Omarotti’s Tips: Choosing the Best Cinema

This is perhaps one of the most common questions asked by my friends to me every time a new movie is scheduled to be shown in town. They would debate for hours and yet come up with no decision as to the same. So perhaps to ease out their tension and the breeding animosity among my friends (hey, I've seen my friends fight over movies and damn they are SERIOUS!), I've decided to share this piece.

To begin, I wish to stress that there is no other way to enjoy movies than in the big screen. Although most of you may disagree with me for various reasons (most would tell me they enjoy watching it in their homes because of the “Rewind” and “Subtitle” options in the DVD), may I remind you guys that movies were originally designed to be seen in the big screen. That is where movies yield their magic.

Also, I wish to stress that our goal for sharing this piece is to achieve ultimate movie satisfaction. So, we have to consider the movie being shown in order for us to determine the best cinema for watching it.

The IMAX Experience

Located at the SM Mall of Asia, the San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX Theater is by far the most talked-about in the Philippines. I experienced it last year with my mom (we watched T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous) and I was truly amazed at how the pictures would virtually pop out of the screen. I also remember how kids who were watching waved their hands as fishes came out of the screen when the trailer of Deep Sea 3D was shown.

Luckily for us, we were able to experience IMAX 3D once again yesterday when we watched Beowulf in its full glory. (I even saw my Taxation and Commercial Law Review professor after the screening. I guess he knows how to appreciate movies like I do).

The movie was SUPERB as it fully utilized the 3D capabilities of IMAX to create a realistic and enthralling experience! It is thus no wonder that I would recommend watching Beowulf in IMAX, and in no other theater.

It goes without saying that when a movie is shown in IMAX, an entirely entertaining and enthralling experience awaits you.

The only downside in watching movies in IMAX is the cost. Depending on the movie, the cost would normally range from 250 to 400 pesos. Also, one has to actually troop to the SM Mall of Asia in order to watch a movie there, since it is the only one in the Philippines. But if you are anticipating a good movie and would love to see it in 3D, it is all worth the trip.

(More IMAX facts at www.imax.com. IMAX logo courtesy of www.museumspeyer.de)

What if you are anticipating a very good movie but the movie is not being shown in IMAX, what’s the next best cinema to watch it?

Here’s the answer.

The Audience is Listening: Lucasfilm THX Certified Cinemas

People would normally ask me about the difference between an ordinary cinema and a THX-certified cinema. More experienced moviegoers, on the other hand, would ask me the difference between a Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS Cinema and a THX-certified cinema.

The difference lies in the theater itself. While Dolby Digital, Digital Theatrical Sound (DTS) and Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) pertain to sound systems, Lucasfilm THX pertains to the construction or layout of the theater itself. It has to do with the acoustics of the entire auditorium. Usually, a THX-certified cinema carries with it a Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS sound system. What a THX cinema does is to enhance such digital sound through the proper placement of the speakers to achieve the ultimate surround effect. Thus, when you enter a THX-certified cinema, you can actually hear the voice from behind even if you are seated near the screen.

A THX-certified cinema is the next best cinema after IMAX. This theater is best especially when watching blockbuster movies (the first movie I’ve seen in THX was The Mummy Returns, and I still can recall how the sound of clashing swords appear to be almost at the side of my ears) and talkies (especially those films with strong British accents). Although the price is a little steeper compared to ordinary cinemas (around 140 to 170 pesos, depending on the movie), it is still reasonable for me, considering the sound quality of the theater.

So far, there are only a few cinemas in the Philippines which are THX-certified (they get the certification from Skywalker Ranch in the US, the company built by Star Wars creator George Lucas). Here they are, for your reference:

• Alabang Town Center - Cinema 1
• Glorietta 4 - Cinema 3
• Greenbelt 3 – Cinemas 1 and 2
• Robinson’s Galleria - Cinema 1
• Ayala TriNoma – Cinema 7

(More THX info at www.thx.com)

So there. Just a reminder: these are just suggestions. Of course, it is still you who decides where you want to watch movies. Provide me with feedback when you guys get to see a movie in any of them. Regards and enjoy the movie!