Miss Wilhelmina

It’s the very first IMAX theater in Cebu and I had the privilege of getting invited to watch a special screening of James Cameron’s Avatar. I’ve actually already watched the movie along with millions of movie goers out there when it got released sometime last year. I watched it in 3D, as well. The first time I saw the movie in 3D, I actually got disappointed, because my eyes ended up hurting. It was as if wearing eyeglasses that have grades that are too high for your own good. I’m pretty sure it can’t be the glasses. It must be the projection then.

Who knows? I’m not a 3D movie technician. When I watched it the first time, when IMAX hasn’t made it to Cebu yet, an American was sitting right behind us, and he kept taking his glasses on and off and as clear as daylight said, “I knew it was too good to be true.”. Nonetheless, they (he and his partner) finished the movie.

When I got the invite, I was happy, of course, it’s not everyday you get such an invite and I’m not sure I’d want to spend 400 pesos on a movie. People in the Philippines barely make that much everyday, and I’m jobless right now.

Mr. Allan Florendo, the Head of Marketing at SM City Cebu, gave a presentation about IMAX, regarding its history and also provided statistics about the ticket sales at SM Malls. When the movie started, the first thing that came to my mind was that the sound was at least more crisp that the first time I watched it, but the visuals were no better. I ended up taking the glasses off a number of times just to relieve my eyes.

I was also running a fever and since I only went to see what the hype was all about, I left the IMAX theater halfway through the movie to get some well-deserved rest.