Man of Steel Flies to Sri Lanka

The highly anticipated Superman reboot will hopefully be screened at Savoy 3D from the 26th of June 2013. The movie is listed under the upcoming movies section with the above release date, and a countdown is on display on the home page of the EAP movies website. being only 14 days after the world release date fans won't have to wait too long. However there have been occasions in the past where movies that were shown on countdown never actually made it to the theater. Hopefully it does not happen this time.

Building upon the success of the Dark Knight trilogy, this reboot differs from the previous Superman movies while having some similarities with the Batman movies. It has a more realistic take on the superhero and from its trailer it is evident that the "S" on his chest does not even mean "Super"! :) Fans of the DC universe who want to see a Justice League movie-a superhero ensemble movie like the Avengers or even just a Superman Batman team up movie will be delighted to see that Man of Steel is set in the same universe and timeline as Batman. According to the director of the movie, There is a scene in the movie where the villain destroys a satellite with the Wayne enterprises logo on it. Wayne enterprises is owned by Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman and therefore a ensemble movie cannot be written off. So keep your eyes open :)

image from : http://manofsteel.warnerbros.com

3D experience at MC Platinum Ruined!

There have been several complaints about the active shutter glasses issued at MC Platinum 3D. The most common issues are, one lens being completely blacked out, or simply that the glasses don't produce the expected "3D effect". These problems arise because the glasses are of the active shutter type, and are required to be powered by batteries. I mentioned about this problem in a previous post of mine, but I didn't think it will occur so soon until I saw it for myself. If you find out that your pair of glasses is not working once the movie starts, you will probably miss the first half of the movie completely. But luckily, there is a way to find out whether your pair is in working condition before the movie starts.

The Cause

Like I mentioned before, this problem arises because the glasses are powered by batteries and are synchronized via an Infra Red signal emitter. So if the batteries go down, there can be synchronization errors leading to flickering or a distorted 3D effect. If the batteries run down completely, the glasses will stop working altogether and either one or both the lenses will go completely black, or the glass will look clear and normal but will not produce the 3D effect. This is the worst scenario, because if you don't identify it before the movie starts, then you are in trouble. So here is how to check it beforehand.

How to Check

Soon as you get the glass, go into the theater (It won't work outside the theater) and while holding the glasses about a foot away from your face, look through both lenses at a well lit area. (the theater will be well lit before the movie starts) Looking at the white screen also would do. If you see a slight flickering in both lenses you are good to go. If you don't see any flickering, if only one lens flickers, or else if one lens appears to be a shade darker than the other lens, then the glasses are faulty and you will have to get it changed.

Movie fans should not go through this hassle in a properly maintained theater. It is the responsibility of the theater personnel to replace the batteries regularly and to check the glasses from time to time. From the experience I had today, it is evident that about half of the glasses are faulty. and watching a movie with faulty glasses like that can lead to severe headaches and nausea. Unfortunately, the personnel at MC platinum just don't care about this issue. When complaining about this issue all they did was nod in approval as if to say, "yes we know about the problem, but we just don't care!"

If this happened in another country, people would sue the theater. But this is Sri Lanka and sometimes we suffer in silence. I'm just hoping that this problem will be sorted out soon. If not, and if its a movie that you really can't miss(like Iron Man 3), make sure that you check your glasses before the movie starts. Hope this guide was useful :)


UPDATE (19/2/2014)

These problems due to the battery powered active glasses will not arise again because MC Platinum has switched from active shutter to a polarized filter projection system. The passive glasses used in this method will not cause any of the above problems. 

the new lightweight polarized glasses

Iron Man 3 at Savoy

UPDATE : Showing once again how misinformed the people at EAP movies are, Iron Man 3 has been removed from  the upcoming movies section of their website. So it seems like the only hope of seeing Iron Man 3 in Sri Lanka will be at the MC Cineplex. But this being Sri Lanka, that is also quite uncertain.. Will keep this post updated. 

Iron Man 3 will be screened at MC Platinum 3D from 10th May 2013, according to ticketslk.com.

Iron Man 3 is the most anticipated 3D blockbuster of 2013 and chances are that it will hit cinemas in Sri Lanka just like The Avengers did. The EAP movies website has listed Iron Man 3 under their upcoming movies section with a release date of 3rd May, which is the worldwide release date as well. So there is a very good chance that it will be screened at Savoy 3D, although the release date may change.

From the looks of it, Iron Man 3 promises to be a great movie and a huge improvement from Iron Man 2. The plot is based on the Extremis story arc and Sir Ben Kingsley will play the villain, Mandarin. Given below are some plot details that are known so far, so spoilers ahead-read at your own risk ;)

"Extremis" is a scientific technology that gives super human abilities to its users by altering the "biological code" of the human body. Aldrich Killian, played by Guy Pearce works for the Mandarin and uses this technology for evil purposes. So iron man is most likely to fight superhumans this time around.

Tony Stark develops technology that gives him the ability to control his suits of armor using only his mind. He also builds an entire fleet of these suits which operate on his command. Col. James Rhodes has a customized suit of his own and is called the Iron Patriot.

The new trailer shows a new massive suit, possibly the "Hulkbuster" but it is not confirmed. There is also a possibility of the space suit appearing in the movie as well. Since Iron Man 3 is expected to set the stage for Avengers 2, a post credits scene connecting the storylines is also expected.

image from : http://marvel.com/ironman3

Hulkbuster?

The Hobbit at Savoy 3D

"The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey" will be screened at Savoy 3D cinema from the 15th of December 2012. "Savoy 3D" is Sri Lanka's largest 3D cinema and is equipped with the latest RealD XLS digital 3D projection system. The movie has been shot in 3D (not a post conversion) and therefore fans can expect a better and immersive experience in the Lord of the Rings universe. However like in certain previous occasions, the release date given above may change unexpectedly. So it's better to be ready for something like that to avoid disappointment.

The movie is based on J.R.R. Tolkein's novel "The Hobbit". This book was written before the much acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy and serves as a prequel to it. It relates the adventures of a Hobbit called Bilbo Baggins. This movie, "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey" will be the first of a new trilogy set in the same universe and is expected to be followed by the two movies subtitled as "The Desolation of Smaug" and "there and Back Again".

Ardent fans of Lord of the Rings trilogy will be counting days until the release of this movie, while those who are new to the Lord of the Rings Universe like myself, will probably read the book before going to see the movie.

Official site : http://www.thehobbit.com/

Short 'n' Sweet Masterpiece

Producing a good short film is a challenge. Due to the limited time available to convey the message, it is essential to strike the right balance between providing enough plot details and allowing for a smooth gradual flow of the story. The short film "The Secret Number" directed by Colin Levy does this beautifully. It has a brilliant screenplay that rivals feature length Hollywood productions and although only 13 minutes long it feels like you watched a full movie at the end of it.

Here is the full short film, enjoy!

Official site : http://secretnumber.colinlevy.com/

Here is the plot summary of the movie in case you missed a few points during the first viewing. 

A psychiatrist meets with a patient of his who is a mathematician and claims to have found a "secret" integer between 3 and 4. He calls this integer "bleem". The psychiatrist dismisses this claim saying that it violates common sense. Although the mathematician insists that this number lies in another dimension which is not perceived by us, the psychiatrist still refuses to believe that he is sane and instructs the attendant at the mental institution to lock up the mathematician. That night the psychiatrist dreams of an accident that occurred when he was a child where an old man was hit and killed by the car he was travelling in. The following morning he goes to the mental institution and finds out that the mathematician is not in his cell. It is also seen that the mathematician has performed loads of calculations in search of the secret number. It is implied that the mathematician was successful in finding this secret number and in doing so he gained access to a hidden dimension which allowed him to travel through time. In the final scene it is seen that the old man hit by the car when the psychiatrist was a child was this mathematician, and the pen he used to do the calculations on the wall and some jellybeans which were with him are seen fallen on the road.

Upcoming Movies

Some of the big movie releases like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, MIB3, The Amazing Spiderman, and The Bourne Legacy made their way to cinemas in Sri Lanka over the past few months. However, one of the most anticipated movies of 2012, "Prometheus" which was also reviewed as one of the few "good" 3D movies of the year did not make it to any movie theater in Sri Lanka.

Here are three upcoming movies that look interesting. We'll have to wait and see whether these three movies will be screened at cinemas in Sri Lanka.

Looper

image from Wikipedia

Looper is a science fiction film starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon Levitt(Robin Blake in TDKR) and Emily Blunt. It has a plot related to time travel and Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt both play the same character at different ages of his life. Aside from the possible paradoxes arising due to the time travel plot, the film seems to be an entertaining action flick.


Cloud Atlas

image from Wikipedia

This is termed an ""experimental" movie because it differs in style to most movies produced today. It is based on a book of the same name and revolves around six different narratives. It is a drama film with sci-fi elements. While the reception at the Toronto film festival has been positive, its uniqueness might also be off-putting to some.


Dredd 3D

image from Wikipedia

This movie can be seen under the upcoming movies section in the EAP movies website. It will most probably come to Savoy 3D after Step Up Revolution. It is an adaptation of a comic strip "Judge Dredd" and is set in the future. While it looks like a low budget cheesy sci-fi movie, so far it has got positive reviews from the rotten tomatoes website. The story revolves around a violent cop who is given the power of judge, jury and executioner to maintain law and order.

3D at Savoy, MC Superior or MC Platinum?

A couple of months ago MC Superior was the only 3D cinema in Sri Lanka. Now there are three 3D cinemas. After the conversion of the old theaters Savoy Wellawatte and Majestic Platinum to 3D, movie fans can now choose which movie they want to see in 3D. These three 3D cinemas in Colombo use three different 3D projection technologies. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and so, here is rundown of all three 3D systems in the three cinemas.

MC Superior 3D uses the Dolby 3D system which is an interference filter method. The glasses used in it are passive and contain wavelength filtering lenses. It is a relatively new technology and produces high contrast vivid colour images while minimizing ghosting.

MC Platinum 3D uses an active shutter technology which is also used used in most 3D televisions. Active glasses that are powered by batteries are used. Due to the shutter effect, in the long run due to problems in batteries and IR emitters, flickering can be a problem. However at the moment no such problems are present at MC Platinum, and hopefully it remains that way.

The latest addition, Savoy 3D uses the RealD XLS system with the latest Sony 4K projector. Lightweight, circularly polarized glasses are used. to compensate for the light loss during polarization a Silver screen is used here. The Sony 4K projector has a very high resolution and simultaneous projection of both left and right eye images give rise to a smooth 3D effect.


More information : http://www.d3dcinema.com/uploads/files/Upgrade%20Chart.pdf

UPDATE (19/2/2014)

MC Platinum 3D No longer uses the problematic active shutter technology. They have switched to a polarization method with lightweight, passive glasses like in Savoy.

Active shutter 3D technology

The recently converted MC Platinum 3D uses the active shutter technology. It is the same technology that is used in most 3D televisions. The basic concept here is to provide the left eye and right eye images to the left and right eye sequentially by blocking the view of one eye at a time. This is achieved by the use of liquid crystal shutter glasses. the view through one lens is blocked using the liquid crystal layer between the lens while the other lens remains transparent and shows the corresponding image. this alternating shutter effect happens very rapidly and is synchronized with the images projected (or displayed) on the screen. This method is also called the Eclipse method.

MC Platinum 3D uses shutter glasses of the brand Hi Shock. Active shutter glasses need to be powered by batteries and they wirelessly communicate with the projector or the television in order to synchronize the shutters. In order to avoid flicker the refresh rate needs to be very high. The refresh rates are usually double that of normal projection or other 3D projection systems. The brightness also needs to be higher than normal just like in polarized 3D systems.

shutter glasses at MC Platinum 3D

More information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_shutter_3D_system


UPDATE (19/2/2014)

MC platinum 3D No longer uses the Active Shutter system. Recently they switched to a polarized filter system similar to that of Savoy 3D. The lightweight, passive glasses used in this method means that flickering and other problems associated with active shutter systems will no longer ruin your movie experience.

Savoy 3D - Sri Lanka's first RealD XLS Cinema

Reaching a new milestone in the Sri Lankan film industry, EAP Films and Theaters Pvt Ltd has brought the latest RealD XLS 3D projection system to the recently revamped Savoy Cinema in Wellawatte. RealD XLS is a new 3D projection system that uses the new Sony 4K projector to provide a better and smoother 3D experience. This has given the opportunity to all Sri Lankan moviegoers to watch latest Hollywood 3D blockbusters in a state of the art cinema complex right here in Sri Lanka. This is great news to all movie fans in the country.

RealD is the most widely used stereoscopic 3D projection technology in the world and has several advantages over other systems. RealD uses circularly polarized light to project images onto a silver screen which the viewer sees through circular polarized glasses with oppositely polarized lenses (clockwise and anti clockwise) for each eye. Circular polarization is better than linear polarization because unlike in linear polarization,it does not require the viewer to keep his/her head upright in order to maintain the 3D effect. In circular polarization tilting the head or any other movements do not affect the polarization and allows for a more natural and comfortable viewing experience. The glasses are also lightweight, passive(unlike active shutter glasses) and are easy to use.

image from wikipedia

The conventional RealD system uses the "triple flash" projection technique in which each left and right eye image is flashed three times in a single frame. This can give rise to subtle ghosting and stuttering during motion. The Sony 4K projector eliminates this problem by projecting both the left and right eye images simultaneously onto the screen. The 4K projector also projects images at a very high resolution(4,096 by 2,160) This gives rise to smooth and natural 3D images. The RealD XLS Cinema System incorporates the 4K projector and is the latest development in 3D projection.

source :  http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/mkt-digitalcinema/

Savoy 3D uses the RealD XLS Cinema System which utilizes the Sony 4K projector and is the first cinema in South East Asia to do so. While providing a 3D movie experience right here in our own country for a reasonable price that would otherwise require going abroad it also has brought pride to all Sri Lankans. Ice Age 4 will be the first movie to be showcased at Savoy 3D and will be screened from the 26th of July onwards. Tickets can be purchased from : http://www.eapmovies.com

MC Platinum 3D

The Platinum movie theatre of the Majestic Cineplex will be converted to a 3D movie theatre with the arrival of "The Amazing Spiderman" on the 13th of July, according to TicketsLK. The Platinum Cinema is the original movie theatre of Majestic city which is on the 4th floor. The Platinum cinema was renovated while the new Cineplex on the 5th floor was being constructed. This theatre is much larger than the Superior 3D and can accommodate more viewers in a single screening. Here is the banner displayed on TicketsLK with this news.

Like I stated in a previous post, Switching from 2D to 3D and vice versa is not complicated in the case of the Dolby 3D system. It's a matter of engaging and disengaging the colour filter wheel from the projector. The addition of a new 3D cinema means viewers will have the opportunity to see more movies in 3D.


UPDATE : MC Platinum has been converted to 3D and is currently screening The Amazing Spiderman. It uses an active shutter 3D system unlike the MC superior which uses an interference filter method.

UPDATE (19/2/2014)
MC Platinum has switched to a polarization method similar to that of Savoy 3D

the new polarized glasses at MC Platinum

Savoy Wellawatte-3D ?

There is no confirmation yet, but we might see Sri Lanka's second 3D cinema very soon, not too long after the first 3D cinema, MC Superior 3D opened to the public. Savoy Wellawatte is a very old theater in Sri Lanka and has been one of the few theaters that screened good Hollywood movies in Sri Lanka. It looks like Savoy Cinema is under some sort of renovation, and there is some speculation that it is being upgraded to 3D. This could be just a rumor, however the official site eapmovies.com for the first time has posted a 3D movie, "Sammy2-3D" under their upcoming movies section. It certainly looks like eap movies is venturing out into screening 3D movies, and it's a good move considering the success MC superior has had, but as said before we don't know for sure, until it's officially confirmed..

UPDATE : It's official. Savoy Wellawatte is currently undergoing the 3D conversion process and will reopen with the screening of the 3D animation Ice Age 4 on the 26th of July. Savoy 3D will be the 3rd 3D cinema in Sri Lanka after MC Superior 3D and MC Platinum 3D. Savoy 3D will be the first cinema in Sri Lanka to use the Sony 4K projector. According to eapmovies the conversion process included the installation of a Silver Screen to the cinema. This means that the cinema will be using the new RealD XLS 3D projection system which couples RealD 3D technology with the new Sony 4K projector. This new system simultaneously projects both, the left and right eye images onto the screen and thus reduces motion blur and provides a smoother and better 3D experience.

The Rising of the Dark Knight

The Dark Knight Rises is the most anticipated movie of 2012. It will hit theaters in Sri Lanka on the 20th of July, which is also the worldwide release date. The movie will be screened at an EAP cinema theater, so its most likely to be either Liberty Cinema or Savoy Wellawatte. This is great news to movie fans in Sri Lanka who have been waiting impatiently for this epic finale to Christopher Nolan's batman trilogy.

With Batman Begins in 2005, Christopher Nolan set a new standard in movies based on comic books. The darker tone and realistic take of the batman mythology was very effective and led the movie to success. It provided a good origin story and paved the platform for an all new DC cinematic universe.

The second installment, The Dark Knight which was released in 2008 was a tremendous success, surpassing its predecessor. Heath Ledger's brilliant performance as the Joker itself makes it a worthy watch. The acting, story and the action sequences were well put together and everything that was good in the first movie was improved in The Dark Knight, making it a fine summer blockbuster.

Although director Christopher Nolan has shown concern about directing a third in the series before the production of The Dark Knight Rises was confirmed, it seems it will follow the pattern shown by the previous movies. Viral marketing campaigns and other propaganda carried out have been effective because according to IMDB, the tickets to the film's midnight IMAX screenings at New York sold out six months in advance. With Bane being the villain and parts from the trailer showing batman extremely beaten up, it looks like this movie will be a fitting finale to an epic trilogy.

Official Site : http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/

UPDATE : This movie will be released at an EAP movie theatre on the 10th of August 2012

LATEST UPDATE : The release date of Dark Knight rises in Sri Lanka has once again been postponed to the dismay of many movie fans. According to current information Dark Knight Rises will be screened at an EAP theater from the 27th of August and at the Liberty Lite Cinema, from the 1st of September - more than a month since its worldwide release. However looking at what happened before, whether the film will actually be released on these dates is uncertain..

The Amazing Spiderman to be the next attraction at MC Superior 3D

It looks like MIB 3 will not be shown in 3D at MC superior, although many movie fans including myself thought it would after the avengers finished its run. The next attraction at MC Superior 3D is, The Amazing Spiderman which also is a movie that all of us were waiting to watch. Having only one 3D cinema in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan moviegoers don't have the luxury to select which movie they wan't to see in 3D and which to see in 2D like in other countries. It is unfortunate if movies that you really wan't to see in 3D will not be shown at all. However having one 3D cinema is far better than not having any at all, and the management of the cinema does an excellent job at bringing "good" movies like Avengers and Spiderman for the benefit of movie lovers in the country.

The Amazing Spiderman will be screened from the 13th July onwards at MC Superior 3D. Since it is a film that is actually shot in 3D and is not a post conversion, a good 3D experience can be expected. This spiderman movie is a reboot of the franchise and explores the story in a different angle than the previous Sam Raimi's Spider Man trilogy. Unlike in the previous movies, Spiderman in this movie shoots webs with artificial web-shooters like in the comic books. It stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spiderman and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Peter's love interest. It is directed by Marc Webb.

images from : http://www.theamazingspiderman.com/

UPDATE : The Amazing Spiderman will be screened in 3D at the Platinum Cinema of the Majestic Cineplex

LATEST UPDATE : MIB 3 has finally hit MC Superior 3D after quite a long wait.

MIB 3 at MC superior 3D?

The third installment of the Men In Black franchise is already being screened in two theaters in Sri Lanka. The movie kicked off at MC Platinum and Liberty Lite on the 8th of June. The big question is, Will the movie be shown in 3D at the MC superior? If it will, then its worth the wait because with all the CGI aliens, cool gadgets and weapons, MIB3 in 3D is going to be awesome. Also, according to cinemablend.com, it is worth to watch it in 3D as it gives the movie a "3D score" of 32. That is even higher than The Avengers which had a score of 27.

Men in Black 3 is the first movie of the series to be released in 3D. The first movie was released back in 1997 and later a sequel "Men In  Black II" was released in 2002. It took 10 years after that for this latest installment to be released. Although MIB 3 is a post converted 3D movie, cinemablend.com reports that the conversion to 3D has been performed well to provide a rich 3D experience.

As of now there is no way to know for sure whether it will be shown at MC superior, but I've decided to wait in case it does. There is a possibility that it will be shown after "The Avengers" has finished its run, although how long it will take is not known. I will update this post as soon as I get any news about this.

image from wikipedia

Dolby 3D at MC superior

MC superior 3D is at present, Sri Lanka's only 3D cinema. The technology used at this cinema is not known to many. There are several 3D projection techniques that are used around the world today. They are,
Anaglyph Stereoscopy - the well known red-green glass method, Polarization methods as used in "RealD 3D", LCD shutter-glass method which is used in LCD TVs and monitors, Interference filter method - a modification of the anaglyph method and, Autostereoscopy which provides glasses free 3D for portable devices- for example the Nintendo 3DS gaming console and LG optimus 3D and HTC Evo 3D smartphones.

The Majestic Superior 3D theatre uses Dolby 3D technology. The glasses issued and the intro displayed before the movie starts says so. This Dolby technology is an interference filter method which is an improvement over the old anaglyph method. What it does is, it provides two different full colour images with slightly different wavelengths to each eye thus giving rise to the illusion of a third dimension. The projector consists of a colour filter wheel which filters the light before it hits the screen. The viewers glasses contain complementary filters that filter light according to its wavelength and gives two images required for 3D, to each eye of the viewer with two different shades of primary colours (created by a difference in wavelength). This can be seen by holding the glasses about 1 foot away and looking through both lenses at the screen before the movie starts. Two different "tints" will be seen through the two lenses. The colour filter wheel can also be disengaged from the projector giving only 2D images. This means that the same theatre can be used for 2D movies as well.

image from : dolby website

image from : wikipedia

More information :
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/professional/technology/cinema/dolby-3d.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_film

Little Chell in Portal 2

We are introduced to the Silent but active test subject known only as Chell in Portal, and the game ends when Chell destroys Glados and the Aperture science lab. We meet Chell again in Portal 2. This game though has a clue about Chell's past and her previous involvement with the Aperture science lab. It turns out Chell was a daughter of a Aperture science lab employee because Chells name can be seen in one of the children's projects showcased at "Bring your Daughter to work day" held sometime in the past at the science lab. The potato in little Chells potato battery, has grown through the roof leaving a distinct mark on the Aperture science lab, showing a similarity to the impact Chell has on the Aperture science laboratory.

notice Chell's name on the bottom right corner..

  

Avengers at Savoy

The recently released "Avengers" movie will be screened at Savoy Wellawatte from the 11th of May 2012. This showdown of Marvel superheroes, is in my opinion one of the three most anticipated movies of 2012, the other two being "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Prometheus". It would be great if it was screened in 3D at MC superior 3D, however watching it in 2D at Savoy is better than not watching at all.. ;)  All previous Marvel superhero movies, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Captain America led to the events of this movie. The post credit scenes in those movies indicated it. After a long wait now that the movie will finally be shown in Sri Lanka, Marvel fans will be counting their fingers till the 11th of May.
Tickets can be booked at http://www.eapmovies.com/movie/the-avenger-english-movie/

UPDATE : Great news! Avengers will be screened in 3D at MC superior as well. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.ticketslk.com/