My goto cinema is MBO BigScreen at ElementX Melaka, pretty much top notch in terms of PQ (but I usually get annoyed by the light from the keluar sign) and SQ for me.

At times I also went to watch movies when I was outstation... last I recalled was TGV KLCC Hall 1 for Transformers. This hall is laoya . Then my friends was telling me to try out IMAX (which I have not, cause there's no IMAX in Melaka...)

What I've surveyed is, the one at IOI City Mall is a dual laser? Is this a 1.9:1, and if the SQ is up to standard?

IOI City IMAX is Single Laser, (can project 1:9:1, but now 1:43). The screen is 1:9:1 so there's minimal black bars.

Sound quality is great, IMAX has its standards so can't go wrong.

Picture quality should be the best in Malaysia, slight downside is the screen isn't very big (as compared to other IMAX in Malaysia, eg iCity), but still a damn good place to watch movies!

So after the slight disappointment with 4DX, I went back to Lalaport for Interstellar round 2, but this time in BIG cinema.

It was great! The screen size is big (I felt its quite similar to IOI City IMAX)! What impressed me the most is the sound quality, its quite powerful (maybe not as bassy vs IMAX), but definitely better than most non IMAX halls. The sound imaging is great, arguably better than IMAX, as IMAX tend to be overpowering (but thats what I love about IMAX, boom boom). I dont have a good pair of eyes for picture quality, but it seems perfectly fine to me.

Only downside I can say is the seats isn't very comfortable (less cushion and no recliner), and the hall is FREEZING COLD, so do bring your thick jacket (my thin jacket wasnt enough)!

Recommend to sit at the second/third last row (last row is couple seats).

Priced at RM22 with free parking at Lalaport (the shopping mall building, dont park at GSC building), this definitely is worth the bucks!





This post has been edited by ericling: Sep 26 2023, 09:20 AM

bad experience for me watching interstellar on BIG Tropicana Gardens. the aspect ratio is not suitable, the big black bars is very apparent. BIG reportedly equipped with 4k laser projector but from the image quality its doesnt appear to be at that resolution. maybe the digital source they got is just 2k but projected in a big screen?? resulting subpar image quality. watched imax laser recently for oppenheimer and the image quality is leagues ahead, it was stunning. the only positive things i can say for that experience is that the screen size is massive and the pricing isnt too bad which was rm22. was very excited for the dark knight next month, but from that experience maybe i just watched it on standard hall.


i have to agree with this, although the leather was nice, the lack of cushion and very hard armrest really sticks out. for premium experience you'd thought GSC would provide better seats.

This post has been edited by anip94: Sep 26 2023, 02:21 PM

Have you tried BIG at lalaport? Interstellar looks good to me in that hall. Might be Tropicana-only issue?

TGV will be launching an IMAX with Laser and 12-channel surround sound (like Dolby Atmos) at TGV Pavilion Bukit Jalil. Screenings begin on 5 October 2023. Source: @TGVCinemas tweet on Twitter

The other imax halls don’t have 12 speakers? (Ah ok, it’s actually 7.1.4 config… hence the 12 channels).

I tried to count the amount of speakers at the MBO BigScreen ElementX, front unknown… left has about 8, right about 8, rear about 8 and top about 16ish. But I guess the imax has full range towers, the ones in Dolby Atmos is smaller speakers.

This post has been edited by celciuz: Sep 27 2023, 02:25 PM

I wonder if Laser Systems (plural) means that it is essentially dual laser, and whether the screen supports the aspect ratio of 1:43:1.

the admin also teased about something bigger when someone asked about the aspect ratio https://twitter.com/TGVCinemas/status/1706898783181971522 im not sure what that is, unless its dual laser 1:43?? which doesnt makes sense why dont they just equipped this one with the same dual laser/specs too and not different ones between branches.

Super pumped for this! Imax TGV Velocity and 1U getting upgrades too! There's a mention of KLCC having it as well!

Wait a sec, if it’s upgradeable to 1:43 this is interesting! I just hope the screen is taller and not just adding black borders on the sides.

KLCC getting imax hall? The Hall 1 SQ is very lousy 😅

This week Interstellar

Meh i cant buy the storyline

The Dark Knight on the other hand .....

The opening bank robbery scene still goosebumps

No other movie can shoot the bank scene better than TDK besides "Heat" which Nolan took inspiration the bank scene from

Being old classic i think i shall watch in BiG hall then hahahaha

https://twitter.com/preethamdnl/status/1706859571145527484

Very interesting!



Any guess on the location?

My guess:
New: Pavillion Bukit Jalil
Upgrade: 1 Utama, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Velocity

This post has been edited by ericling: Sep 28 2023, 02:57 PM

Probably Central i-City instead of 1U or Sunway Pyramid. That and Sunway Velocity are their biggest screens, can fully display IMAX's tall 1.43:1 format

If Sunway Velocity gets dual-Laser, habislah GSC for me (unless they upgrade MyTown from BIG to IMAX Laser hall). I won't wanna watch movies anywhere else hahaha

This post has been edited by KaiHD: Sep 28 2023, 06:32 PM

But if going to 1.43:1 meaning introduce black bars at the side... then tak syiok la. Unless the hall is tall enough, change new screen which fully utilizes the space

Think Central i-City probably will get the Laser setup but not dual (hence 1:9) only, as the screen size is actually quite wide (instead of tall).

Really hope Velocity to get Dual Laser so it can project 1:43! Since the screen is already tall

Super excited to see how big is the IMAX screen in Pavilion Bukit Jalil! But gutted there isn't any big releases to showcase IMAX capabilities...

This post has been edited by ericling: Sep 28 2023, 07:08 PM

KaiHD my man, thanks for this update, this got me super pumped and excited. I re-watched Oppenheimer the past few weeks in Velocity's IMAX and man, that was my favourite IMAX experience out of the IMAX halls I visited for this movie (writing a post about this though procrastinated XD). I genuinely hope that Velocity get's dual laser, that will make it the best hall to visit if Bukit Jalil's IMAX is not 1.43:1.

Oppenheimer might re-screen in IMAX again, at least that's what the IMAX corps are hinting at, so we may finally get to experience 1.43:1 films if the implications of the IMAX upgrades are true.

I won’t mind if they rescreen Zack Synder’s Justice League… full movie of 4:3 😆 to experience real imax.

Disclaimer: This post was in the works before the TGV IMAX renovation announcement. Thus, it is mainly for the current state of IMAX in Klang Valley as of and prior to 29/09/2023. Fun fact, I love how TGV saw GSC pulled a fast one with IMAX Laser, and their response was a "the hell you say?!" and announces Bukit Jalil's Laser with 12-channel surround set up and 3 laser upgrades to existing halls. Nice to see competition among our country's cinema chain.

Review of Klang Valley's IMAX halls (except I-City)

Hey guys, so Oppenheimer got a choke-hold on me and had me visiting IMAX halls in the past 2 months just to experience it as much as I can before it got off screening. This is currently my favourite movie of 2023 and is one of my favourite movies of all time. The narrative structure of this film both creatively and effectively kept my interest while balancing suspense. The acting is also phenomenal and the practical effects of the whole film is so surreal. Of course, because it is an IMAX film, there's a great ton of scenes with tall aspect ratios, just further pushing the levels of engagement from my viewing perspective (I just wish I could have experienced this film at 1.43:1 aspect ratio, but sadly, Malaysia's IMAX max height is 1.9:1 for now).

That description said, I have watched Oppenheimer in all of Klang Valley's IMAX halls except for Central I-City's TGV (though I have visited this hall before for Top Gun 2 last year, I don't feel comfortable reviewing it without having a recent refresh of it, thus it's excluded. I have a first impression post of this hall many pages back), and I will be reviewing them all below starting chronologically via their opening date

Sunway Pyramid TGV IMAX (Opening date: 13th Dec 2011)



Positives:
- Still a IMAX hall I guess, meaning the experience will be better than normal halls

Negatives:
- Very Small screen (major problem)
- Narrow legroom in seat rows
- Seats not that comfortable, and cup holders are lower than the arm-rest, so it's awkward to place and take drinks from

Personal notes:
- Far to visit, no easy public transport there
- Not very audio savvy, but felt the speakers here aren't as strong compared to the other halls
- Preferred seat rows: F & G

Okay, so I just want to pre-face that this hall isn't bad at all, it's just outdated and out-classed by the newer IMAX halls. I believed this is the first digital IMAX hall to be released back in late 2011, and maybe at that time, it was a great. Now? Well, Oppenheimer here felt off. The wide (2.39:1) aspect ratio scenes took up like 90% of the screen, leaving thin letterboxes at the top and bottom. However, in the tall aspect ratio scenes, the screen fills up completely, but that difference is barely noticeable. It becomes a visually different experience compared to the other IMAX halls here, where you will notice the shift between image height when the scenes change between aspect ratio (to Oppenheimer's art direction, exudes more variety on screen and heightens the specific scene's tone and mood).

It felt no different from watching films in other budget Premium Large Format (PLF) halls, specifically IOI City's Maxx in terms of image to screen usage.

Overall, visit here if you live in Subang Jaya and can't afford to go further for PLF halls. However, if you can, the closest of PJ's Starling Big and 1U IMAX are great improvements. Both house very large screens with great surround audio. They have more value than Pyramid in terms of cinematic enjoyment.

Update: This hall might be hinted to be renovated for laser. I don't know if that would include a screen size upgrade, I doubt so because it requires rebuilding the hall. Honestly, even with Laser, the screen size will be the limiting factor, so it's not worth it.

1Utama TGV IMAX 2K Xenon (Opening date: 23rd Dec 2012)



Positives:
- 3rd largest IMAX screen in Klang Valley, 2nd largest 1.9:1 screen just behind I-City
- Still holds up very well despite opening in 2012
- Seats rumbles to the audio's base; strong speakers

Negatives:
- People's heads in front can block the screen, a problem not experienced by me in other IMAX halls (can be a positive too if you consider the cinema/theater experience wise)
- Narrow legroom in seat rows
- Seats not that comfortable, and cup holders are lower than the arm-rest, so it's awkward to place and take drinks from (essentially the same as Pyramid's)

Personal notes:
- Far to visit, but convenient to travel to via MRT, just time consuming
- The keluar sign is distracting during screening (though safety purposes, it makes sense)
- Preferred seat rows: J, K then G

Ah, 1U. This was my go-to for the past 2 years now. Velocity had the BS couple seat issues, and IOI City Mall 2's GSC IMAX wasn't announced and opened yet, thus this was the most normal and fair IMAX experience I can get while convenient to travel to. For a hall that opened a year later after Pyramid's (surprised me to see Pyramid and 1U IMAX have the same hall aesthetic design, but checking the dates, that made sense), man, this must have felt like a major upgrade. The screen is massive, and films that is able to use it's 1.9:1 size looks enormous. I have very fond memories of Top Gun: Maverick here and Oppenheimer is no exemption as both are able to reach that height.

While yes, I-City is like a 30 minute drive from 1U that has the larger screen and aesthetically high tier design, this hall is still a great choice if you live nearby (yall movie fans living in PJ sure got so many options: 1U IMAX, Tropicana Gardens and Starling Big, further a bit got I-City IMAX, walan weh).

Update: if this hall and I-City get's that laser upgrade, boi... you Petaling Jayan's living the life xd.

Sunway Velocity TGV IMAX 2K Xenon (Opening date: 8th Dec 2016)


(couldn't fit the whole screen on my phone despite being at the highest row taking the shot)

Positives:
- Largest IMAX screen in Malaysia while being the only 1.43:1 (technically 1.33:1) aspect ratio IMAX screen in Malaysia
- Comfortable seats with okay legroom (couple seats are more comfortable and they better be for that extra cost)
- Hall is sleek designed, very dark-blueish. Not much visual distractions when screening in the dark
- Speakers are loud and powerful, can feel the seats rumble

Negatives:
- Couple seats takes the best middle spot (complained a lot about this here already, sorry for repeating)
- Due to 2k xenon projector, it can't utilize the whole screen, maxing out at 1.9:1 in size, so letterboxing is inevitable (may be resolved soon if upgraded to Laser GT)

Personal Notes:
- 2nd closest IMAX hall to my residence, quite easy to travel to via MRT and even car
- Sitting at the side seats closest to the middle of the hall is actually pretty decent if can't afford couple seats cause no partner (rip)
- Currently my favourite IMAX hall to visit but not necessarily my go-to
- Preferred seat rows: K then J

Despite my prior complaints about this hall, this surprisingly became my favourite hall to visit despite its seating issues. While yes, I still am sulking over the couple seat arrangement, this hall grew on me mainly because of the screen size. While IOI City Mall 2's Laser IMAX has the better, more detailed image quality, I just cannot deny my change of preferring larger images being on display over image fidelity. It sucks that there is letterboxing because of the Xenon 2k projectors, but the image that they can fit on this big size of a screen still makes it a great viewing experience (fun fact, there is minor letterboxing to the sides of the film. I distinctly noticed this during my Oppenheimer viewings here. All the more reason to upgrade to Laser GT, please TGV).

I definitely felt like this was the most optimal viewing of Oppenheimer out of the IMAX halls I have visited, mainly because the film was marketed for it's large image size ala 70mm/1.43:1 aspect ratio, and this is the closest I could get in Malaysia. Sitting at my preferred row of K, I definitely can feel the size encompassing my entire vision without discomfort or missing out in details. This then make it my go-to IMAX hall during skeleton hours/low bookings, mainly so I can book a normal seat and then move to the couple seat for the better viewing angle.

IOI City Mall 2 GSC IMAX Single Laser (Opening date: 23rd Jan 2023)



Positives:
- Crisp image, high detailed colours, darker blacks, better contrast... just beautiful to watch films with
- Seats are cushioned and comfortable with great leg room
- Audio is very strong here, though not much seat rumble

Negatives:
- Small screen for an IMAX, smaller than 1U's by a biT, a pretty major letdown considering single laser can still do a lot with a larger screen.

Personal Notes:
- Closest IMAX hall to my residence, easy 10-20 minute drive.
- Preferred seat rows: C for 1.9:1 films, D for 2.39:1 films
- Obligatory winner of go-to IMAX hall lol

This halls wins the obligatory go-to hall for me cause of how close it is for me, and the fact that it is currently the only Laser IMAX in Malaysia. However, that luster has fallen off a bit, mainly because I want to experience movies at their best, and typically, size trounces image fidelity in that factor as of right now. I mean, I will still go here even if Bukit Jalil's IMAX screen is bigger and better purely because of convenience, but as a movie-buff, it just feels disappointing with the screen size we've gotten.

Alright, it feels like I'm downplaying this hall here. The screen size is no where as egregious as Pyramid's, as this hall's screen is comparable to 1U's, just slightly smaller. It is also still a Laser IMAX projector where the image quality is leagues better compared to the IMAX Xenon 2k halls in Malaysia, it even beats out Big's 4k Barco Laser in terms of colour vibrancy, brightness and deep blacks. This hall is the best image quality with a large screen size you can get right now in Malaysia. It can only be beaten by Bukit Jalil in that category if the latter has a larger screen.

Oppenheimer here was astounding because of the image quality. While I still prefer watching Oppenheimer in Velocity because of the larger screen size, I cannot deny the image here was more visually stunning. I can still remember how great the opening scene was with Oppie gazing at water on the ground, and the colours, deep blacks, everything was just so mesmerizing.

Overall, this is my 2nd favourite hall because of that fact. However, I would still choose this hall over Velocity's mainly because of convenience and better seat booking during peak hours/first few weeks of an IMAX film.

Closing Notes

Damn, another long post. Apologies again, but I hope this is informative in helping you pick your go-to IMAX halls. This has been a very fun, yet expensive endeavor and I'm glad there's not many tall movies releasing soon. My wallet needs a rest. Majority of movies coming out, mainly right now The Creator I plan to view in Big during early-bird hours. However, despite the cost of watching IMAX, Oppenheimer has been peak cinema for me. The fact that the people in my IMAX hall viewing clapped at the end of the film, and how silent all of them were during the film goes to show how this movie is very gripping with its narrative, practical effects and elite acting.

I have watched this film in IMAX 7 times now (the most re-watched of a film from me in the cinemas, let alone IMAX) and honestly, I want to watch it again in that format. It's stupid and honestly monetarily reckless on my end but man, in the current landscape of movie making in regards to cgi, green screens, franchise building over cohesive artistry and etc., this movie really becomes "something, uh... more important."

@Katharsis You're the hero man! Always appreciate your sharing here, love how the cinema scenes is getting better and better in Malaysia. Need more people like you!

Oppenheimer round 8 at Pavillion Bukit Jalil - what do you think? We could do a gathering!

This post has been edited by ericling: Sep 29 2023, 11:12 PM