Harry Potter and the IMAX

Along with the millions of other people around the world, I will confess, I am a big Harry Potter fan. I've read all of the books at least twice (with the exception of The Half-Blood Prince, I've only gotten through it once). So naturally, I get excited when the newest movie comes out. Our family usually makes it a tradition to go see them when we go home for Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is being celebrated here this year, and movies are ridiculously expensive, the tradition was broken. J, brother-in-law P, and I went to Goblet of Fire at the IMAX theater.

For most of my life, I assumed only documentaries were shown at the IMAX. My first IMAX experience was at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. My family went on vacation during spring break when I was in first grade. I think we also ended up in Kansas that year too. We always did the long car-trip thing for vacations, but that's subject matter for another time and place. Anyway, so we went to the zoo and museum and saw a movie about the science of speed (not the drug). I remember my Dad telling me the screen was as tall as our house, and being a first grader I was truly impressed by the sight of a movie screen that really was as tall as our house. So because the only times I ever went to the IMAX was at the DMNS, consequently, it didn't occur to me that "normal" movies were shown on such screens.

My landlords and I braved the traffic, construction and parking lot at the theater to see the latest Harry Potter installment. As we walked into the theater, even though I knew how big the screen was, I forgot who big it was. Wow. There was a shot of the World Cup Quidditch stadium early on in the film and as the camera panned up from the stadium, my usually iron-clad stomach did a little lurch. IMAX theaters kind of rock.

Another note about the IMAX. Because it was more expensive than an already ridiculously priced normal movie ticket, it really cut down on the annoying people we normally get stuck next to at movie theaters. Like the guy who answered his cell phone at The Ring 2, or the family with 5 small fussy children at The Last Samurai, or the guy who kept "predicting" lines at Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Yes, Captain Obvious, when Senator Palpatine is talking to Anakin and says "you shall be called [insert dramatic pause here]....Darth Vader. The dramatic pause was not put there so you could announce "Darth Vader" to the rest of the theater. We had that one figured out, thanks.

Whoa, sorry about the tirade...where was I? Oh yes, the audience, having to pay ungodly amounts of money to see the movie, was the best audience, ever. Thank you IMAX.

So that was my excitement this weekend. Now it's almost Thanksgiving...where did 2005 go? My parents will be arriving soon, followed by P, followed by my younger sister A, followed by brother-in-law P's sister, then his Dad and two little brothers. It's going to be a full house, and a great holiday. I love Thanksgiving. But I'll leave that for another post.