The best cinema screen in Ireland??

Barack Obama

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but I'm just interested in what people's opinion of the best cinema screen in Ireland is. This is purely for Star Wars (on a yearly basis)

It was always Savoy 1 for me so I was bitterly disappointed when this was divided up into smaller screens. The reason I liked it was because the screen was huge and you could completely immerse yourself in the movie. A lot of the newer cinemas now seem to have smaller screens (which in itself is not a problem) but the seats can be way back.

I actually travelled to Amsterdam in December to see the Last Jedi as it came out ahead of here and that was in the iMax at the Pathé Arena. That absolutely blew my mind and the quality of the picture was absolutely incredible. I then had to go see it with my wife when I got back and took a chance at the Odeon at the Point (screen 1) because it is relatively new and was really disappointed with the picture quality. One thing I noticed was that in Amsterdam, it was shown as “Cinema DLP” but in the Odeon it was “4K”. 4K??!! Fine for a 60 inch TV but in a huge cinema screen? No wonder there was a lot of blur.

I do love the Stella in Rathmiles but the sound is too poor for SciFi. I’ve also been to the Movies@Swords but their screens are all pretty small.

Let’s get the debate going! Where do you like the best and (more importantly!), why??

Theboinkmaster

Barack Obama wrote: »

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but I'm just interested in what people's opinion of the best cinema screen in Ireland is. This is purely for Star Wars (on a yearly basis)

It was always Savoy 1 for me so I was bitterly disappointed when this was divided up into smaller screens. The reason I liked it was because the screen was huge and you could completely immerse yourself in the movie. A lot of the newer cinemas now seem to have smaller screens (which in itself is not a problem) but the seats can be way back.

I actually travelled to Amsterdam in December to see the Last Jedi as it came out ahead of here and that was in the iMax at the Pathrena. That absolutely blew my mind and the quality of the picture was absolutely incredible. I then had to go see it with my wife when I got back and took a chance at the Odeon at the Point (screen 1) because it is relatively new and was really disappointed with the picture quality. One thing I noticed was that in Amsterdam, it was shown as “Cinema DLP” but in the Odeon it was “4K”. 4K??!! Fine for a 60 inch TV but in a huge cinema screen? No wonder there was a lot of blur.

I do love the Stella in Rathmiles but the sound is too poor for SciFi. I’ve also been to the Movies@Swords but their screens are all pretty small.

Let’s get the debate going! Where do you like the best and (more importantly!), why??

For overall experience I like the Stella due to comfort, food etc.

For blockbuster like Star Wars I always like the Omniplex Rathmines, good screen and sound, seats, food etc and not overpriced.

Wouldn't go near most other cinemas, maybe Dundrum at a push.

5rtytry56

For VARIETY of films, Irish Film Centre, Eustace Street Temple Bar Dublin 2. That being said, the actual cinema screens themselves are nothing to write home about. Also, a lot of bullsht connoiseur film "experts" seem to patronize the place.

biko

It's probably hard to say since most people will only have gone to the cinema in their home town.
I like the EYE but have only Belfast to compare to.

Barack Obama

biko wrote: »

It's probably hard to say since most people will only have gone to the cinema in their home town.
I like the EYE but have only Belfast to compare to.

I’d genuinely have no trouble traveling to watch a movie once a year, it really is that big a deal to us. So, Galway or Belfast wouldn’t be a problem.

What I need to do is find out which cinemas use DLP projectors instead of 4K (assuming LCD). From my experience with these for the one movie, DLP was way ahead.

Sad Professor

4k resolution is generally as high you are going to get for digital projection right now. Afaik most non-blockbuster films are still distributed in 2k anyway, which roughly equates to Blu-ray resolution but hopefully better quality. And most of the digital projectors in cinemas are still only 2k as well. Even 4k projectors usually filter 2D films through 3D lenses which can halve the brightness and the resolution (i.e. you are back to 2k again). These 3D lenses were probably the cause of the blurriness you experienced in Odeon. It's a very common problem. Multiplexes don't care. Best advice is to find out which of their screens are 3D-equipped and avoid them.

I'm not familiar with the Pathé Arena IMAX but unless it was IMAX Laser then it was probably dual 2k which is really 2k.

Best cinema in Ireland is the Lighthouse.

Barack Obama

Sad Professor wrote: »

4k resolution is generally as high you are going to get for digital projection right now. Afaik most non-blockbuster films are still distributed in 2k anyway, which roughly equates to Blu-ray resolution but hopefully better quality. And most of the digital projectors in cinemas are still only 2k as well. Even 4k projectors usually filter 2D films through 3D lenses which can halve the brightness and the resolution (i.e. you are back to 2k again). These 3D lenses were probably the cause of the blurriness you experienced in Odeon. It's a very common problem. Multiplexes don't care. Best advice is to find out which of their screens are 3D-equipped and avoid them.

I'm not familiar with the Pathé Arena IMAX but unless it was IMAX Laser then it was probably dual 2k which is really 2k.

Best cinema in Ireland is the Lighthouse.

Genuinelly, I don't know (but would love to know) what type of projector was in the Pathe cinema because the quality on the huge screen was excellent. Then going to Screen 1 in the Odeon (with a much smaller screen) was really disapointing.

I've never been to the Lighthouse - what makes it so good for you?

murpho999

I really wonder about this, from what I see DLP only goes to 4k so can it be that much better than 4k here?

Also been regularly to the cinema in Netherlands as I have family there and can't say it's any better there and the subtitles distract me.

Can't say I've noticed any blurriness in cinemas here.

I wonder if it's a case of "grass is greener" as many Irish people seem to have?

Barack Obama

Sad Professor wrote: »

Best cinema in Ireland is the Lighthouse.

You've got me looking now :pac:

Love the way that they mix in some classics with the latest releases. Leon is playing tonight!!

I definitly have to get down there. Am I right in saying though that you cannot chose your seats when you book tickets? It seemed that way when I tried it.

Catcher7791

Barack Obama wrote: »

I’d genuinely have no trouble traveling to watch a movie once a year, it really is that big a deal to us. So, Galway or Belfast wouldn’t be a problem.

What I need to do is find out which cinemas use DLP projectors instead of 4K (assuming LCD). From my experience with these for the one movie, DLP was way ahead.

'DLP' is a form of software used in digital projectors that's used in about 85% of cinemas, so it's not uncommon. Depending on which version is used with a compatible projector, it will project in 2K or 4K resolution. 4K resolution is the most advanced available in cinemas at the moment, but most cinemas are still only capable of projecting at 2K because of the cost of projectors. Some cinemas have begun to upgrade to 4K, and the absolute best currently available is 4K laser projection. Cinema One in the IFI has a 4K laser projector, but I don't think there's another in Dublin, maybe not even in the country. 4K looks amazing when projected properly, much better than whatever you're referencing when you mention it being fine for a television, so I think this is what you experienced in Amsterdam. LCD screens as standard in cinemas are a way down the road yet. They've begun rolling them out, but you can't project celluloid on to them, so they will most likely be more common in multiplexes than places like the IFI.

Barack Obama

murpho999 wrote: »

I really wonder about this, from what I see DLP only goes to 4k so can it be that much better than 4k here?

Also been regularly to the cinema in Netherlands as I have family there and can't say it's any better there and the subtitles distract me.

Can't say I've noticed any blurriness in cinemas here.

I wonder if it's a case of "grass is greener" as many Irish people seem to have?

Grass is greener? What the jazus are you on about???

As an example in the specific movie that I am talking about here, the training scenes on Skellig were really noticible when I went to see the movie in what I whought would be a decent cinema\screen here. All you could see when they were running acrooss the island were blurred faces.

Again, I am talking about one particular cinema\screen in Amsterdam where the quality blew me away and I'm trying to find something similar here. Where did I mention one thing about subtitles??

Outlaw Pete

Loved Savoy One, can't believe it's gone but Adelphi 1 will always be my all time favourite. Seen so many classics in there and there was just something about it that was magical. Luckily, my first time in a cinema was to see Superman there. I only have two memories of being that young (4 years old) and that's one of them.





Today it would have to be either the IMAX for non-3D films (seen Black 47 there recently and it was epic even though we were sitting off to the side) or screen 1 in the Lighthouse.

Barack Obama

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

Loved Savoy One, can't believe it's gone but Adelphi 1 will always be my all time favourite. Seen so many classics in there and there was just something about it that was magical. Luckily, my first time in a cinema was to see Superman there. I only have two memories of being that young (4 years old) and that's one of them.





Today it would have to be either the IMAX for non-3D films (seen Black 47 there recently and it was epic even though we were sitting off to the side) or screen 1 in the Lighthouse.

Fntastic photo!!

johnny_ultimate

The Lighthouse is the best cinema, certainly in Dublin (haven't been to its new sister cinema Palas down in Galway yet), for a number of reasons. They have projectionists so the quality of the projection is reliably strong & crisp, even if they don't boast top-of-the-range tech specs (the quality is generally excellent, mind, and they have 35mm capacity too). It's the comfort level and generally excellent atmosphere in the place, combined with solid programming and very reasonable pricing, that makes it superior to any other city cinemas.

IFI has probably the best projection in the country, and not just because they have a 70mm projector (although that helps). A diverse programme with high-quality screening is obviously their core selling point. The cinema layouts themselves are an obvious and not insignificant weakspot, but screen 1 and 2 are due to be renovated in the very near future which is much needed and hopefully help make it top-of-the-class again.

Personally, I find a lot of the new 'branded' high-tech cinemas to be pretty underwhelming - whether that's IMAX (Cineworld variant rather than actual international standards), iSense or iSharona. They're mostly just designed for blockbusters, and not for things like varied aspect ratios so they typically lack basic features like screen masking (hence big black bars in many cases). I ended up in the Cineworld one a few times during the recent film festival, and while the seats are comfortable I wish I had been watching the films down in the Lighthouse. It's a very subjective and let's be honest vague criticism, but all the 'best' screens I've been to in multiplexes have a soullessness to them that crisp projection or reclining seats don't make up for.

While extra clarity is nice in many cases, cinema has always had a graininess inbuilt into it, so the rush to high resolutions isn't always for the best - just look at what happens when you end up with the ultra-clear, high frame-rate The Hobbit, which was widely - and IMO rightly - rejected as a step too far. Film grain is a relic of the actual processes of celluloid filmmaking, but also has a natural ability help with suspension of disbelief - which is why many modern CG-heavy blockbusters seem particularly plasticy and, well, ugly when projected in ultra-clarity.

murpho999

Barack Obama wrote: »

Grass is greener? What the jazus are you on about???

As an example in the specific movie that I am talking about here, the training scenes on Skellig were really noticible when I went to see the movie in what I whought would be a decent cinema\screen here. All you could see when they were running acrooss the island were blurred faces.

Again, I am talking about one particular cinema\screen in Amsterdam where the quality blew me away and I'm trying to find something similar here. Where did I mention one thing about subtitles??

I mentioned the subtitles. I would actually regard that as a distracting pay off when in the cinema in Holland when you don't need them as an English speaker.

Anyhow, I really think you'd need to see the images side by side to make a fair comparison but sorry I doubt that the faces were as blurred as you are making out.

Barack Obama

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

The Lighthouse is the best cinema, certainly in Dublin (haven't been to its new sister cinema Palas down in Galway yet), for a number of reasons. They have projectionists so the quality of the projection is reliably strong & crisp, even if they don't boast top-of-the-range tech specs (the quality is generally excellent, mind, and they have 35mm capacity too). It's the comfort level and generally excellent atmosphere in the place, combined with solid programming and very reasonable pricing, that makes it superior to any other city cinemas.

IFI has probably the best projection in the country, and not just because they have a 70mm projector (although that helps). A diverse programme with high-quality screening is obviously their core selling point. The cinema layouts themselves are an obvious and not insignificant weakspot, but screen 1 and 2 are due to be renovated in the very near future which is much needed and hopefully help make it top-of-the-class again.

Personally, I find a lot of the new 'branded' high-tech cinemas to be pretty underwhelming - whether that's IMAX (Cineworld variant rather than actual international standards), iSense or iSharona. They're mostly just designed for blockbusters, and not for things like varied aspect ratios so they typically lack basic features like screen masking (hence big black bars in many cases). I ended up in the Cineworld one a few times during the recent film festival, and while the seats are comfortable I wish I had been watching the films down in the Lighthouse. It's a very subjective and let's be honest vague criticism, but all the 'best' screens I've been to in multiplexes have a soullessness to them that crisp projection or reclining seats don't make up for.

While extra clarity is nice in many cases, cinema has always had a graininess inbuilt into it, so the rush to high resolutions isn't always for the best - just look at what happens when you end up with the ultra-clear, high frame-rate The Hobbit, which was widely - and IMO rightly - rejected as a step too far. Film grain is a relic of the actual processes of celluloid filmmaking, but also has a natural ability help with suspension of disbelief - which is why many modern CG-heavy blockbusters seem particularly plasticy and, well, ugly when projected in ultra-clarity.

Great post - thanks.

My problem is that I don't venture out much anymore and this is because of home cinema. I'm at this well over a decade and now have a Sony 1080p sxrd projector with a 110" screen and top end amplifier and speakers. I've been happy to wait for releases to come out on Bluray and onto go to the cinema for movies that I really want to see (in this case, the Star Wars movies).

Next opportunity I get I'll bring my wife into town for a show in the Lighthouse!

Barack Obama

murpho999 wrote: »

I mentioned the subtitles. I would actually regard that as a distracting pay off when in the cinema in Holland when you don't need them as an English speaker.

Anyhow, I really think you'd need to see the images side by side to make a fair comparison but sorry I doubt that the faces were as blurred as you are making out.

Right so, I'm just making it up :rolleyes:

murpho999

Barack Obama wrote: »

Right so, I'm just making it up :rolleyes:

I'm not saying that. No need to take it personal.

Just don't think Irish screens are as bad as made out and really think you'd need to see images side by side for a true comparison.

Sad Professor

Odeon has been discussed here before for having poor quality picture due to screening 2D films in 3D screens. I've experienced it many times in Vue. Dim, blurry picture. It's a common problem all over the world, especially with Sony 4k projectors. The 3D filter is integrated into the lens of the projector and can't be removed by anyone except a Sony technician. The multiplexes invested in these projectors on the understanding that they wouldn't have to employ a projectionist, so they won't do anything about it. Digital IMAX theatres, like the one the OP was at, might be overpriced, but they at least have standards for picture quality. And the dual 2k projection guarantees a bright image.

Skerries

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

thanks for the picture as that is where I watched Superman as my first cinema experience as well aged about 5

any idea what was on in screen 1 that knocked Superman to screen 2?

Sad Professor

Skerries wrote: »

thanks for the picture as that is where I watched Superman as my first cinema experience as well aged about 5

any idea what was on in screen 1 that knocked Superman to screen 2?

The Deer Hunter maybe?

Outlaw Pete

Went to see My Own Private Idaho the other night in the Lighthouse and funnily enough, last time I seen it was at the old Lighthouse, on Abbey St, back in '91.




Loved that place. First place I ever remember banned smoking too.