I finally got back to Star Cinema IMAX to see Space Station 3D. Loyal readers (hi, mom) will recall that I tried once before but, because of goggle-boggle, wound up at an IMAX-remastered Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which was luxurious on such a big screen but didn't quite transport me to another dimension. Space Station 3D, on the other hand, is nothing if not transporting, hauling you 250 miles up in space to join the crew of the International Space Station, which has been circling the earth, performing various experiments. Global cooperation is the theme of this routinely awe-inspiring science doc. Watching the dragonfly-shaped conglomeration of tin cans sail through its orbit, with Mother Earth lolling in the background, is enough to restore your faith in space travel.
I had a much better seat this time, smack dab in the middle of the theater. Actually, for the 3D movies, I'm not sure there even is a bad seat. Despite some occasional shadowing, the images in Space Station 3D are so crisp and clear that I thought we were viewing models a couple of times. But no, it's the real deal. And so are those astronauts and cosmonauts, swimming through the capsules like otters. The movie gets a lot of mileage out of zero-gravity, and I never tired of it. As far as content goes, though, it's a rather straightforward meeting of the Rocket Booster Club, narrated by Top Gun himself, Tom Cruise. Luckily, IMAX lends itself to outer space, where nobody's going anywhere very fast and depth of field is what it's all about. Deep Sea 3D, coming in March, should work out pretty well for the same reason. Meanwhile, why not take a ride to the final frontier of the cinematic experience?
It's a real trip.
