Disney+ Dr. Strange in IMAX enhanced 1.90 on Disney+ is a new standard for streaming quality (1 Viewer)

[Jake Lipson]

I was more lamenting the fact that if you're going to shoot with Imax cameras, why mask for 2.35 at all?

Because there are not enough IMAX screens in the world to give the movie a wide release relying on IMAX exclusively. Even if they could, each blockbuster movie usually gets a couple weeks tops in IMAX auditoriums before the next one comes along to take over those screens, especially during the competitive summer season.

But because it looks like it was framed intentionally for IMAX, not just action in 2.35 with extra headroom.

It probably was. But Raimi also knew that the availability of the IMAX version would be limited, which is why he also created the 2.35 version.

I saw the scope version in theaters because my local theater of choice does not have an IMAX. I go to Cinemark. Their premium screens are called Cinemark XD and provide a presentation similar in quality to a multiplex IMAX, but don't get to show the IMAX framing because they are not part of the IMAX company. So they show the MCU films in scope. It didn't look cropped to me. Even though I know intellectually there's more information up there I could be seeing in IMAX, I didn't feel like I was missing anything while watching. I can understand why it would look that way if you're actually switching back and forth between the two versions and able to note the specific differences. But If you're just watching it in scope, it looks fine.

As for the film, watching previous MCU films doesn't seem necessary except, maybe, the first Dr. Strange film.

I think the first Doctor Strange is helpful because it establishes who he is better than any of the subsequent MCU films in which he has appeared. It also gives you backstory on his relationships with Christine, Wong and Mordo which come into play here. Even though this is also absolutely a sequel to WandaVision, Doctor Strange is the one in the title and as such it is supposed to be his sequel. I don't think it entirely succeeded in that regard because it is not the sequel that the first film was setting up. But I still think you get more out of this one if you've sen the first one. I understand why some people who are less plugged into the MCU might balk at watching WandaVision beforehand. But I think it is entirely reasonable for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to assume that audience members are aware of the previous film in its named franchise.

 

[Sam Posten]

Btw there are a million fan sites and YouTube channels that will give you a 5 minute recap if you need it before going to an MCU sequel

What You Need to Know Before Seeing ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

www.theringer.com

 

[Edwin-S]

I understand that both versions are legitimate, I wasn't arguing that. I was more lamenting the fact that if you're going to shoot with Imax cameras, why mask for 2.35 at all?

Most cities and towns do not have theatres with IMAX capability. All theatres do have the ability to project 2.35:1.

 

[sleroi]

Most cities and towns do not have theatres with IMAX capability. All theatres do have the ability to project 2.35:1.

If non-imax screens can project 1.85 flat films, then they can project 1.90 with slight bars top and bottom. If this isn't possible than how can D+ offer these for viewing on 16x9 TVs?

It's more a marketing issue than a technical issue. If they're going to charge more for IMAX they need a reason, and 26% more screen and exclusivity is it.

True IMAX screens are huge and I love seeing films there. But it's a long drive and expensive. But most local theaters that show films in IMAX ratio are not as big.

If a director of an MCU film said the ratio is 1.90, there is no 2.35 version, do you think theaters would say they can't show it? And lose all that money.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Most cities and towns do not have theatres with IMAX capability. All theatres do have the ability to project 2.35:1.

Thing is... most advertised-as-IMAX theaters don't have true IMAX capability either as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, there are plenty of those in NYC metro area, but I would never pay the premium to go to those -- yes, I've tried a so-called Digital IMAX screening once before and was thoroughly underwhelmed. For my $ in NYC, it's either the one true IMAX theater at Lincoln Square or not at all -- of course, that's besides the various documentary-style IMAX film screenings at museums around here.

_Man_

 

[Jake Lipson]

IMAX simply does not have enough screens to do an exclusive release of a huge tentpole like an MCU film. Nor would they be able to screen it for the entire length of its theatrical run because of contractual commitments to other films. The scope version is created for everywhere else.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Are you complaining about not knowing who people are in a movie?
I really don’t follow what your complaints are.
I haven’t watched DS1 in probably 6 years and I didn’t need to watch the first one or do any research to follow what was going on in this movie.
Have you not watched any of the other MCU movies?

Seriously? Why should they put a recap at the beginning of a movie? It should not be shocking to anybody that a movie with Doctor Strange's name in the title will pick up storylines from the last movie with Doctor Strange's name in the title.

I can't tell if you're talking about Christine or Wanda in your above comment. Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda) combined footage across her five MCU films is absolutely more than 15 minutes combined. Rachel McAdams (Christine) is in enough of Doctor Strange to receive third billing in it behind Benedict Cumberbatch and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It's not a bit part.

Plus, Christine's interactions with Stephen throughout Multiverse of Madness, including in her first scene at the wedding, make extremely clear that they are exes. That's really the base minimum you need to know.

Of all the criticisms I've read of this movie, many of it understandable even if I didn't agree with it, you are like the only one I've seen asking for a recap. Given how yours is likely an extremely minority viewpoint, studios are not going to waste valuable screen time on something an exceedingly small number of people want.

Also:

• Godfather II to III (16 years). That was a wonderful "last time, on Godfather I and II" intro Coppola began III with.
• Terminator I to II (7 years). Who can forget the Terminator I montage at the beginning that Cameron crafted to start off T2 with
• Blade Runner to BR 2049 (35 years). Great 10 minute recap of Blade Runner that Villaneuve put in as a combo reminder and homage of the original to begin BR 2049.
• Mad Max III to Fury Road (29 years): George Miller gave Mel some much needed screen time at the beginning of Fury Road to help get him back onscreen in front of the masses.

Oh wait...none of those things happened. What you are asking for is, it's not unprecedented, but it's just not common in major movie sequels. It's more common in episodic TV series on Netflix or some other streaming service.

Also, it's not as though the first Doctor Strange film is unavailable or hard to find in any way. I watched my Blu-ray again prior to seeing the new one. It is available on all major physical media formats and from digital retailers for rent or purchase. It can be streamed included with the price of a Disney+ subscription and has probably also been run on cable. Anybody who wants a recap can watch it again.

Or, you know, there's always Wikipedia or IMDb which will provide you a summary of the previous film for free that can be read in a couple of minutes.

The dialogue in the wedding sequence made clear that Christine is Stephen's ex. When the alternate version of Mordo is introduced, they literally have Stephen tell America what his history with Mordo is. So you should be able to understand those details because this movie brings them up. It's almost like they remind you of details from the previous film inside this one. Oh wait, they do. They just don't call it a recap, even though it is that.

They even threw in a couple of liens about Wanda taking a town hostage in an attempt to briefly explain the events of WandaVision to viewers who might not have seen it. I'm not sure how much would be understood from that because I did watch WandaVision twice, but at least they made the attempt.

Being confused about WandaVision is fair if people who watch the movies don't watch the shows too. But Marvel has made connections between their various projects an integral part of their brand for at least a decade since The Avengers brought all the heroes who had been introduced up to that point together for the first time. So I think the vast majority of their audience now understands that the more you watch from the MCU, the more you get out of it in terms of understanding the connections.

If you're not into the connections, that's fine. But I find it really unusual that it would be surprising to anyone that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would pick up on story threads from Doctor Strange. The name should make that clear. Being a sequel to Doctor Strange is literally part of its job.

I really don't want to continue dumping on Noel, but... (you knew there was going to be a but)

It would be one thing to say, "OK, I regret having gone to see this film, as I didn't realize how much I'd have to know or remember from the previous two dozen movies in the franchise to understand this one." But to see the 20th-something movie in a franchise and complain that it's the movie's fault that you don't know everything you need to know to follow along, that's on you.

It's like sitting down to watch the final episode of Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones without having seen any (or most) of the previous episodes, and complain that you don't know who these characters are and why they're behaving the way they do.

Btw there are a million fan sites and YouTube channels that will give you a 5 minute recap if you need it before going to an MCU sequel

What You Need to Know Before Seeing ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

www.theringer.com

Funny as the new Thor (which I saw today in RPX 3D) has not one but TWO recaps in it and is a much better film than Doctor Strange for it. I rest my case.

 

[Carlo_M]

Again. I never said it doesn't happen. Just that it's rare. But the fact that you found the rare exception that you feel justifies your case, congratulations.