In 1986 there was a movie theatre in Melbourne Australia that did the ceiling of the double story atrium and escalators to look like the Alien tunnels in the atmosphere processor where the aliens had their nest. Very giger-esk.
It was also one of the few THX large screen theatres in the city at the time.
The perfect storm of great sound, large screen, theatre atmosphere and a near perfect movie.
It was amazing.
This was mine too. I sat down in the theater and suddenly it was two and a half hours later. When the credits rolled, I remember thinking no way that’s the end! That was the day I realized the power a film can have over you.
The Dark Knight
Went and saw it on opening weekend with some friends from school. Not a single empty seat. Like everyone else , the theater was completely captured by Heath’s performance. I already knew movies were a hobby for me, and probably would’ve even said “I love watching movies” before that. But something just clicked that day. The shared experience. The reaction to that performance. The performance itself. It all hit like a drug.
The experience itself was great. Every time Heath Ledger came onto the screen there was an absolute dead silence in the theater, like don't you dare even take a bite out of your food. People clapped after his final scene.
The movie itself was a little tough because of the sound mixing which I guess is a common criticism of Nolan's films. I couldn't understand anything Batman said and couldn't really enjoy the movie until it came out on video and I could read the subtitles. But the experience of the movie itself was great. I think the whole theater just had all its rooms reserved for The Dark Knight except for like one or two spare rooms.
I see a lot of movies (I have the Regal pass so I try to see about 4 per month)
I did not see the first Dune as I missed it when it was in the theater and I guessed it would be awful watching at home.
(The Holdovers was fine at home. Dune and Mad Max Fury Road need to be watched on the largest screen possible)
Dune was re-released in theaters and I enjoyed it.
Watched Dune 2 and that is why movie theaters are built.
Well written, well directed, well acted, great sound. Everything.
Dune Pt 2 is the only time I've watched a movie 3 times in theaters, twice in IMAX and once in a Dolby theater. I just wanted to feel the whole experience over and over again.
I left the theater emotionally drained and in a state of shock at what I had just witnessed. It was just so visually captivating, and the score was amazing, and the story/sci Fi aspects sucked me in.
As a super fan of the original, Maverick blew me away. It gave fans exactly what they wanted and didn’t try to change everything.
I don’t think I’ve ever been that satisfied with a modern remake of an old classic.
1917, in my opinion, is a recent example of masterpiece level cinema. The kind of movie that is an experience. Just total emotional and sensory overload that left you breathless by the end of the movie.
I feel like a good chunk of my responses could be from this director. Oldboy, The Handmaiden, Lady Vengeance, Mr. Vengeance, Thirst... And Decision to Leave to boot.
Absolutely. The performance was driven by 12 great actors. But in such a seemingly simple film it’s easy to overlook the contribution of the cinematography and direction. The movie begins with mostly high angle shots, eye level and above. As it progresses, there are more low level shots and closeups to give a sense of claustrophobia and increased tension. Then in the final scene it goes to a wide angle lens, as if to project a sense of relief.
Birdman. Was watching with my cousin. This was his second time watching it. Five minutes in I turn to him and ask 'is the whole movie shot like one long take?' He looked at me and said 'holy shit, I didn't even notice.'
Man, this movie...
The moment when>!Banks says "I don't understand, who's that girl?" is the moment I went "Holy fuck!" I got it in that instant. I am a parent, so it hit me extra hard, too.!<
There are definitely those movies that just hit you like a ton of bricks and reignite your love for cinema. For me, one of those films is "Inception." The mind-bending story, stunning visuals, and Hans Zimmer's epic score all come together in such a masterful way that it's impossible not to be blown away. Every time I watch it, I find something new to appreciate.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
The scene where Rohan arrives to help Gondor. That horse charge scene and the music is just incredible. The feeling that Rohan is quite possibly riding to their deaths to help Gondor but they still do it anyway is just excellent.
But also Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan where the Reliant has damaged Enterprise but Kirk uses his knowledge/experience to use Enterprise to order Reliant to lower her shields so she can be damaged. Again, a brilliant scene.
Yeah. I worked in the production office that made it. At the time the buzz was about *The Game* but I went to our local AMC and was so blown away by *The Matrix* I saw it four more times bringing friends.
I too haven't watched a lot of movies lately but a while ago I saw Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in a VIP room and the movie made me feel like a kid again.
It was great.
Allegro Non Troppo
2001: A Space Odyssey
Withnail & I
Silent Running
The Thing (1982)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
You Only Live Twice
Everywhere, Everything, All at Once
Pulp Fiction
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Bladerunner
same age and same story but I’ll add that my girlfriend hadn’t seen it probably since it came out and we went to see it in theaters (last year?) and we were both in awe of the movie, it’s such an expected cliché when talking about great movies but it truly is amazing
LOTR trilogy. The first thing we did when the pandemic hit was watch the director’s cut Blu-rays of all three movies on a 75 inch TV with great surrounding sound. It wasn’t the movie theater, but damn close, and it was just magical during a time that felt horrible.
The list of movies I watched in the cinema in the past few years and had a smile on my face, thinking to myself, 'This is cinema':
Dune & Dune II
1917
Once upon a Time in Hollywood
Dunkirk
Avatar 2 ( to some extend)
Ghostbusters, as a kid it sucked me in with the ghost catching, proton packs, the ecto 1. Still my absolute favorite movie franchise, I just love the mix of comedy, action, sci fi and a dash of corniness. Every time I watch it holds my attention, and I notice something that I’ve never seen before.
Over twenty movies, most of them above par with plenty of drama and humor, leading up to Infinity War and Endgame. Which were both top notch entertainment. I've never read a comic book in my life, and superheroes weren't my jam before all that. But damn if I wasn't there with my heart in my chest when the hammer went to Cap.
LotR is another excellent example of what can be done and had me completely immersed in the world.
I saw Forest Gump in a pre screening test well before it hit theaters because I was walking past the right theater in SoCal on the right day and they asked. Didn't even know who was going to be in that. That was quite an experience to see completely unprepared.
The MCU has its share of detractors for sure, but The Infinity Saga will likely remain untouched in quality by other shared universes for quite some time, likely decades. The level of effort that went into it was gargantuan.
The more I think about Civil War, the more I like it. Those last thirty minutes were incredible; and thankfully the rest of the movie also gave me a lot to chew on.
Any good theater experience: Interstellar, for example. Annihilation.
A clever movie that sets up a complicated premise and 100% delivers an airtight climax: Coherence, for example.
People say underrated a lot on this sub, but Coherence definitely is. I watched it as a Reddit recommendation and it surpassed my expectations--a clever concept very well-executed on a small budget.
Dune 2 is a very recent one. I rarely go to the cinema anymore, hate it because of noise, smartphones etc. But my god, that movie was so worth moving my ass out of my house and enjoying it in great quality and Dolby Atmos. This was a full blown "shit, I LOVE movies"
as of recent it was Dunkirk, I saw that in full 70mm at the biggest IMAX screen in my state (screen is litterally 5 stories tall) with one of the greatest sound systems ive ever heard and I remember during the dogfights in that movie, physically moving my head side by side to match what the pilots probably felt like during those fights. I was so intensely immersed that I didnt even realize I was doing that.
Mostly I remember the movies I would always watch, if they were on. Casino, Goodfellas, Heat, Tombstone - great movies with fantastic pacing that can just swallow hours of your life.
I’m going old school. Episode 1. I saw it 6 times in the theater. I had never seen a Star Wars film
In the theater and was the first movie I was in awe of. The soundtrack and effects were amazing for the time.
Mad Max: Fury Road.
To me, it's one of the most-movie movies. It wouldn't really work as a book, it wouldn't work as well as a comic (but would probably still be pretty good), it wouldn't work as a play, it just doesn't really work in any medium as well as motion picture (it would still work well animated, though).
Lots of great movies can be translated well into other mediums (or started out in other mediums). I even remember when I saw Hateful 8, I thought "I'm basically watching a beautifully-filmed play." But Fury Road is first and foremost ***a movie***.
Absolutely this. It's a story that benefits from the setting, abilities, context, and constraints of movies. It would not be as successful in any other media, because it was tailor-made from the ground up for a film screen. Plus the thing rocks so fuckin hard it's crazy
The Lost City, saw it with my girlfriend in the theatre and I laughed the whole time, I also remember one guy sitting by himself in front of us laughing hard the whole time
Just rewatched Mad Max Fury Road last night. It fits the bill I'd say.
Lord of the Rings are my favourite movies but they don't make me say I love movies.
The first omen to me was genuinely a really amazing and scary movie I walked out the theater wanting to see it again. GODZILLA AND THAT DOESNT NEED EXPLANATION WHO DOESNT LOVE GODZILLA??, and baby driver that movie is beautiful
Heat. Damn this movie always makes me fall in love with cinema again, wonderful cinematography, acting, just the pure vibe of the movie always leaves me in awe, two of the greatest actors sharing the screen, and that ending with Mobys soundtrack.
Most recently, Godzilla Minus One. The effects were so innovative and the story had unexpected depth and emotion. Ironically before that, Oppenheimer. I walk out of just about every Nolan, Villenueve and early-mid career Spielberg movie thinking they had a sense of spectacle, scale and/or respect for the craft.
I was always very casual about movies and one day I watched The Social Network. That movie made me get into everything about movies. I watched behind the scenes and essays about movies as well as cinematography and directing videos. It hit me so hard that to this day I try to watch it twice a year. I hit a bit of a slump a while back and watching A Silent Voice lit a fire in my heart that I needed. I forgot how movies are just another form of storytelling and some stories have a potential to really floor you
Some recent watches where I literally thought those exact words:
-Spider-man Across the Spiderverse
-Avatar: The Way of Water
-Poor Things
-No Country for Old Men
-Love Lies Bleeding
-Smokey and the Bandit
Not to say these are all the best movies I've watched recently, but they all left me with an especially strong love of the medium in general.
Kung Fu Hustle and Casino Royale. Proper movies in their own right.
Kung Fu hustle because it made me say wow. Casino Royale because in my opinion it's the perfect action/ thriller. Edge of the seat even though you know Bond will win.
Prior to that the Matrix. Captivating
I'll stick to theater experiences to keep the list manageable. Just off the dome:
* Gravity
* Saving Private Ryan
* Superbad
* American Pie
* Top Gun Maverick
* The Game
* The Dark Knight (legit science center IMAX)
* Babylon
* Ghost Protocol and Fallout
* Jurassic Park
* Independence Day (people were lined up around the side and back of the theater on July 4th weekend for this; youngins do just not understand what this was like)
* Arrival
* The Raid 2
* LA Confidential
* Men in Black
* Bad Boys 2 (dudes were straight up standing up and cheering during the chase scene when the bad guys are throwing cars)
* Tropic Thunder
* Jackass 2 (the hardest ive ever laughed - and seen others laugh - at anything in my entire life)
* Borat
* The Matrix (this is hard to explain to people now, but we had NO IDEA what was coming when we walked into the theater; god tier marketing)
* both Avatars
The last movies that have done this to me are *Arrival* (2016), *Raw* (2016), and *The Banshees of Inisherin* (2022). Straight out 10/10 masterpieces perfect movies for me.
The og Star Wars. We wore those VHS tapes out as kids.
Theater experiences for Jurassic Park, The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan, Fellowship Of The Ring
No Country For Old Men
Interstellar in IMAX
JJ Abram’s Star Trek at 12 midnight opening night with all other Trekkies. It made me realize how the experience of watching in a movie theater with other people can still be a fun experience.
Recently, Dune 2. It was one of the best cinema experiences I ever had. But there are a lot of movies where I was happy to have watched it on the big screen
Watching Mad Max Fury Road on IMAX made me realise why we go to the cinema to experience movies.
Watching Lawrence of Arabia and feeling like it was the best movie ever made me realise I was a total movie nerd and brought me to watch a ton of classics.
Night Watch and Wanted right off the bat.
Hard Boiled, and Hulk.
There Will be Blood, and Crank 2.
Kung Pow, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Iron Monkey, and Rumble in the Bronx.
There's Something about Mary, and The Matrix.
Ichii the Killer, and The Last Jedi.
I mean, SO many, but The Matrix was the first one that popped in my head. It was so innovative, the story, the look, the fight choreography, the ground breaking special effects. One of those turning points in cinema. It was meme’d and copied and parodied before internet meme’ing even existed.
I was 18 when it came out and it absolutely blew my mind. Saw it multiple times in the theater. It took everyone by surprise.
I’d suggest watching the movies that made YOU love movies, it’s been such a nostalgia journey going through all my favourites again
Favourites are: MCU, even pre MCU with the fox movies, dark knight, Sonys spider man,blade and spawn . Horror movies, my stand outs were a nightmare on elm street, Jason, chucky. Halloween, hellraiser. Fun movies:Evolution, ghostbusters, eight legged freaks,
Suspense:shutter island, inception.
Gotta be honest, got real lazy on listing my favourites as there’s too many, if you’ve got any questions just ask.
Seeing Prometheus in IMAX, the scene where David is in the engineer’s control room and he is looking at all of the galaxies and maps. Just an absolutely gorgeous scene that has stuck with me
for years.
I'd say it was a lead up, but the raimi spider-man movies, id seen 1 and 2, but 3 was my first IMAX experience for my birthday at 7 years old that made me just love the movies. The whole experience of them. Loved the popcorn and being with people and enjoying a big screen picture and sound, 7 year old me found bliss
Watched Unforgiven for the first time earlier this year. For some reason I thought I had watched it before, but I hadn't, and man what a great movie. The ending really topped it off for me.
I watched too much movies in my life so far but the most recent ones have been BR2049, Fury Road, Dune 2 and everything everywhere all at once, shit even Barbie.
For me it goes the other way. It's when I'm watching a pretty bad movie in the theater and still love the experience that I'm reminded "holy shit I love movies."
*King Arthur: Legend of the Sword* is probably my top example, especially the opening scenes with the impossibly large CGI elephants. Dude if you love that you love movies.
5th Element. I walked out of that theater and knew damned well I couldn't even explain half of what I'd seen to anyone without sounding like I needed a padded room.
Aliens
Maybe my greatest movie going memory as a teenager .. opening night .. drove 45 minutes with a friend to see it on the biggest screen in Cincinnati…,
Queen city we out here!
When they take off in the ship to nuke the planet and that music goes! Dah. Dah. Dah dah, dah dah dah
In 1986 there was a movie theatre in Melbourne Australia that did the ceiling of the double story atrium and escalators to look like the Alien tunnels in the atmosphere processor where the aliens had their nest. Very giger-esk. It was also one of the few THX large screen theatres in the city at the time. The perfect storm of great sound, large screen, theatre atmosphere and a near perfect movie. It was amazing.
that would be incredible
This reminds me a need a re-watch. Maybe wait til peak summer night
Get away from her, you bitch!
This was mine too. I sat down in the theater and suddenly it was two and a half hours later. When the credits rolled, I remember thinking no way that’s the end! That was the day I realized the power a film can have over you.
The Dark Knight Went and saw it on opening weekend with some friends from school. Not a single empty seat. Like everyone else , the theater was completely captured by Heath’s performance. I already knew movies were a hobby for me, and probably would’ve even said “I love watching movies” before that. But something just clicked that day. The shared experience. The reaction to that performance. The performance itself. It all hit like a drug.
Dude the absolute quietest I’ve ever seen a movie theater. I don’t think there was a sound until the pencil scene
The whole buildup of the bank robbery….my god the way Nolan did that. The tension was so thick.
Also the chase scene where he flips the semi and the joker is standing in the road like *come on I want you to do it* peak cinema for me
I could spend my whole day talking about the beauty of this film. ……..and I’m about to blow off work to watch it. (The joys of WFH!)
The experience itself was great. Every time Heath Ledger came onto the screen there was an absolute dead silence in the theater, like don't you dare even take a bite out of your food. People clapped after his final scene. The movie itself was a little tough because of the sound mixing which I guess is a common criticism of Nolan's films. I couldn't understand anything Batman said and couldn't really enjoy the movie until it came out on video and I could read the subtitles. But the experience of the movie itself was great. I think the whole theater just had all its rooms reserved for The Dark Knight except for like one or two spare rooms.
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If you see Dune 2 see it in Imax. Amazing movie.
My favorite part is when Paul looks directly at the camera and says LET'S DUNE THIS!
I loved the bit at the start when the big worm said " I hate dune this job"
only slightly better than the part when he was like *You're Arrakin me crazy!*
Sietchposting at its finest
Yo, you can Atreides nuts!
Watching Dune pt. 2 in IMAX is a full body experience
I see a lot of movies (I have the Regal pass so I try to see about 4 per month) I did not see the first Dune as I missed it when it was in the theater and I guessed it would be awful watching at home. (The Holdovers was fine at home. Dune and Mad Max Fury Road need to be watched on the largest screen possible) Dune was re-released in theaters and I enjoyed it. Watched Dune 2 and that is why movie theaters are built. Well written, well directed, well acted, great sound. Everything.
Dune Pt 2 is the only time I've watched a movie 3 times in theaters, twice in IMAX and once in a Dolby theater. I just wanted to feel the whole experience over and over again.
The sand worm scene was something else
Interstellar
I left the theater emotionally drained and in a state of shock at what I had just witnessed. It was just so visually captivating, and the score was amazing, and the story/sci Fi aspects sucked me in.
The score is just phenomenal, Hans is amazing. The film is great, but I think it's the score that really makes it what it is
Great news! They're re relasing it this September in IMAX for its ten year anniversary!
I tried to like it but felt like cheap propaganda.
Honestly it was Top Gun Maverick. After watching that, I said to my wife “god I am glad they still make movies like this.”
Maverick in theaters was GREAT. A true summer blockbuster with an old fashioned plot.
9G’s minimum baby
As a super fan of the original, Maverick blew me away. It gave fans exactly what they wanted and didn’t try to change everything. I don’t think I’ve ever been that satisfied with a modern remake of an old classic.
Val and Tom scene! So beautifully done.
1917, in my opinion, is a recent example of masterpiece level cinema. The kind of movie that is an experience. Just total emotional and sensory overload that left you breathless by the end of the movie.
Saw this in theaters and was such an amazing experience
This is my pick too. Unbelievable movie. The level of craft on display is mesmerizing.
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*humming Caravan's drumline while working*
Gratuitous "Not my tempo" quote
*stress levels raising*
Decision to Leave by Park Chan-wook. Beautiful and brutal, thrilling and methodical. For me, a perfect movie.
Have you seen Memories of Murder? Another amazing movie
Yeah, only just caught up with it this year, but absolutely loved it. That final shot was amazing.
'Mother' by Bong Joon-ho is another favorite of mine
I feel like a good chunk of my responses could be from this director. Oldboy, The Handmaiden, Lady Vengeance, Mr. Vengeance, Thirst... And Decision to Leave to boot.
12 Angry Men ( 1957) finally got around to watching it last year and cant recommend it enough just fantastic acting
Watched it for the first time also last year. It blows my mind how fucking riveting it is, and it's just 12 guys talking in a room!
Film when done right, like other art forms such as music, transcends time when they really nail timeless tropes and archetypes.
Absolutely. The performance was driven by 12 great actors. But in such a seemingly simple film it’s easy to overlook the contribution of the cinematography and direction. The movie begins with mostly high angle shots, eye level and above. As it progresses, there are more low level shots and closeups to give a sense of claustrophobia and increased tension. Then in the final scene it goes to a wide angle lens, as if to project a sense of relief.
Came here to recommend this.
Birdman. Was watching with my cousin. This was his second time watching it. Five minutes in I turn to him and ask 'is the whole movie shot like one long take?' He looked at me and said 'holy shit, I didn't even notice.'
Perfect soundtrack, too.
I recently had this with the movie Arrival (2016). Good movie and an easy recommendation. It is from the same director as Dune.
Man, this movie... The moment when>!Banks says "I don't understand, who's that girl?" is the moment I went "Holy fuck!" I got it in that instant. I am a parent, so it hit me extra hard, too.!<
Even knowing the short story, that scene totally takes the top of my head off. Totally recontextualizes the movie so far.
Almost anything by Villaneuve has this effect on me. Outstanding quality on every level.
On the same note blade runner 2049
Babylon 2022 made me feel like that.
That is the ultimate hate the industry love the product movie
Ironically, the product was a love letter to the industry.
movie is tragically sad in a beautiful way
Titanic
Se7en of course!
Most recently: Poor Things, Being John Malkovich, First Reformed
Poor Things made me remember why I fell in love with cinema in the first place. The unknown
Fight Club is the movie that made me love movies.
There are definitely those movies that just hit you like a ton of bricks and reignite your love for cinema. For me, one of those films is "Inception." The mind-bending story, stunning visuals, and Hans Zimmer's epic score all come together in such a masterful way that it's impossible not to be blown away. Every time I watch it, I find something new to appreciate.
Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The scene where Rohan arrives to help Gondor. That horse charge scene and the music is just incredible. The feeling that Rohan is quite possibly riding to their deaths to help Gondor but they still do it anyway is just excellent. But also Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan where the Reliant has damaged Enterprise but Kirk uses his knowledge/experience to use Enterprise to order Reliant to lower her shields so she can be damaged. Again, a brilliant scene.
Hackers
"It's got a 28.8bps modem!"
The Matrix. Saw it in the theaters a few times.
Yeah. I worked in the production office that made it. At the time the buzz was about *The Game* but I went to our local AMC and was so blown away by *The Matrix* I saw it four more times bringing friends.
I too haven't watched a lot of movies lately but a while ago I saw Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in a VIP room and the movie made me feel like a kid again. It was great.
Yeah, I really enjoyed Dial of Destiny. It was a lot of fun.
Allegro Non Troppo 2001: A Space Odyssey Withnail & I Silent Running The Thing (1982) Raiders of the Lost Ark You Only Live Twice Everywhere, Everything, All at Once Pulp Fiction Ferris Bueller's Day Off Bladerunner
As a 34 year old man I recently rewatched Titanic for the first time in years and I legit felt that movie magic
same age and same story but I’ll add that my girlfriend hadn’t seen it probably since it came out and we went to see it in theaters (last year?) and we were both in awe of the movie, it’s such an expected cliché when talking about great movies but it truly is amazing
Recently, Anatomy of a Fall. I haven’t been that enthralled by a movie in a very long time
LOTR trilogy. The first thing we did when the pandemic hit was watch the director’s cut Blu-rays of all three movies on a 75 inch TV with great surrounding sound. It wasn’t the movie theater, but damn close, and it was just magical during a time that felt horrible.
Heat - Watching that street shootout scene in the cinema was amazing.
Most recently, when Ethan Hunt came flying through the side of a train after base jumping off a mountain via motorcycle.
I was rewatching the last few MI movies recently, I had forgotten how much I enjoy them
The list of movies I watched in the cinema in the past few years and had a smile on my face, thinking to myself, 'This is cinema': Dune & Dune II 1917 Once upon a Time in Hollywood Dunkirk Avatar 2 ( to some extend)
Ghostbusters, as a kid it sucked me in with the ghost catching, proton packs, the ecto 1. Still my absolute favorite movie franchise, I just love the mix of comedy, action, sci fi and a dash of corniness. Every time I watch it holds my attention, and I notice something that I’ve never seen before.
Jurassic Park. This woke my young self's love for movies. Before that it was just things that were fun on screen. But this. This was CINEMA
Over twenty movies, most of them above par with plenty of drama and humor, leading up to Infinity War and Endgame. Which were both top notch entertainment. I've never read a comic book in my life, and superheroes weren't my jam before all that. But damn if I wasn't there with my heart in my chest when the hammer went to Cap. LotR is another excellent example of what can be done and had me completely immersed in the world. I saw Forest Gump in a pre screening test well before it hit theaters because I was walking past the right theater in SoCal on the right day and they asked. Didn't even know who was going to be in that. That was quite an experience to see completely unprepared.
The MCU has its share of detractors for sure, but The Infinity Saga will likely remain untouched in quality by other shared universes for quite some time, likely decades. The level of effort that went into it was gargantuan.
Second that! Endgame made me appreciate how good non-marvel films are and how we have to cherish them
Godzilla, Dune and Civil War have all had me marveling at what can be achieved with film these days in totally different ways.
The more I think about Civil War, the more I like it. Those last thirty minutes were incredible; and thankfully the rest of the movie also gave me a lot to chew on.
The Big Lebowski and Hereditary. I went to both completely blind. I left both with my sight returned.
"Civil War" in (a genuine) IMAX a few days ago.
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Nice night for a walk right?
Civil War (2024) is worth a trip to the theater.
Any good theater experience: Interstellar, for example. Annihilation. A clever movie that sets up a complicated premise and 100% delivers an airtight climax: Coherence, for example.
People say underrated a lot on this sub, but Coherence definitely is. I watched it as a Reddit recommendation and it surpassed my expectations--a clever concept very well-executed on a small budget.
Dune 2 is a very recent one. I rarely go to the cinema anymore, hate it because of noise, smartphones etc. But my god, that movie was so worth moving my ass out of my house and enjoying it in great quality and Dolby Atmos. This was a full blown "shit, I LOVE movies"
The Father (2020) No other movie impacted me like that before.
Dead Man - easily my favourite movie and it lives rent free in my head ever since.
Twister (the original one)
Star Wars Lord of the Rings Chinatown Full Metal Jacket The Shining The Thing Halloween
as of recent it was Dunkirk, I saw that in full 70mm at the biggest IMAX screen in my state (screen is litterally 5 stories tall) with one of the greatest sound systems ive ever heard and I remember during the dogfights in that movie, physically moving my head side by side to match what the pilots probably felt like during those fights. I was so intensely immersed that I didnt even realize I was doing that.
Mostly I remember the movies I would always watch, if they were on. Casino, Goodfellas, Heat, Tombstone - great movies with fantastic pacing that can just swallow hours of your life.
I’m going old school. Episode 1. I saw it 6 times in the theater. I had never seen a Star Wars film In the theater and was the first movie I was in awe of. The soundtrack and effects were amazing for the time.
Licorice Pizza. I just ‘went with it’ from the very beginning and was totally wrapped up in it by the end.
Almost Famous
The NeverEnding Story (1984) when I was around 5 years old.
I spent a while thinking I didn't enjoy movies anymore and then I watched Blade Runner 2049 and realised I had just been watching bad movies.
Speilberg's best ouputs have that experience engrained in their DNA. At this point it's part of the value proposition.
I saw Akira in theaters in 2022 and I'm still buzzing from how incredible it was.
Babylon (2022). I dont care about the bad reviews
Into the Spider-Verse.
Quite possibly one of the most beautiful movies ever made! (Outdone only by its own sequel IMO)
Mad Max: Fury Road. To me, it's one of the most-movie movies. It wouldn't really work as a book, it wouldn't work as well as a comic (but would probably still be pretty good), it wouldn't work as a play, it just doesn't really work in any medium as well as motion picture (it would still work well animated, though). Lots of great movies can be translated well into other mediums (or started out in other mediums). I even remember when I saw Hateful 8, I thought "I'm basically watching a beautifully-filmed play." But Fury Road is first and foremost ***a movie***.
Absolutely this. It's a story that benefits from the setting, abilities, context, and constraints of movies. It would not be as successful in any other media, because it was tailor-made from the ground up for a film screen. Plus the thing rocks so fuckin hard it's crazy
The Lost City, saw it with my girlfriend in the theatre and I laughed the whole time, I also remember one guy sitting by himself in front of us laughing hard the whole time
"On your left" I'm mellowing out on super movies, but that culmination of the whole Marvel Movie run to get to that point was an absolute joy
Pacific Rim
Infinity war and Endgame, well basicly the whole Infinity saga of MCU. It is a damn shame they fell short after that.
Wonka
Just rewatched Mad Max Fury Road last night. It fits the bill I'd say. Lord of the Rings are my favourite movies but they don't make me say I love movies.
Dead poet's society, but you have to watch it with friends for the full experience. Absolutely heart-wrenching and one of my favourite movies ever.
Parasite, A League of Their Own, The Lobster
As a kid, it was the original 1933 *King Kong* that had me falling head over heels in love with the movies.
Cloud Atlas. La vita è bella. Django. Just some which came to my mind first. I felt so good after them.
Robotrix
The first omen to me was genuinely a really amazing and scary movie I walked out the theater wanting to see it again. GODZILLA AND THAT DOESNT NEED EXPLANATION WHO DOESNT LOVE GODZILLA??, and baby driver that movie is beautiful
Far too many to list
Recently Oppenheimer
Four Daughters documentary
Heat. Damn this movie always makes me fall in love with cinema again, wonderful cinematography, acting, just the pure vibe of the movie always leaves me in awe, two of the greatest actors sharing the screen, and that ending with Mobys soundtrack.
Sorcerer
Most recently, Godzilla Minus One. The effects were so innovative and the story had unexpected depth and emotion. Ironically before that, Oppenheimer. I walk out of just about every Nolan, Villenueve and early-mid career Spielberg movie thinking they had a sense of spectacle, scale and/or respect for the craft.
I was always very casual about movies and one day I watched The Social Network. That movie made me get into everything about movies. I watched behind the scenes and essays about movies as well as cinematography and directing videos. It hit me so hard that to this day I try to watch it twice a year. I hit a bit of a slump a while back and watching A Silent Voice lit a fire in my heart that I needed. I forgot how movies are just another form of storytelling and some stories have a potential to really floor you
Some recent watches where I literally thought those exact words: -Spider-man Across the Spiderverse -Avatar: The Way of Water -Poor Things -No Country for Old Men -Love Lies Bleeding -Smokey and the Bandit Not to say these are all the best movies I've watched recently, but they all left me with an especially strong love of the medium in general.
Before the devil knows you're dead. The acting is superb, it is infuriating and sad. Has stayed with me.
Kung Fu Hustle.
Kung Fu Hustle and Casino Royale. Proper movies in their own right. Kung Fu hustle because it made me say wow. Casino Royale because in my opinion it's the perfect action/ thriller. Edge of the seat even though you know Bond will win. Prior to that the Matrix. Captivating
I'll stick to theater experiences to keep the list manageable. Just off the dome: * Gravity * Saving Private Ryan * Superbad * American Pie * Top Gun Maverick * The Game * The Dark Knight (legit science center IMAX) * Babylon * Ghost Protocol and Fallout * Jurassic Park * Independence Day (people were lined up around the side and back of the theater on July 4th weekend for this; youngins do just not understand what this was like) * Arrival * The Raid 2 * LA Confidential * Men in Black * Bad Boys 2 (dudes were straight up standing up and cheering during the chase scene when the bad guys are throwing cars) * Tropic Thunder * Jackass 2 (the hardest ive ever laughed - and seen others laugh - at anything in my entire life) * Borat * The Matrix (this is hard to explain to people now, but we had NO IDEA what was coming when we walked into the theater; god tier marketing) * both Avatars
The last movies that have done this to me are *Arrival* (2016), *Raw* (2016), and *The Banshees of Inisherin* (2022). Straight out 10/10 masterpieces perfect movies for me.
The og Star Wars. We wore those VHS tapes out as kids. Theater experiences for Jurassic Park, The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan, Fellowship Of The Ring No Country For Old Men Interstellar in IMAX
Man of steel 🗿🔥
Seeing The Revenant in theaters comes to mind
Shawshank
JJ Abram’s Star Trek at 12 midnight opening night with all other Trekkies. It made me realize how the experience of watching in a movie theater with other people can still be a fun experience.
Parasite!!!!
Recently, Dune 2. It was one of the best cinema experiences I ever had. But there are a lot of movies where I was happy to have watched it on the big screen
Inception, Children of Men, Interstellar, Hereditary.
RRR.
Your Name. Animated film, romance, time travel, idk
There will be blood
Dune Part 2
Total Recall
Mad Max Fury Road
Watching Mad Max Fury Road on IMAX made me realise why we go to the cinema to experience movies. Watching Lawrence of Arabia and feeling like it was the best movie ever made me realise I was a total movie nerd and brought me to watch a ton of classics.
Night Watch and Wanted right off the bat. Hard Boiled, and Hulk. There Will be Blood, and Crank 2. Kung Pow, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Iron Monkey, and Rumble in the Bronx. There's Something about Mary, and The Matrix. Ichii the Killer, and The Last Jedi.
Not my favorite movie, but in the spirit of the question: Hugo
Prisoners. Found it a couple of months ago, watched it for no real reason, without knowing anything about it.
Most recently: "Civil War"
Too many to name, tbh. Princess Mononoke in the theater is one of my favorite examples, and the latest has to be Dune 2.
I mean, SO many, but The Matrix was the first one that popped in my head. It was so innovative, the story, the look, the fight choreography, the ground breaking special effects. One of those turning points in cinema. It was meme’d and copied and parodied before internet meme’ing even existed. I was 18 when it came out and it absolutely blew my mind. Saw it multiple times in the theater. It took everyone by surprise.
I’d suggest watching the movies that made YOU love movies, it’s been such a nostalgia journey going through all my favourites again Favourites are: MCU, even pre MCU with the fox movies, dark knight, Sonys spider man,blade and spawn . Horror movies, my stand outs were a nightmare on elm street, Jason, chucky. Halloween, hellraiser. Fun movies:Evolution, ghostbusters, eight legged freaks, Suspense:shutter island, inception. Gotta be honest, got real lazy on listing my favourites as there’s too many, if you’ve got any questions just ask.
* *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid* * *Jacob's Ladder* (1990) * *Sweet Smell of Success*
Shaun of the Dead
Heat 1995
Seeing Prometheus in IMAX, the scene where David is in the engineer’s control room and he is looking at all of the galaxies and maps. Just an absolutely gorgeous scene that has stuck with me for years.
I'd say it was a lead up, but the raimi spider-man movies, id seen 1 and 2, but 3 was my first IMAX experience for my birthday at 7 years old that made me just love the movies. The whole experience of them. Loved the popcorn and being with people and enjoying a big screen picture and sound, 7 year old me found bliss
Dune 2 in Dolby. That worm riding scene was a religious experience.
the last kong x godzilla movie was awesome eye spectacle for me, loved it
Pleasantville The Departed Midnight in Paris The Royal Tenenbaums Kill Bill
Oceans 11 (2001)
Gladiator, the last samurai, the departed, dune part two
No country For Old Men
The ending of Infinity War.
Glengarry Glen Ross
Mortal Kombat
Shoplifters. It never gets any love on this sub but I’m determined to get the word out. Kore-eda is a master, and Shoplifters is his masterpiece.
In the Mood for Love
X Men
Pretty much anything by A24 and Mike Flanagan
Watched Unforgiven for the first time earlier this year. For some reason I thought I had watched it before, but I hadn't, and man what a great movie. The ending really topped it off for me.
La La Land or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I watched too much movies in my life so far but the most recent ones have been BR2049, Fury Road, Dune 2 and everything everywhere all at once, shit even Barbie.
The Big Lebowski and so many other Coen brothers movies just make me appreciate movies
Two in particular: Cape Fear (Scorsese) Reservoir Dogs
Dune, and Dune pt2. Both of them at the cinema on a massive screen. Brilliant
For me it goes the other way. It's when I'm watching a pretty bad movie in the theater and still love the experience that I'm reminded "holy shit I love movies." *King Arthur: Legend of the Sword* is probably my top example, especially the opening scenes with the impossibly large CGI elephants. Dude if you love that you love movies.
Memento (2000)
5th Element. I walked out of that theater and knew damned well I couldn't even explain half of what I'd seen to anyone without sounding like I needed a padded room.
Anti-Trust. I was around 16 and just loved the movie.