AMC Tysons Corner 16

Thanks for the info! Does anybody know if at some point they updated the Dolby Projector, maybe when they changed the lighting? I have heard online that some older Dolby Cinema had old projectors, that could not achieve 1 million:1 contrast ratio. Looks like around 2017 Dolby may have been upgrading them to Christie Eclipse E3LH. Thoughts?

Does anyone know the size of Dolby Cinema screen compared to the IMAX?

I made a couple trips here recently to see The Beatles Rooftop Concert in IMAX laser and The Godfather in Dolby Cinema; it was only my second time seeing a movie in either format. This complex was built so massively that these two screens (they’re the same size) actually deliver on the L in PLF…at least for flat films as both of these were; I see absolutely no reason to see a scope movie letterboxed in either format. The sound balance in IMAX was off during the trailers; it was pushed significantly toward the surrounds to the point that it was hard to hear any dialogue, it was fine during the feature however. I still think IMAX (whether the original 15-perf 70mm version or the multiplex version) is still better suited to experiential events (like say a concert documentary) than actual feature films. The Dolby Cinema had the sound balanced correctly for the trailers and the picture was very sharp. Even via a 4K scan and DCP, The Godfather has a pretty heavy grain structure and isn’t the type of movie to show off the sharpness and contrast of a 4K laser system, but I have no doubt it looked exactly as intended. And wow, what an incredible experience it was to see that film on a huge screen for the first time.

So Giles, would you say your experience there during the current pandemic, was relatively safe? People social distancing and wearing masks? My thing is being in the auditorium..someone taking off the mask in that enclosed space and coughing/sneezing. They’re reporting aeration and ‘spotting’ are primary Covid transmission methods. I’m reconsidering going to the movies now. LOL!!

Giles, so how many people were at your showing in total? I wanted to visit there when they opened even though I’m in MD. Its just that movie wasn’t of much interest to go all the way to Tysons. I thought of seeing Empire Strikes Back but it was showing in the small theater at the AMC Hoffman.

Did you order any concession fare? Is it a full menu or limited? Just wondering with all the Covid restrictions.

Since I live in an area with high Covid numbers, movies here aren’t opening anytime soon. I thought of visiting the Senator in Baltimore since I haven’t been there since they reopened like what.. 8 years ago?

I’m hoping things open up in time for the James Bond movie. If they have that in IMAX at Tysons, I’ll be there.

I gather when IMAX did the retrofit, someone in corporate also had the red floor lighting removed from the Dolby Cinema screen, and while the red lighting is now gone, the ever so slightly blue light on the screen, is the new flaw but is nowhere as visually distracting as the ‘red’ lit lower corners.

Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ on the Dolby Cinema auditorium sounded loud and boisterous, but it was the first movie where the displayed image lacked a sharpness and heightened color range that Dolby Cinema is known for.

Actually on TV and hidef (bluray) some of the special effects look overly fake, here though with Dolby using their special ‘Vision’ sauce the colors look better saturated and retain what was shot on film to better effect. Colors had a pop, image looked sharper but not overly DNR’d which was the case for ‘Terminator 2’ which quite frankly looked appalling. Granted I’ve seen ‘Titanic’ numerous times in the theater and on bluray/DVD/laserdisc, outside of the 70mm run, this was the best the movie looked. The audio and specifically when the ship cracks into two, after being hoisted into the air, the subsequent descent and crashing back into the water, the bass and ‘whomp’ was tremendous, literally rocked the walls and floor ~ wow! For once, the light red haze which reflected back onto the lower left/right hand of the screen was NOT a distraction, AMC must have lowered it.

there are still some issues with the sound, voices sound too sibilant at times and there’s an odd echo-chamber effect. However with ‘Titanic’ and the debut of the 3D Dolby Cinema system, the presentation from a visual stance was simply outstanding, in my opinion it superior to the 2012 IMAX release. I was so glad they didn’t implement the vibration effect for the recliners.

I got word from an AMC representative that Tyson’s Dolby Cinema system was upgraded to playback Dolby 3D movies – just in time for it’s week long run of ‘Titanic’ (new Dolby Vision color graded version).

You mean screens that are common height vs. those that are common width? No, all auditoriums have common width screens. The two biggest screens (#3/Imax and #11/Dolby) have common width screens and they no longer have any masking (they used to prior to conversion) so you’ll see empty screen space for scope movies. (I haven’t been there much lately but they used to, and I assume still do, have masking on the other 14 screens).

I have to say and conclude with my impression of seeing ‘Finding Dory’ here on the Dolby Cinema screen – I’m kind of through of seeing movies here. That red light for starters, yeah ‘that’ … [insert annoyed face] I won’t go there.

Having seen the movie prior (the week before) at Arclight’s Bethesda’s ‘widescreen’ screen – the Atmos sound here at Tysons was quite frankly appalling, and well, terrible. All those flaws I heard during ‘Captain America: Civil War’ were apparent here as well, and quite frankly it was simply no where as immersive as what I heard at Bethesda – very little overhead & rear surround audio cues. I don’t know why these flaws are apparent, but Dolby mucked it up, and needs to recalibrate it or something – very very disappointing.

on the plus side, the laser projection and Dolby’s color grading of ‘Finding Dory’ was eye-candy and shows off why and when Dolby does it right, the results are spectacular —– but with the sound flaws it’s a valiant attempt but sort of falls on it’s face.

side note, it’s amazing when a family of five, the parents can drop $100 for a night out to the movies, guess in this day and age, and Northern Virginia family income, no one bats an eye to how much tix prices have gone up – good for AMC in the long run.

I saw ‘Captain America’ in IMAX 3D before it left this week. When I bought my ticket, I was mad at the fact that they would only let me ‘choose’ a seat way up in the back of the theater. It was a matinee and I thought maybe they sold out but the place seemed deserted. When I paid my $18.69, the movie was just about to begin. I should back up and say there was a difference of about 15 minutes between the stated showtime and the actual showtime, which made me miss all the previews. :( Since it was dark, I just sat at the aisle seat and practically had the place to myself. :)

I had a good time. The movie wasn’t so dark as Digital 3D usually is. They changed the sound fx intro to the IMAX format. Its okay, just slightly different. My aisle seat is actually good for me as its at that immersion point where the you’re not looking so much up or down at the screen. The early scene with that one character..I do not know the name because I don’t really follow the comics..she has the dark hair. You could tell some of the movements were CGI. Too much CGI. While you know they are super heroes who perform super human feats, it just registers as fake to me when they keep throwing those CGI stunts at you that the ‘wow’ factor diminishes.

I’m disappointed the new X Men: Apocalypse isn’t booked in IMAX. I can’t believe they booked the Alice in Wonderland sequel instead. UGH!. On the other hand, its in the Dolby Cinema one. It may be worth the trip to come back this way, but I don’t know.

the plus for IMAX here at Tysons is that IMAX is 3D, Dolby Cinema is not – which for the price seems like a rip off. Oddly ‘The Jungle Book’ is the first Dolby Cinema release in actual 3D, yet it’s not presented here as such. Until they fix that ‘light bouncing back onto the screen’ flaw, I’m not really all that gun-ho on going back here.