I have never been to an Imax movie so big was my excitement when I received an invitation from Ster-Kinekor to the grand opening of their brand new cinema complex at Baywest in Port Elizabeth. The complex is made up of 5 regular cinemas, two Cine Prestige luxury cinemas (kitted out with reclining chairs and the works) and, the cherry on top, an Imax cinema. Only the fourth one in South Africa. Did I mention that Joburg hasn’t got an Imax yet. Cool, hey!
Last night Chaos Boy and I headed over to Baywest Mall for some blue carpet treatment and joined celebs, business people, media and a dinosaur for some cocktails (Appletizer for Chaos Boy), snacks, one or two speeches, lots of photos and a screening of Jurassic World.
Ja ja, ok, se we were basically there to see Jurassic World. But it wasn’t sommer maar net watching another movie. This one was in the 330 seater Imax theatre, on a screen three story high, perfect surround sound and, wait for it…. in 3D. BOOOM! What an amazing experience! Imax in 3D may possibly have spoiled every other cinema out there for me. I may even have to go and throw out my old box tv and get a plasma just to increase screen size.
The theatre complex officially opens today (Thursday 18 June) and those who have never had an Imax 3D experience before is truly in for a treat. In the last week or so I have seen a lot of people ask on Facebook what the cost of tickets are. The cost is R110 for adults and R75 for kids. Ster-Kinekor club members will pay R55 on Tuesdays while Discovery Vitality members with a Ster-Kinekor movie card will pay R66 any day. Edgars Club members pay R71.50. I already hear people moan about the cost of the tickets, but I’m sure those moaning are the same ones who always moan that there is nothing to do in Port Elizabeth and that nothing ever comes to the city. It’s probably also people who have at some stage or another paid R750 to see an international act and traveled to Cape Town to go and watch them, paid R450 to watch a rugby test, thinks nothing to pay R130 for a bottle of brandy or go and sit in the Spur at least once a month forking out R500 or R600. Yes, it may be a little steep in a lot of people’s language, but it’s a treat like all of the above examples so there is no excuse to moan about the price. So now that we have that out the way, treat yourself and go and experience movies like they should be experienced. In 3D on an Imax screen.
Disclosure: We attended the Imax grand opening as guests of Ster-Kinekor. I received no further remuneration, wasn’t asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.
That must have been over the top Awesome! Only been to one Imax (other than my back windows) and not 3-D, if there was such a thing then. It was about Grand Canyon, before I worked there, and when they rafts on the Colorado River went through rapids if someone had sprayed me with water I would have wet my pants. It's SO Real.