Don't be scammed by FAKE IMAX!

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You know the IMAX theatres, yes? Extreme screens, extreme clarity, and extreme sound.

Beginning a few years ago they started playing regular movies, blown up to IMAX size. The extreme clarity may be lacking but many people love the huge screen and mega sound. So much so that they even filmed some major parts of Dark Knight (right here in Chicago) in real IMAX.

A few IMAX's have been put in at regular multiplexes with slightly smaller screens in custom-built theatres.

But now IMAX has partnered with a couple theatre chains to snooker people to pay extra for what they call IMAX but really isn't.

They take a regular theatre, remove a few seats and put a screen that's only slightly larger than normal a little closer to the audience. (They actually have a patent on doing this. Seriously.) Then they put in a pair of ordinary digital cinema projectors which they overlap on the screen for a brighter picture and to hide the pixel grid. No gigantic IMAX film projector. No special super duper digital system. Nope...just a pair of ordinary projectors beaming ordinary "2K" low resolution pictures.

For this you are asked to pay four or five dollars over the price of a regular movie ticket.

Naturally people who think they knew what IMAX meant are feeling scammed and a backlash has developed. At the very least, they say, IMAX should call these theatres IMAX Digital or something so folks know. IMAX refuses. Even the folks who run regular IMAX theatres and see their carefully build brand name being watered down are pissed.

In our area AMC Barrington has fake IMAX. Another is rumored to be in the works at AMC Crestwood. So far, the multiplex version of "real" IMAX at Cinemark Woodridge and Regal Lincolnshire remain real although can be expected to be converted to "fake" at any time. Navy Pier is real IMAX as is the OMNIMAX at the Museum of Science and Industry.

To avoid being scammed elsewhere check this map, zoom in, and avoid the red ones which are the "fake" IMAX theatres:

IMAX Theatre Map

This actor from "Parks & Recreation" had a cow when he was scammed in LA:
Aziz is Bored Blog -AMC theaters are running FAKE IMAX's and charging $5 extra for a slightly bigger screen. Don't let them fool you.

Ain't It Cool News - Fake IMAX article

Gizmodo - Is It IMAX or a CONSPIRACY ? -
(Those are regular Christie projectors that they's slapped the IMAX brand on.)

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Please repost this all over!

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Ebert: That's Not the IMAX I Grew Up With

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I believe Fake IMAX is coming to south suburban Crestwood. Just in time for Transformers 2 which will feature some genuine shot-in-true-IMAX footage. People seeing it at the fake IMAX theatres will not be able to see any difference and will have wasted the extra money.