BFI London Imax Cinema (London)

Advantages: Great clarity in sound and vision
Disadvantages: Overpriced and badly designed

I'd heard people talking about the iMax long before I ever went there and long before I ever really knew what it even was. I knew it was some kind of cinema and friends used to speak of it in such revered tones that I guessed it was a special cinema, but I never understood what was different about it. So when I was offered the chance to see a film there, I grabbed at it, as much out of curiosity about the venue as a desire to see the film. Situated ...
...to the London Eye and Waterloo Station, the iMax would be a far more eye-catching building if it were either bigger or not surrounded by so many other landmarks. You can see it from the top of the stairs when you exit Waterloo Station as a large, brightly lit up circular building with "360" written all over it. The size of the building is even more impressive, once you get closer and realise that it's set below ground level in the middle of a roundabout. ... Read review

Advantages: Largest screen in the UK
Disadvantages: Not one near me

...it? Its address is: Bfi London IMAX Cinema 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk South Bank Waterloo London SE1 8XR It's quite easy to find as it's massive and well signposted from Waterloo rail and tube station. The multi-storey, glass-enclosed cylinder is illuminated by coloured lighting effects, and lights up the South Bank area at night. According to the website its exterior wall features an 'extraordinary mural by distinguished British artist Howard Hodgkin'. ...
...********************************************************************** What's there? The bfi London IMAX Cinema has 477 seats, and is a state-of-the-art, large-format cinema. It was opened in 1999 and was made possible thanks to £15 million from the Arts Council of England's Lottery Fund. Nice to know that my hard earned weekly pound to the Lotto isn't totally wasted, still would prefer to win the lottery with it though. The cinema is fully disabled-accessible, ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant experience
Disadvantages: Possible queasiness

For those of you have read my Beauty and the Beast opinion, you will know that when I found out that it was on for a limited time at IMAX theatres, I rushed to get tickets! And here I am again to tell you all about my IMAX experience... **~~WHAT IS IMAX?~~** An IMAX cinema is a massive, huge, gigantic screen. IMAX comes from the word 'Image Maximum'. In fact, it's the height of FIVE double decker buses! The exact measurements are 20m by 26m - very, ...
...fills your whole field of vision, therefore making it seem like you are part of the action. According to the IMAX website (www.londonimax.org.uk), the screen could big enough to carry the clockface of Big Ben 12 times over. Wow. IMAX theatres also have special sound systems so that the sound is as big as the images. Sounds surrounds you and it is all crystal clear using the latest technology. When you are sat in the theatre, you can tell the difference ... Read review

Advantages: Massive Screen
Disadvantages: ticket prices quite high

I havent been to the Imax in a while but I love it when I do go. The last thing I went to see there was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( the last one to be released) and it was amazing! I went to the Imax in Waterloo and it is massive. It is located on the South Bank and is about 5 minutes walk from Waterloo station. You cannot miss the building due to its sheer size and colour effects. It seats around 500 people in each screen and the ...
...and plenty of leg room which is a nice change. They also boast about having a screen that is 20 metres high and 26 metres wide and have an 11,600-watt sound system. Ticket prices are quite high (unsurprisingly). An adult ticket costs about £12 and children have to pay £8. The box office is located on the ground floor as soon as you enter the building and there is a little coffee shop behind it if you want a drink. When you buy your ticket you are ... Read review

Advantages: Can be an amzing experience
Disadvantages: but only if you're in the right place!

My first and only word of warning is: BOOK EARLY AND CHOOSE YOUR SEATS! I've been to the IMAX before and had great seats (about 2/3rds back and slightly off centre), but this time we were running late and ended up right at the front. The screen is absolutely huge - the entire height of the building. Sat at the front, you not only get major neck ache from staring straight up, but the 3D effects are almost entirely wasted. You need to be a certain ...
...If you take off your special glasses during the film, you can see that the image is made by having at least two images of everything. Your eyes are tricked into converting this into 3D messages. But, if you really are too close, it doesn't quite work! It is too much of a gap between the duplicate images and your eyes struggle to make sense of it. I found that the film seemed out of focus and the 3D bits just blurred more. After ten minutes we abandoned ... Read review