Imax vs 3D - Which do you prefer?

[Diemtay]

Would you rather have an entire film shot in Imax, with quality similar to the select scenes from TDK? Or would you rather have 3D of equal caliber of Avatar?

Personally, I'm going to say they are equal. It would be really tough to choose between them, and I'd really have to think about it. I would say it really varies on what type of film/scene it is.

 

[Poeman]

dark knight should never be seen in 3d or imax...Its perfectly the way it is in normal theaters

Avatar is an exception i made to see in 3d imax...I watch 3d movies for pixar/cartoony films

 

[Liam_H]

IMAX hands down. Especially if movie contains scenes that just stretch into the distance allowing you to take in how beautiful it looks. TDK skyscraper scene is an example.

3D is hardly ever done well, with all the post converted stuff. Even in Avatar the 3D just kept me interested from how bored I was of the story and characters. But to me 3D is still part gimmicky until it really adds to the experience, only Avatar has come close so far.

 

[CelticPredator]

Dark Knight was ment to be seen in IMAX. No other movie format is worthy. IMAX is the best way to see a film. Period. Especially if it's filmed with the camera's.

 

[Hurm...]

IMAX screens add more detailed imagery in addition to the finest sound. It doesn't ask you to adjust yourself and where glasses in order to view a film, now does it? The beef I have with 3D is that it doesn't add anything to the most important aspects of the art of film. It is MEANT for special effects to pop out at you. There is no denying that. Where is the subtlety and beauty of objects being thrown obnoxiously in your face?

I think the factor that separates people who enjoy watching 3D films and those who don't, is that film/movies mean different things to the two groups.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

IMAX - By FAR!!! Only if the film was actually FILMED with IMAX cameras, or unless the entire film is CG (a la Toy Story). Only use of 3D I TRULY enjoyed was Tron: Legacy.

 

[xwolverine2]

imax duh...

thats not even a question... hell 2d normal theaters are still better than 3d lol

 

[Spider-Who?]

IMAX screens add more detailed imagery in addition to the finest sound. It doesn't ask you to adjust yourself and where glasses in order to view a film, now does it? The beef I have with 3D is that it doesn't add anything to the most important aspects of the art of film. It is MEANT for special effects to pop out at you. There is no denying that. Where is the subtlety and beauty of objects being thrown obnoxiously in your face?

I think the factor that separates people who enjoy watching 3D films and those who don't, is that film/movies mean different things to the two groups.

I know everyone has a right to their opinions, and without trying to come off as rude, I think you're either missing the point of GOOD 3d, or are simply focusing on the stereotypical campy use of 3d in the past.

The point of mature use of 3d (see Avatar, or read Jackson's reasons for using it, for example), is the exact opposite of "throwing objects in your face". Its too accentuate the depth of the shot, to bring things forward and push others back. 3d used well can help make a scene feel more real, more immersive than anything 2d can do. Should every movie be in 3d? No, I don't think so. But I also think that given an honest effort by artists who fully understand the medium, 3d can and does work quite well. But its at a disadvantage, since so many 3d movies have been poorly done and used to campy effect, leading people to only see it as a useless gimmick, ignoring (or forgetting) the possibilities and advantages of proper 3d.

 

[iskrew]

well...the only movies i've seen in imax are the 3d ones so i wouldn't know.

i think it depends on the movie. can't imagine the dark knight in 3d, it's more suited for imax really.

 

[ALP]

LOL @ the person who said TDK shouldn't be seen in IMAX. Epic fail post of the day.

IMAX is incredible, the screen is bigger, the sound is better, the detail is astounding. I'm never less than blown away seeing a picture in IMAX. Last movie I saw in IMAX was Super 8 and my heart was left pounding for 2 hours.

3D is pretty meh to me, adds almost nothing worthwhile to the viewing experience. Every movie I see in theaters I wish was IMAX, but I see none in 3D. The fact that Captain America is in 3D but not IMAX makes me cringe.

 

[Paroxysm]

When I watched TDK in IMAX

 

[terry78]

3D only works when the subject matter is made for it. Marc Webb gave his reasoning as to why they're shooting Spider-Man this way, so the audience can get that feel of literal webslinging through the city.

 

[hippie_hunter]

3D is a hit or miss with sometimes being really, really good (Cars 2, Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Tron: Legacy, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Piranha 3D) or really, really terrible (Clash of the Titans, Thor, Saw 3D). I think the only 3D film I thought that was just average with the 3D was Green Lantern. The best 3D films are those shot in 3D.

IMAX on the other hand. Watching the Dark Knight in IMAX was beautiful. And it was cool watching Avatar in IMAX. I'm going to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in IMAX today as a matter in fact. So my preference goes with IMAX, because even though most films don't have any content filmed with the IMAX camera, it still looks pretty damn awesome.

However, I'm looking forward to IMAX's new 3D camera. I'd really like to see the two combined and see how it turns out.

 

[Brother Jack]

IMAX, no question about it. It really is the best way to see a movie.

 

[bullets]

I'm more excited about Imax than 3-d

 

[Vapor]

I'd probably say 3D.

I've only seen one film in IMAX and that the Half Blood Prince... and correct me if I am wrong but I don't think it was specially shot for Imax so I don't think there any difference in the quality.... and if I've got that wrong and there was a difference in the quality, I didn't really notice it... I did like watch it on an uber big screen though. So I haven't really seen enough to be able to form an opinion really... but normal quality cinema screens are fine for me.

3D is very hit and miss... I wasn't very impressed with the 3D in Avatar. The jungle scenes looked nice but didn't strike a chord with me. The opening trap of Saw 3D was good but then the rest of the 3D in that was pretty rubbish. A couple bits in Alice in Wonderland looks alright but otherwise was pretty pants. Transformers 3 3D was pretty good and the Deathly Hallows was alright in places too. There was one film I've seen in the last, maybe year, and I can't remember what it was but there 3D on that was really good.

I do like 3D films that utilise it to give a sense of depth and some films manage to do this and make it look good (and others, not so much) but I do also enjoy 3D used for stuff popping off the screen too. I know not many people are keen on this and most films seem to use it for the depth thing... but when I saw Half Blood Prince in IMAX and they had the 3D Christmas Carol trailer, I thought the 3D in the trailer was very good, with all the snow flakes and sparks flying out of the screen and stuff...

 

[matrix_ghost]

Even though i don't hate 3-d , i'll have to go with IMAX here.
I've yet to see a movie that's been converted to the IMAX formatthat doesn't deliver on the expectations you have when you watch a imax movie.

3-d converted movies on the other hand have pretty much been responsible for the hate that 3-d movies get.
THe quality differs alot.

However, I'm looking forward to IMAX's new 3D camera. I'd really like to see the two combined and see how it turns out.

Whoah, really ?
Is it a digital camera or are they going to use filmstock ?

 

[Fanticon]

imax

 

[hippie_hunter]

Whoah, really ?
Is it a digital camera or are they going to use filmstock ?

Digital. One of the three biggest reasons why no film has been shot entirely in IMAX yet is because of the absurdly expensive cost of the film used and you can only shoot about 2 minutes at most with it. Eliminating the film stock will significantly reduce the cost associated with IMAX filming. And with the 3D studios will be further intrigued for the obvious reasons.

If IMAX is able to reduce the noise involved with the camera, then a full IMAX film (the kind that Christopher Nolan wants to do someday) is guaranteed to happen.

 

[Timstuff]

Real Imax-- not liemax-- is awesome. 3D can be cool if it's done right, but 9 out of 10 times it sucks.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

dark knight should never be seen in 3d or imax...Its perfectly the way it is in normal theaters

Avatar is an exception i made to see in 3d imax...I watch 3d movies for pixar/cartoony films

Are you kidding me?

And IMAX is my preference.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Real Imax-- not liemax-- is awesome.

Real IMAX is awesome, but so far no film has been fully done in real IMAX. And so far the three films I've seen in IMAX are pretty damn good.

3D can be cool if it's done right, but 9 out of 10 times it sucks.

Avatar, Piranha 3D, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Green Lantern, Coraline, Shrek Forever After, Tron: Legacy, Jackass 3D, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon all delivered some great or at minimum decent 3D.

Actually the bad 3D films IMO are fewer in number like Clash of the Titans, the Last Airbender, Thor, and the 3D filmed Saw 3D. The problem is that the 3D in those films were just awful. AWFUL to the point where the fewer ones are so bad that they ruin the reputation of 3D.

 

[Timstuff]

Real IMAX is awesome, but so far no film has been fully done in real IMAX. And so far the three films I've seen in IMAX are pretty damn good.

Even watching a regular movie in Imax looks darned impressive due to the massive scale of the screen. Seeing select scenes filmed in Imax is pretty awesome though (thank you, Nolan).

 

[Passdom]

Both at the same time

Avatar was the single best IMAX presentation ive ever seen, as well as the single best 3D.

Put together it puts to shame normal 3D and normal IMAX

 

[hippie_hunter]

You apparently have never seen the Dark Knight in IMAX. It puts every IMAX film to shame.