[HPFGU-Movie] IMAX is awesome

[Valerie Flowe]

OK...I just saw GOF on IMAX Monday night. Wow!!! How can I ever see an 
HP movie on a regular screen again?!!
I had been trying for weeks to get tickets online ($12; not bad). It 
only plays on weekends at 5:30 and was always sold out. I believe it's 
playing till the end of January.
The really cool thing was that the Washington, DC IMAX, which is at the 
Smithsonian Air and Space museum, had a display of Dan's actual dragon 
task costume, his Firebolt, Krum's QWC red Quidditch outfit; a program 
for the QWC, and a Daily Prophet. On loan from the WB. Very, very 
cool!!

It took me about 15 minutes to get used to the immense screen. I was 
feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy. There was so much to look at, 
especially in the QWC scenes! The massive perspective of all the tents 
and activity; then the camera pans down into the QWC stadium. So 
impressive. And talk about feeling dizzy; can you imagine sitting up 
where the Weasley's were?!
I absolutely loved the close-ups. When Rupert glares at Harry when his 
name comes out of the cup, his eyes are intensely green with envy; 
almost as though digitally enhanced.
And speaking of eyes, Dan's are gorgeous...mid blue with darker blue 
rim. Mercy me! My favorite scene which gives me the chills even after 
my 4th viewing is when Moody/Crouch Jr. says "Only one has been known 
to have survived it; and he's right here in this room".  He is towering 
somewhat menacingly over Harry (foreshadowing?). Harry looks up at him 
with those "Dan eyes". I couldn't quite read his expression. Is he 
thinking "Oh great; thanks for pointing that out! I just want to be a 
normal kid thank-you very much" or is he  frightened by the mere close 
presence of kooky ole Moody?
And Voldemort's translucent skin...ewwww; creepy! (apparently his nose 
WAS digitally removed. The slits looked real!)
I noted soooo many more details on this huge screen such as Ron's 
Chudley Cannon poster in his study-cubby in his dorm. And all the fancy 
detail work on Dumbledore's garb.
Surprisingly my two 8 year olds were not traumatized by the movie. It 
was their 2nd viewing, but I thought that due to the massive screen 
they'd be frightened of the dragon scene. They said the only scene that 
really scared them was the maze scene. (not Voldie, just the crazy 
hydraulic maze. That WAS creepy when it swallowed up Fleur and was 
clawing at Cedric.

And now...the wait for the DVD release! And screen caps to start coming 
in once OotP starts filming in February.

Valerie