Comments from thebrat

Showing 26 - 50 of 73 comments

thebrat
thebrat commented about Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosaic on Aug 9, 2014 at 5:10 pm

Sound system is sort of a crapshoot here.

Chef in theater #3 sounded bland, but that had to do with the mix itself.

Snowpiercer in theater #1 was loud and chaotic, but clear.

Guardians of the Galaxy in theater #2 was quieter than Snowpiercer. The theater itself had a noise floor issue, it sounded like the HVAC was pretty audible, and this was throughout the entire film and ruined the quiet moments.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC Dine-In Theatres Essex Green 9 on Jul 28, 2014 at 8:21 pm

Is screen #1 able to play back 7.1 movies? Plenty of 7.1 capable theaters like Alamo Drafthouse in Ashburn, VA do not appear on Dolby’s web site, so I am wondering if this is the case. I saw the latest Planet of the Apes on the aforementioned screen and the 3D was pretty bright and the sound was kicking loads of buttocks, literally. The bass was shaking my seat! I was wondering because the sound field was pretty robust. I think I saw two speakers on the back wall, the least amount needed to add 7.1. Just a general question, that’s all.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Cinemark Towson and XD on Jul 27, 2014 at 8:15 pm

It looks like the XD screen is Auro-capable. I asked the manager on the phone if an Auro system was installed, he said it was ready, but it wasn’t configured yet. When I caught the XD matinee of Lucy today, the sound had some depth to it, more so than traditional 5.1. Given that Lucy was mixed in Auro 11.1, the 11.1 track played. I noticed an added dimension of height at some moments, perhaps because I was expecting 5.1 to be played back. So it could be Auro or my mind playing tricks.

Sound system on the XD screen was really dense and really good. Barco projection was bright although there was no proper masking as expected in XD. Show playlist was FirstLook preshow, XD logo, film trailers, movie.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC Tysons Corner 16 on Jul 5, 2014 at 3:40 pm

A Michael Bay movie that doesn’t sound like trash?! Hersey!

thebrat
thebrat commented about AFI Silver Theatre on May 17, 2014 at 7:55 pm

I initially came here today for ‘City Lights’, but due to unpredictable traffic I missed the show. So I decided to stay in Silver Spring for a while to exchange my ticket and got one for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, which I had already seen. It was a DCP showing in #3. There seemed to be some slight keystoning from left to right rather than bottom to top, the scope moments of the film really showed off the odd effect. This being a THX cinema, I thought that was a peculiar oversight.

On a side note, the THX trailer ‘Cavalcade’ preceded the film. I was disappointed by the Deep Note in this. I thought the rain effects, thunder and crashing were much more “wow” for me. But then the DLP trailer that preceded the previews had a much more assertive and immersing mix.

A thought: what if AFI Silver installed Dolby Atmos in the historic theater? Considering the echo chamber issues the auditorium is having recently, it will be completely hilarious but sad.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Connecticut could be first state to curb loud movies on Mar 16, 2014 at 11:05 am

This best not be happening. All movies in CT will sound like ‘Peabody’ in Auro!

thebrat
thebrat commented about CMX Village 14 on Mar 16, 2014 at 5:16 am

I have a solution for side-masked screens. Install 5 speakers behind the screen. The AFI Silver does this. Just route front left and right to the far left and right for scope, route the two to front left center and front right center for flat. Same goes for the height channels in Auro.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Alamo Drafthouse One Loudoun on Mar 15, 2014 at 7:54 pm

I’ve gotten used to eating in the dark. The worst part is getting the check. Total distraction, but I do it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

thebrat
thebrat commented about CMX Village 14 on Mar 15, 2014 at 7:51 pm

Hey, Giles. I too was pissed about “Mr. Peabody” not filling up the screen and I even thought the sound was off-putting. I have a theory that the left and right fronts were covered by the masking, as auditorium 11 uses side masking. For the record, Turbo was a better-sounding film, and Ender’s Game uses Auro to its advantage. Those films were in scope, filled up the screen, and very robust (aside from the rattle issue in Ender’s Game). Let’s hope Amazing Spider-Man 2 is better.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Regal Fox Stadium 16 on Feb 8, 2014 at 2:07 pm

Have you ever went out of the theater for a refund once the film has started? That just happened to me today. Not only the place was packed with noisy kids, you could see the pixel grid, fluctuating noise, and muffled sound. Will Ferrell’s voice panning from center to front right noticed a signifcant drop in quality and intelligability. Any sound expert knows that the front stage speakers should have equality in tonality, projection and color. This place is a living joke and I chose it because shows for The Lego Movie were sold out in Alamo and Cobb.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Paramount does away with film on Jan 27, 2014 at 2:55 pm

It’s going to be grueling for cinemas still using 35mm.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square on Nov 4, 2013 at 6:51 am

I’m starting to hate IMAX right now. I’ve always wanted to see a film in Empire 1 for its Dolby Atmos THX 56kw sound system, during a trip to the UK, and now I’ll never get the chance to do so. The IMPACT screen should resemble no more than an ETX or RPX screen here in the US, big screen without masking. :(

thebrat
thebrat commented about CMX Village 14 on Nov 2, 2013 at 2:39 pm

This area now has 100% reserved seating, with no surcharge says Cobb Theaters. I did notice a $0.25 surcharge for my matinee ticket when I went to see ENDER’S GAME in auditorium #11. The film was presented in Auro 11.1, a premium sound format at a regular price in this theater. But the best thing about it compared to IMAX/RPX/ETX… There is MASKING! Very inventive use of the sounds, this actually takes advantage of the format more so than TURBO did. Just one complaint, there was a rattling effect during a large portion of the low-frequency moments. Annoying, but a pleasant experience. Auro 11.1 is nowhere near as good as Dolby Atmos.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Plans fall apart for Manhattan Drafthouse on Oct 12, 2013 at 9:05 pm

Well THAT just sucks.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Kingstowne Cinemas 16 on Oct 6, 2013 at 4:07 pm

GRAVITY was awesome on the RPX screen in Dolby Atmos. The entire sound mix enveloped me into this world I thought I’d never be in. It was an experience in itself. The 3D that was post-converted was really good, it almost helped the story. Although PACIFIC RIM rocked here, GRAVITY made this theater a favorite.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Kingstowne Cinemas 16 on Sep 14, 2013 at 3:27 pm

It looks like this place now has three screens with Dolby Atmos installed, including the RPX screen. All three are showing Insidious: Chapter 2 as of 9/14/2013.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Marcus Majestic Cinema on Sep 2, 2013 at 2:24 pm

This will forever be the theater that Mike and Jay went to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in HFR 3D on the UltraScreen and had an unpleasant experience. I guess none of you will get that unless you’ve watched Half in the Bag.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AFI Silver Theatre on Sep 2, 2013 at 4:56 am

What better way to examine the Silver’s new DCP system than a screening of the 4K restoration of Lawrence of Arabia? I caught yesterday afternoon’s screening in screen #1. First of all the picture was rock steady. Steadier than the 70mm presentations of 2001 and The Master. The DCP is identical to the Blu-ray in that it used the same amazing master, but the DCP gained that resolution to create a grid-less picture. There certainly was less resolution than 70mm, but the digital restoration was just too marvelous.

A few complaints. The new DCP system is sketchy at the moment. There is slight keystoning towards the upper part of the image. The masking was first set to 2.35, but the picture was pillarboxed to 2.20 so the unused junk on the left and right sides was illuminated. Finally 90 minutes in, the side masking set to 2.20, and although if you look closely you can still see some of the black junk but it was reduced. Thank heavens. The douser was also open during the overture and entr'acte which contain a black screen while the douser should be closed during those moments. At least the curtains were used.

The sound was on the reverberating, wet side. Dialogue had an echo and was almost unintelligible. Thanks to the Art Deco stylized room that is screen #1, the modern screens 2 and 3 are acoustically superior to the technically superior screen 1.

Once the DCP system is at full speed, then the Silver will be totally versatile and even more amazing.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC White Marsh 16 on Aug 31, 2013 at 6:08 pm

I know about this place because I pass by it on my many trips to New York.

thebrat
thebrat commented about Bow Tie Cinemas to acquire Clearview on May 1, 2013 at 2:45 pm

Man, they should’ve bought Ziegfeld.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC Burbank 16 on Mar 23, 2013 at 6:45 am

Laser projection along with Dolby Atmos sound? That is going to be SWEET!

thebrat
thebrat commented about CMX Lakeside Village 18 & IMAX on Mar 23, 2013 at 6:39 am

The sound in at least one of their auditoriums was upgraded to Auro 11.1 sound and premiered in this theatre along with the Village 12 in Leesburg, VA yesterday with “The Croods.”

thebrat
thebrat commented about CMX Village 14 on Mar 22, 2013 at 9:34 pm

This venue just recently had Barco’s Auro 11.1 sound system installed in one of their theaters. It’s showing “The Croods” in 2D, which I don’t know why not in 3D.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC Tysons Corner 16 on Mar 10, 2013 at 2:06 pm

I went to see “Oz The Great and Powerful” in #11. Previously I saw “A Good Day to Die Hard” in the same auditorium. That presentation was shrill, loud, and plainly unacceptable. This presentation was much, much better. It seems like AMC took criticism and re-EQ’d the auditorium, or the sound mix wasn’t awful. Sadly, the two projectors were not aligned, as it looked blurry with a smudge on the screen left-off-center. Bass was multi-dimensional, sounds were discernible, all thanks to Dolby Atmos. The Atmos ‘woods’ trailer really shows off the power of the system. So great sound, okay picture.

thebrat
thebrat commented about AMC Tysons Corner 16 on Dec 19, 2012 at 1:06 pm

So I saw “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” in their IMAX auditorium. Wow, this place sure has changed since a went there to see “Dr. Seuss' The Lorax” earlier this year. The picture is clearer (and its not just the HFR), the sound is much, much more robust. I actually enjoyed the IMAX proprietary sound system for the movie more than I enjoyed the JBL system/Dolby 7.1 mix of the film at Cobb Village 12, and it’s usually the other way around. The right projector still had the same issue, it showed a few frames of black momentarily that all you see in the right eye of the polarized glasses was nothing whereas the left eye had the image. Can’t believe they didn’t look over that.

The HFR was different and hip. It did look like a new HDTV, but perhaps the greatest HDTV ever with the greatest luminance control of the IMAX 3D system and no artifacts in the motion as it was natively shot in 48fps. Sure it looked cheesy at times (“Blunt the Knives”), but the CGI blended pretty well. People should look back at the LOTR trilogy if they call the CGI in this film fake. ‘The Hobbit’ shows us how much can be improved in ten years. Gollum looks more real and emotive than ever. I also don’t want HFR to take over the cinema industry and milk the technology as with 3D. I want 24fps to still be a viable option available in the future.

The movie itself was boring, so we left two hours in. I had already seen the full film in 2D back in Cobb. I don’t think I can make another showing so no Atmos show for me. Think I’m going to wait until “A Good Day to Die Hard” or “Star Trek Into Darkness” as my first Atmos film. Oh and the preview for ‘Star Trek’ was fantastic. It looked soft at first, but once it got to the IMAX sequence all was better, though the constant alternating aspect ratios later on became comical.