Hubble 3D

Hubble 3D

This weekend, I am going to post two reviews that can be looked side-by-side at the ways the IMAX film format is used.  Today is an example of the classic use.

The Ontario Place Cinesphere is the world’s first permanent IMAX theatre and it is the best example of the format’s classic use – the screening of short 45 minute documentaries.  Long before every tentpole studio feature was released on IMAX screens, built in commercial movie theatres, the Ontario Place Cinesphere was a unique place where you can experience a larger-than-life film experience.  As a kid, I would frequently go to the Cinesphere and see such great documentaries, such as Blue Planet and Ring of Fire.

In celebration of the theatre, and Ontario Place’s, 40th Anniversary, the Cinesphere was upgraded to be able to to play IMAX 3D films and Hubble 3D is currently one of the main attractions.

The film is a documentation of the final voyage to the Hubble Space Telescope.  The film features some breathtaking 3D effects of simulated space travel, using the images captured by the Hubble.

In an age where there is a huge backlash of 3D in mainstream films, the effects of this film really added a sense of depth to outer space that I was never able to experience before.  I’m sure that if/when mainstream 3D goes on the wayside, I’m sure that documentaries like these would still find interesting ways to use it.

I should also make an interesting comment on the price.  It was $5 plus tax to see the film with grounds admission (which is free this year).  This is nothing compared to the $18.75 Cineplex charges for IMAX.  Even the $15 charged for feature length films (such as U2 3D) are more appealing.

In conclusion, Hubble 3D is a jaw-dropping exploration of space that uses 3D in ways that many mainstream films only dream of.  In my next post, I will look at a more modern and mainstream use of IMAX when I go see Transformers: The Dark of the Moon.

9/10