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AMC's 'Stubs A-List' subscription is a direct attack on MoviePass
That took.... longer than expected: To compete with MoviePass, AMC Theaters will launch a monthly subscription service starting June 26th. With the AMC Stubs A-List program, in exchange for $19.95 per month folks will be able to see three movies of their choosing per week -- even if that means seeing the same movie three times in the same day. According to a press release, this also includes IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 3D features. You can buy tickets day-of or weeks in advance, too, using either the AMC website or mobile app.
MoviePass’ $9.95 ‘unlimited’ deal is one movie a day
Going to the movies isn't cheap and MoviePass wants to fix that. The company has just announced a $9.95 no contract subscription plan that'll grant subscribers access to one movie per day in a theater without blackouts. Previously, users were limited to two movies per month for $15, and in Los Angeles and New York, that price bumped to $21. As Variety notes, this won't apply to 3D or IMAX screenings. But how it'll actually play out and what any other restrictions might entail aren't clear at the moment.
'Dunkirk’ demands to be experienced in a theater
Dunkirk is the cinematic mic drop by Christopher Nolan -- 106 minutes of sound, fury and if you're lucky glorious 70mm IMAX film. It's a movie that uses all of the latest technology to not only show you the relentless horror of war but also make you feel as if you're right there alongside the steadfast British soldiers. And it's the best argument yet for why movies should be experienced on massive screens, with sound systems that would get you evicted.
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’ will be biggest 70mm release in years
Christopher Nolan's WWII flick Dunkirk is getting the 70mm treatment and reportedly, it will have the widest release of any recent film using the format. According to Deadline, 125 theaters will show the film in 70mm, more locations than both Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and Nolan's Interstellar, which also had 70mm viewings.
IMAX opens first VR theater in Los Angeles
The first of many planned IMAX theaters dedicated to virtual reality has opened in Los Angeles. Trading large, wraparound screens for small, immersive headsets, the facility allows anyone to experience VR without buying a high-end gaming PC or video game console. As UploadVR reports, the LA center has a mixture of HTC Vive and Starbreeze StarVR headsets. They're stored in 14 isolated "pods" which also contain a Dbox cinema chair, a vibration-emitting Subpac vest and a variety of physical controllers. You can buy experiences individually, such as John Wick Chronicles, or grab a "sampler" if you want a broader taste of VR.
IMAX is raising $50 million to create high-quality VR
If IMAX is going to get serious about virtual reality, it's going to need some cash... thankfully, it's not having trouble on that front. The media mainstay has wrapped up the first phase of an effort to raise $50 million for creating "at least" 25 premium VR experiences across numerous platforms, including dedicated IMAX VR locations. On top of its own contribution, some of the bigger investors include Acer (not surprising given its link to IMAX partner Starbreeze), the talent seekers at Creative Artists Agency and a trio of Chinese media companies (China Media Capital, Enlight Media and Studio City).
Starbreeze deal gives you more freedom to move in VR
If Starbreeze is going to get you wearing VR headsets in IMAX theaters and pods, it'll have to create a wow-inducing experience... and it might have taken one step closer toward that goal. The company has bought Nozon, a visual effects house whose recent breakthrough is an interactive parallax effect that gives you more freedom when watching computer-generated or 3D-scanned VR video. You ideally get quality closer to pre-rendered 3D, but the freedom to tilt your head and otherwise look around more naturally. You should feel more like you're present in a given scene, instead of staring at a giant video wall.
IMAX VR is coming to Manchester this year
IMAX is teaming up with Odeon to launch a pilot "VR centre" in the UK. The new facility, based at the Printworks multiplex in Manchester, will house modular "pods" that can be adapted for different experiences. So whatever you want to do -- a solo film viewing, or a group session in a game like Star Trek Bridge Crew -- the centre should be able to facilitate it. For the hardware, IMAX is teaming up with Acer and Starbreeze AB, which make the StarVR headset. The content portion is a mystery, although IMAX has hinted it's working with "Hollywood studios" and game publishers. Virtual reality is in high demand right now. The HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are now widely available, and Sony's PlayStation VR is launching this week. Google has unwrapped its own Daydream View headset and Oculus has revealed plans for a new, self-contained unit of its own. That's led to some interest from the entertainment industry -- theme parks, for instance, are now using VR headsets to modify and enhance their existing rollercoasters. In the UK, mentalist and illusionist Derren Brown has even created a new type of ride, mixing VR and live action, inside Thorpe Park. High-end VR is expensive, for now. IMAX's centres could, therefore, appeal to people who only have a mild or passing interest in VR. A sensible strategy -- not everyone has the funds, or space, to invest in a gaming PC and Rift-level headset right now. IMAX also seems to be skewing toward original, exclusive content. That could appeal to both new and longtime VR enthusiasts who have grown tired of the games available elsewhere. IMAX says each experience will last between 5 and 15 minutes -- not too long, then -- and will eventually include films shot with its JUMP camera. The new VR centre will open "by the end of 2016." IMAX is also "in the process" of launching a facility in Los Angeles, and hopes to open additional locations in China, Japan, the US, the Middle East and Western Europe "in the coming months." These will be pilots too, so that the company can figure out which experiences and pricing models work best. With this information in hand, IMAX then hopes to push the concept globally, spanning multiplexes, shopping malls and tourist destinations.
IMAX will build your home theater for a mere $400,000
For anyone tired of paying up for 3D IMAX movie tickets, the company is now offering in-home, high-definition, floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall, officially calibrated IMAX theater systems. All you need to bring is about half a million dollars and a spare wing of your palace to install it in.
IMAX plans to bring virtual reality into theaters
In a move that we should have seen coming, IMAX announced that it'll be rolling out virtual reality experiences in multiplex theaters, malls and similar locations later this year. The news comes on the heels of Google's announcement yesterday that it's building a cinema-quality virtual reality camera with IMAX. Given that it's been delivering immersive theatrical experiences with giant screens for decades, it makes sense for IMAX to do something similar with smaller VR displays.
Google is working with IMAX on a cinema-quality 3D camera
Remember last year's I/O, when Google revealed JUMP? It was a VR content creation system consisting of a camera rig made from 16 GoPros and some incredibly smart cloud-based processing and sharing software. Fast forward a year later. Google's Clay Bavor revealed today at the company's developer conference that Hollywood was fascinated by JUMP too, and that Google is now working on a cinema-quality 3D camera rig in partnership with IMAX.
IMAX's laser projectors are worth the pricier ticket
I'm no fan of movie theater gimmicks. 3D glasses, giant screens, 4D "sensory experiences," food and drink service have simply never been worth the added ticket prices for me. That was, at least, until I sat down to watch Captain America: Civil War on IMAX's newest 3D laser projector system.
Terrence Malick's universe documentary reaches IMAX October 7th
Director Terrence Malick's movies frequently cover grand concepts (just ask anyone who saw The Tree of Life), but his latest might just top them all. After a long development process, his all-encompassing documentary Voyage of Time will reach IMAX theaters on October 7th. The studio is shy about Voyage's exact contents, but the flick covers time from the "birth of the universe to its final collapse" -- it doesn't get more comprehensive than that. Brad Pitt is narrating the 40-minute IMAX version, while Cate Blanchett will do the same for the as-yet undated 2-hour movie version.
IMAX's in-theater spin class is sensory overload
I've never been particularly fond of spin classes, as they eschew all the things I enjoy about using a stationary bike: The ability to set my own pace, listen to my music and maybe even dip into a good book while I pedal. But I can understand the appeal of a spin class, as the presence of an instructor can push you out of your comfort zone and ensure that you get a real workout. So it would seem that IMAXShift sits somewhere in the middle, combining an intense audio and visual experience to entertain you while a dedicated instructor gives orders. The problem is, there might have been just little too much going on for me to enjoy any one aspect to the fullest.
'A Beautiful Planet' offers a bold new look at Earth in IMAX 3D
IMAX films shot in space aren't anything new, but with A Beautiful Planet, longtime IMAX director Toni Myers still manages to show us entirely new perspectives of Earth. Shot on the International Space Station by several crews (including internet sensation Scott Kelly) and narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, it's a groundbreaking film in many respects: It's the first IMAX space feature to use digital cameras as well as off-the shelf shooters (the Canon EOS C500 and 1D-C). And it's also the first film from IMAX to use SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to ship equipment to the ISS.
IMAX wants to host your indoor cycling sessions
If you live in in the heart of a city, it's hard to enjoy biking outside... not unless you like weaving through traffic. IMAX might have the next best thing, though. It's testing IMAXShift, an indoor cycling experience that promises to be more interesting than pedaling at the gym. The effort ultimately amounts to a cycling class in front of a giant screen, but IMAX argues that this could be a big motivator -- instead of riding either indoors or in a dreary urban landscape, you can travel along the Hawaiian coast or through the Solar System. There are even promises of "music-reactive visuals."
The last two 'Star Trek' films are coming home in 4K June 14th
While you and BB-8 cuddle with a 1080p Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray, Paramount is readying its first Ultra HD Blu-ray releases with Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness. We're not sure that the extra resolution, HDR or Atmos will actually make either film better than you already thought, but they will certainly be better looking and sounding than ever. According to the press release, both have been digitally remastered with new 4K UHD transfers, unlike mastered-in-2K movies like Mad Max: Fury Road. If you're curious, a list of mastered in 4K (or higher) Ultra HD Blu-ray discs is being maintained here.
The largest planetarium in the West is coming to New Jersey
If you want to see one of the biggest, boldest recreations of the night sky, you might only have to book a trip to New Jersey in the near future. Jersey City's Liberty Science Center says it's building the largest planetarium in the Western hemisphere, the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, thanks to a $5 million donation from its namesake. The move will upgrade the Center's massive IMAX dome theater (88 feet across) so that it can double as a planetarium, adding digital projection in the process. If all goes according to plan, it should be ready sometime in December 2017.
Christopher Nolan goes to war in 'Dunkirk'
His last movie took audiences to the other side of a black hole, but director Christopher Nolan's next project is an altogether different trip back in time. Dunkirk tells the story of one of World War II's early battles, where Allied forces were trapped on a French beach. Remember, this was back in 1940 and they were surrounded by German soldiers -- it wasn't a vacation. As he's part of the lobby that pushed film studios to essentially keep celluloid company Kodak afloat, the movie's naturally being shot on large format 65mm film stock in addition to his favored IMAX 65mm.
'Avengers: Infinity War' will be filmed with IMAX cameras only
The final planned Avengers films, Avengers: Infinity War - Parts 1 & 2, will be the first movies ever to be shot exclusively with IMAX cameras, Variety reports. First, directors Anthony and Joe Russo will try out a new, lighter 2D digital camera from IMAX and Arri to shoot 15 minutes of Captain America: Civil War. Then, they'll plan the Infinity War movies around the IMAX camera. The first Infinity War film is due on May 4, 2018, while part two is scheduled to hit theaters on May 3, 2019. "The Russos are going to spend the next 15 months or so designing the making of the Avengers films with these cameras in mind," IMAX Entertainment CEO Greg Foster said. "They're not looking at this a week before they start filming or only focusing on an important section of the film. This is something that's never happened before." Image credit: Marvel
