One of my biggest dreams is actually seeing a movie in IMAX.
I come from Greenland, even I know that IMAX screens are supposed to be HUUUUUGGGEEE!
Like... enormous and unbelievable.
I will stay far away from IMAX digital as a principle!
Man, whoever is controling the IMAX brand must be incompetent, really incompetent and greedy.
I hope that this will not damage IMAX as a whole, I really want to experience this the real way!
F*** LIEMAX.

Come to Canada. We have a lot of *real* IMAX screens; it's a Canadian company, and I've never seen one of these Liemax screens over here! (they may very well exist but it's hard to trick Canadians into a fake IMAX, we've had it for ~40 years)

it is true, it is a big waste of money. AMC though, every weekend before noon has some cheap tix that's the only way i see any film

So is there a list somewhere of which IMAX screens are truly IMAX and which aren't?

Yes... try google earth and search LIEMAX... something like that.

Just don't see any movies in IMAX, a corporation this blatantly arrogant doesn't deserve anyone's business.

Try these:

IMAX or LIEMAX on Google maps: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&am...

LF Examiner List: http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm

Finally more big producers are stepping forward.

Does anybody know if the City Center Cinema de lux in White Plains, NY is a real or fake IMAX? If it's a fake one than I am going to go to the Pallisades Mall in Nyack, to see it. I really don't want to waste my money, so it would be cool if someone could tell me. Hopefully there are some people who live in New York who go on this site.

By see it, I meant Transformers I forgot to mention that.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF...

see if that has your answer.

nah i think its real, i live in westchester and im pretty sure the city centers screens are imax. at least they were for dark knight, watchmen and star trek, when i went.

They as in plural? Usually an IMAX theater has 1 IMAX screen. When you are outside of the theater and its the size of small skyscraper, there is a probably an IMAX screen inside. And it usually says IMAX in big letters on the outside. I think my favorite IMAX screen is the one inside of the Metreon in San Francisco. It feels like the largest IMAX screen I've ever viewed. I saw Speed Racer there and I was tripping out!

I've been to the Liberty Science Center Imax Theater in NJ, which is the largest domed Imax theater in the country. It's absolutely amazing. You can't even see the whole screen its way to big it goes like over your head. It might be the only reason to ever visit NJ. You haven't seen IMAX until you go there.

I saw Dark Knight in Sydney. Largest IMAX screen in the world. 8 stories tall. Now THAT was an experience

I think the one I go to is BS. If there is by any chance anyone living in Vancouver, BC, going to Riverport, give me a shout out what you think. I think the screen might be the same size but just taller and the seats are closer to the screen, the room is tighter so you feel like the screen is big. I'm not sure if mine is a fakie but sound and picture are excellent. After this IMAX controversy, and last time I saw a film in IMAX was watchmen, and they just increased the price when I went to buy tickets for transformers. I still feel like IMAX is excellent probably not worth the extra money considering how they might be ripping you off. Asking the theater people how big the screen is...they probably don't know either and it seems kind of geeky.

we have a real imax in sacramento, but i have been seeing more and more normal theaters up here saying they're playing imax movies. it's f*cking stupid.

Does anyone know if the King of Prussia, PA IMAX is real? Its not on the famous google map. I'm from MD and that is the closest one that plays "real" movies and not just the educational museum type movies. I don't want to drive up there only to be duped.

Chuck, where in MD are you? There are plenty of real IMAX screens in DC - Air & Space (both on The Mall and at the Udvar-Hazy Center @ Dulles) and the National Museum of Natural History have 'em, and I know that at least the Dulles and Natural History screens show "real" movies.

I'm in Baltimore. I haven't been down to the Dulles one. I know the one we have in Baltimore only plays the educational films. I will definitely look into the Dulles one though. I would like to see Transformers in the IMAX format since parts of the film were actually filmed in the format.

I just looked it up. The Dulles one is going to have Transformers. Thanks for the info.

No problem, glad to help. And what's cool about seeing Transformers at the Dulles location is that they actually filmed part of the movie there. You can go visit Jetfire after watching him on screen!

Frank Marshall is a great producer. I'm glad that he's stepping up to say that is IMAX "experience" sucks. My friend wants to see Transformers in IMAX, but I refuse to go because I don't know which "experience" I'll get. I'm just going to the regular theater. You lost my business IMAX.

Give it a chance. Go to the best theater you have around and see for yourself. I saw Star Trek in Digital IMAX. It might not be as big as the true IMAX experience but it's way better than a normal viewing and the image was amazing and clear.

Good for Marshall. I doubt IMAX will ever listen, but I'm glad people in high places are speaking out against this.

Originally I thought maybe this ruckus was a bit overwrought, even if it was valid.

I had seen something (Watchmen) at the Burbank location and hadn't really noticed but I was sitting close to the screen and was just there to see the movie because of the timing.

Sunday I went to see Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian (which for some reason is available only on Imax screens at U City and Burbank) but fully prepared to pay closer attention.

Foes of faux Imax are right, of course, there's absolutely no contest. Film Imax is way superior and bigger, not that I ever seriously doubted.

However, digital Imax sound is definitely better than in regular auditoriums and Imax digital picture quality may be superior to regular digital projection as well. Images were sharp, screen illumination was great and contrast was quite good. Still, I'd have to see a side by side or at least simultaneous comparison in two auditoriums to be able to say for sure about that. And I am talking about regular projection vs. digital Imax, not genuine horizontal 70 mm film Imax.

All of that said, Imax and theater operators could be a little more truthful in their marketing because it really is not the same as the Imax of "Think Big."

Some theaters do advertise it as Imax-enhanced or something like that, but in a perfect world, all movies would be projected in high-quality, in the proper full aspect ratio, in accordance with THX standards for screen illumination and sound. And they aren't.

IMAX deserves EVERY BIT of the bad press it's getting over this -- these guys were smart enough to know that if they advertised "IMAX Digital" as the very different experience it is, people would never pay the same kind of money they would for "true" IMAX.

This company had every intention of defrauding the public by doing this. It is utterly indefensible. And its response following the recent brouhaha shows just how clueless its CEO is.

I'd like to see the threat of a class-action lawsuit force IMAX to clean up its act and properly disclose which theaters are true IMAX and which are not. I don't want to lose true IMAX, mind you , but I don't think that's a concern: if IMAX had to sell rights to its technology to another (and better, and more honest) company in order to, say, pay off an enormous lawsuit, it would do just that.

A producer wants you to spend more money on his products? Why that's not surprising or biased at all.

Actually I think what he's saying is if you're only choice is between regular digital and digital IMAX, don't waste the extra money.

WTF are you talking about?

There has been a new IMAX cinema built in Melbourne, a fair bit clsoer to where i live. I'm reluctant to try it though in case it turns out to be one of these crappy small-screen versions...

If it's Hoyts it's crappy small screen

I saw the new Star Trek in a new Digital IMAX theater and I've seen some movies at their true IMAX sized theater. Although the new Digital IMAX theater is smaller in size than the true IMAX sized theater it is still bigger than the normal theater screen and the image was amazing, super clear and anything but subpar. Although I'm not sure if every theater that now supports Digital IMAX around the country is as good as the one in Aventura, Florida.

So although IMAX might be ripping off moviegoers ( and that's not good ) i had a great viewing experience at the Digital IMAX i went to.

its funny all of you who are bitching have probably never been to either of the IMAX theaters...the Digital theaters are still bigger than a regular theater and are definitely worth the extra $3 from a regular theater since movies like Dark Knight and Transformers have whole sequences in IMAX that you dont get with a regular theater...just b/c the screen isnt 4 stories doesnt mean its not worth it....if you already pay the $11 i think you'll be happier with the sound and picture in any of the IMAX's for a few bucks more

and also this dummy never even watched a movie on the screen...he just stepped into the theater...so you may want to actually see a movie there before you knock it

Thanks for nothing loser.

Rich, I've been to both (having gone to a regular IMAX screen MANY times and a Digital IMAX screen once (knowingly so, just to see the difference)). And there's a HUGE difference. I'll gladly pay the $3 or $4 upgrade charge to a regular IMAX screen, but the Digital IMAX screens really aren't much bigger at all. And I still find film looks better than digital projection for live action, so the "two digital projectors" doesn't sell me.

Anyway, it's also important to note that when films use IMAX cameras for certain scenes (a la Transformers 2 or the Dark Knight), those scenes are filmed with a regular IMAX aspect ratio, not a Digital IMAX ratio (which is comparable to the regular screen that it replaced). So as the image at the top of this article shows, you're missing part of the intended shot.

all people need to do to stop all this BS is get informed. ASK how big the screen is before buying a ticket and stop paying money for imax digital movies. worse case senario: ask for a refund as soon as you walk into the theater and notice the size of the screen isn't true imax. don't wait until the end of the movie and then ask for a refund.

Most people who are scammed don't know they're about to be scammed, As large as this internet controversy is right now, I would guess that 90% or more of moviegoers have no idea, and won't know they paid more for a small screen until it happens to them personally

Definitely....we have one of those fake IMAX theaters overe here (just north of Seattle) and I've been trying to inform my family/friends to go to the real IMAX that is actually downtown.

I know about 15 people personally who have gone (not including who they went with) and none of them have ever been to an IMAX movie before. They had no clue how big the screen was supposed to be...so they got duped completely and completely unaware of the controversy of the digital IMAX screens.

Definitely....we have one of those fake IMAX theaters overe here (just north of Seattle) and I've been trying to inform my family/friends to go to the real IMAX that is actually downtown.

I know about 15 people personally who have gone (not including who they went with) and none of them have ever been to an IMAX movie before. They had no clue how big the screen was supposed to be...so they got duped completely and were 100% unaware of the controversy of the digital IMAX screens.

well that's why i suggested people need to start asking more questions. knowledge is power.

But when someone tells you "this is Coke, it has a coke label on it..." do you question him? "Is this the original coke? Is anything different?" No, you take the knowledge as its presented. Most of the world does not know to question IMAX. They say its an IMAX theatre, so before you see how small it is, why should you question it?

Right on Peter! I saw Watchmen at an "Imax" theater. After paying around $20(!) per ticket for me and my wife, I walked into the theater and said "where's the Imax?" Now, I won't be fooled again but Imax owes me $40! It's false, cheating, and disrespectful to the consumer.

Adelaide used to have an IMAX theatre, but that was pre-Nolan and all you could see was 3D squid making babies. NOW... they decide to make feature films for the format and IMAX closed down here like 3 years ago. Grrrrr, I so badly wanted to see TDK on it I almost flew to Sydney.

As far as I know, there is really only one real IMAX (in size and digital projection) in Los Angeles (other than the Science Center), and that's at the Bridge (Cinema de Lux) in Westchester. The IMAX site lists 4 AMCs as IMAX (century City, burbank, del amo and citywalk), but I've been to them all and it's ain't the same as the Bridge. There may be others, but I'd say the Bridge is your best bet for a REAL IMAX experience.

The Citywalk IMAX is also a true IMAX.

Don't worry Frankie-boy, there is a silent boycott going down. I already know dozens of people that are dropping "watch the movie at the theater" from the things they want to put their money on.

Please, people, do not boycott IMAX shows at science centers and museums! They have a big investment in showing "real" IMAX, in developing outstanding films and in helping the public be educated by the content while still being thrilled at the format.

When we say Liberty Science Center has the nation's largest IMAX Dome Theater, it is no exaggeration. The dome-shaped screen is 88 feet in diameter, and you sit in the middle of it, inside all-encompassing ball. The only one of equal size in North America is in Vancouver, BC.

The first time I saw a film at LIberty Science Center, in 1993, I felt as if I was falling, turning, and speeding along with the actors because the screen is curved on all sides and fills your field of vision. It is still thrilling for me to enjoy films in there.

It's really worth seeing.
Elizabeth Romanaux, Liberty Science Center

I completely agree with Elizabeth. I work at a "real" IMAX at a museum.

The museums need your support--and are offering you the true IMAX experience... one that is superior in every way to digital IMAX. We have huge screens, near-perfect sightlines, and the "real" film projector.

IMAX museum films have been able to take its viewers to completely different worlds--space, the sea, mountains... and now many museums are also showing Hollywood IMAX features. These non-profit museums need your support and they will continue to bring you the excellent IMAX experience that they have for years.