By Josh Stern
There are few, if any, film directors in the world currently as hot as Christopher Nolan. His last film “Oppenheimer” grossed over $976 million (at the time, the highest grossing biopic ever) and earned seven Oscars in 2024. It followed a long line of critically acclaimed films that includes “Memento,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk” and more. Nolan returns to theaters this week with his newest effort, a nearly three-hour-long epic adaptation of “The Odyssey.”
And the best place to watch it in the Northern Hemisphere? Right here on the Upper West Side.
Hidden within the AMC Lincoln Square multiplex at West 68th Street and Broadway sits the second-largest IMAX 70mm movie theater in the world, and it is becoming a mecca for film buffs. The only larger IMAX theater is in Melbourne, Australia, 10,000 miles away.
IMAX 70mm’s fandom has exploded in popularity in recent years, expanding from only the nerdiest of cinephiles to mainstream moviegoers.
So what exactly makes it special? IMAX 70mm is an analog film format with the highest picture resolution ever devised. Unlike digital projection where images are condensed or standard projection where film runs vertically through the projector, IMAX 70mm is run horizontally on a film reel where each frame measures precisely 15 perforations. This results in unprecedented clarity and, when projected on screen, measures in at a whopping 18K resolution, a massive amount of visual detail.
IMAX 70mm theaters are also known for their gargantuan size, with the average screen sitting at 52 feet high by 73 feet wide. AMC Lincoln Square’s screen is 75.6 feet high by 101 feet wide. That is as high as a seven-story building and as wide as a Boeing 737-500.
Despite their growing popularity, true IMAX 70mm theaters are exceedingly rare. Because of the steep construction and maintenance costs accompanying them, only about 30 IMAX 70mm theaters exist in the world, and New York’s is the largest this side of the Equator.
AMC Lincoln Square isn’t just patronized by Upper West Side locals. Logan Algood, a 30-year-old movie theater employee from St. Louis, is planning an odyssey of his own to New York to see the film in all of its IMAX 70mm glory.
“I started planning probably three-four months ago,” he told the Rag. “The film to me really feels like a monumental achievement, especially being the first ever entirely shot on IMAX cameras. Nolan’s craft feels like it necessitates being seen in the most immersive experience possible.”
While St. Louis has premium formats, it has nothing comparable to the IMAX 70mm theater on the Upper West Side, he said.
“Several people have asked why I’d waste my time and money going to New York just to watch a movie. It is a movie, yes, but to me, it’s much more of an experience. Why shouldn’t I travel to see one of my favorite director’s new films in the format that he intended for it to be seen?”
Logan isn’t alone. “IMAX tourism” has become a phenomenon in recent years.
“I’m from Mexico and I’m going to NYC in July [for the movie]. I bought a ticket for the front row just to see a real IMAX 70mm, which in Mexico doesn’t exist. Imagine how many like me will do something like that,” one social media user posted.
Even Matt Damon, who stars in the blockbuster as Odysseus, is a fan of the theater; in an interview with Collider, he revealed that he has already seen the film at the Upper West Side theater and called the experience “overwhelming in the best possible way,” adding that “I wish it just played there in perpetuity so everyone could go.”
Not everyone is happy about the rise in the format’s popularity, however. John, an Upper West Side resident since 1998 who asked that his last name not be used, is frustrated with the influx of theatergoers. “I’ve been going to Lincoln Square’s IMAX for 20 years and have never seen a movie sold out like this.”
“We’ve had pretty much a sellout for the entire month that we currently have [tickets] on sale,” said Cory, an employee at AMC Lincoln Square. “The day that tickets released, we had people lined up out the door, as well as our phone ringing off the hook. It got to the point that our systems crashed for a bit.”
He understands the demand though. “This has actually been a dream job of mine since I was a kid growing up in Florida, to work at this theater. When you have something like our IMAX theater, it almost feels closer to a theme park than a movie,” he said. “It’s the biggest screen in the country,” he added with a smile. “Of course people are gonna want to come.”
The Odyssey at AMC Lincoln Square opens Thursday. For now, there is limited ticket availability, but would-be patrons should check for late cancellations in the hours leading up to a showtime.
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More confirmation the UWS is the center of the universe!
This is the best IMAX theater in the US.
meh
Nolan actually shot the film in IMAX 70mm. It’s the first feature shot entirely in IMAX. It also required new anamorphic lenses. This is one of tge only places to see it in 70mm and therefore full resolution
He shot over two million feet of film. And in addition to anamorphic lenses, he used a specially devised set of mirrors that actually filmed everything in reverse (not with the action in reverse, but mirror-image) and then changed it when the film was “developed,” so that the image was the right way around. It was the first time anyone had ever attempted this. (And he got the idea from an invention by some guy named Da Vinci.)
So, like Hitchcock, Kubrick, Cameron and maybe one or two others, he has actually been changing the way films are MADE, and not just making incredible films.
Such an exciting time for cinema! It can only positively impact our other UWS staples like Film at Lincoln Center & their New York Film Festival as well as the long awaited Uptown Film Center. There is nothing like experiencing film in the theater.
And do not forget or overlook one more Upper West Side gem …New Plaza Cinema, home to many of the best indy and foreign films with a dedicated and passionate staff of true cinephiles! For the summer, they are screening films on Saturdays at the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle.
Great for the movie theater industry and for the UWS. People need something to look forward to that is exciting and inspiring. Were assaulted daily with such horrible news.
Um…This is about a war
I adore this whole theater. I’m old enough I still think of it as “the new theater.” I’m happy to say in the last year or so, it’s always seemed busy when I go. You can tell the real movie nerds are the ones who clap when the Nicole Kidman promo comes on
I get the best eyeroll from my wife when she comes on and I put on my best Kidman impression…
“WE COME TO THIS PLACE”
And now that AMC has empowered its local theater managers to pick more programming, the Lincoln Square location is giving us more arthouse and international films.
Wow – local theater managers have input? Did not know that
AMC staff are very upbeat and friendly
Now that I’m no longer working 9 to 5, a secret pleasure is to go to the AMC for an early show, usually around 10AM (I’m not enough of a martyr for 7:30AM. It’s usually almost empty so you can choose any seat, the popcorn is fresh, the bathrooms are clean, the staff isn’t stressed out. And when you emerge, you still have the day in front of you. It’s like a slightly illicit little vacation.
I saw “Sinners” here multiple times last year–a magnificent experience.
I saw ‘Sinners’ there too. A word to the wise, take hearing protection. Films in the Imax theater are far too loud…
Watching IMAX from the front row will be an experience lol
No wonder it’s impossible to get a ticket. Every IMAX show for the next 4 weeks is sold out except for an occasional lone seat in the first row. Only spaces for wheelchairs left. (If they don’t sell the wheelchair spaces, I wonder I they’d let us bring our own chairs? HA!)
They’ve added some 2am shows — also sold out! How about some 6am shows? AMC, are you listening?
They’ve already got sold-out 7am showings!
I live on the Upper East Side, and there is one AMC theater near me on 86th Street and 3rd Avenue. It is in very bad shape, and AMC has not to this date planned to refurbish at all, as far as I know. For any film playing in an AMC theater, I happily take the crosstown bus and go to either AMC 84th Street or AMC 68th street. It’s also a great excuse for me because I love the Upper West Side, the restaurants and the shops, and Lincoln Center.
Astounding that AMC has not renovated the East Side 86th Street AMC
We’ll wait till the fuss dies down.
The theater entry is very unwelcoming, unfortunately.
I have to say, it’s pretty awesome that the Lincoln Center AMC theater is consistently used for premieres for so many movies. And that you can often get tickets to a bunch of them via the AMC app!!
Is there a single Greek in this film?
I only ever saw one film in IMAX and it gave me a huge headache.
Hopefully WSR will find out if Lincoln Square Imax will keep The Odyssey there long enough for all of us to see it? And maybe have early morning showtimes for us senior UWSers? I’m pumped. Reading the Emily Wilson translation now.