading the article, as it contains spoilers.