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May 8, 2008

IMAX features U2, Grand Canyon

Viewers can get in the action with 3D glasses

By STEVEN HOWELL

MONTREAL -- You wouldn't think iconic rockers U2 share something in common with the majestic Grand Canyon, but they do.

The Montreal Science Centre IMAX Theatre presents "U23D" and "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk," a diverse double bill complete with 3D glasses.

First up, U2 fans to the front of the line for "U23D," an almost full-length concert film that satisfies the most discerning fan while offering some unique 3D tricks of the trade -- you can practically reach out and touch Bono's microphone or strum The Edge's guitar. Audience perspective adds to the 3D atmosphere as arms wave and fans pulsate up and down in ecstatic concert frenzy -- you really have some of the best seats in the house.

The film was shot during U2's recent Vertigo tour in four locations -- Mexico City; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Buenos Aires. In all, more than 100 hours of footage was shot.

The film highlights the intimate up-close-and-personal aspects to the hilt. Just how close? You can actually see the play list taped to the stage floor, or, as the camera hovers atop the stage, drum sticks disappear into a blur as Larry Mullen Jr. pounds the cymbals during the performance of "New Years Day." When the camera returns to the audience, you can clearly see the stage reproduced onto a tiny cell phone screen as fans click a quick photograph of the concert happening before their very eyes.

When you think of the size of this IMAX screen -- impressive at 70-feet tall -- consider that a close-up of Bono would make his head, say, 35 feet tall. Be it the magic of movies or some high-priced cosmetics, all I can say is: rockers boast beautiful complexions!

The song list doesn't disappoint and includes "Beautiful Day," "Miss Sarajevo," "One," "With or Without You" and "Where the Streets Have No Name." And not only can U2 sell out an outdoor arena, they can also sell out an IMAX theater -- I don't remember the last time I saw this theater without a seat to spare -- the place was packed. Translation: die-hard fans who want a decent seat better get there early (I waited 40 minutes on line).

RIVER AT RISK

Next is a wet and wild river raft ride called "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D." The film is presented by the IMAX production team MacGillivray Freeman Films and director Greg MacGillivray, the same director who carried a massive IMAX camera up Mount Everest in the production "Everest" a few years back. MacGillivray accomplishes the near impossible again by mounting an IMAX camera onto a raft that navigates through the wild rapids of the Colorado River. The shots are stunning.

The film follows anthropologist and writer Wade Davis, as well as his college buddy, river conservation advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and their daughters, on a journey down the Colorado River. Joining them is Shana Watahomigie, a member of the Havasupai tribe and the first Native American to become a National Park Ranger and river guide. The film combines thrilling Grand Canyon travelogue and poignant family vacation as Kennedy recalls a similar trip taken with his father, Sen. Bobby Kennedy, some 40 years earlier. Most important, the film addresses the perils of global warming on the world's fresh water supply and concerns about the future of the Colorado River, which once flowed mightily for 1,400 miles from the Rocky Mountain snow caps to the Pacific Ocean. Today, dams and drought have drastically changed the landscape of the Colorado River -- the river is barely a stagnant creek once it crosses the Mexican border. The film becomes a sobering reminder of the need for conservation, especially when considering that the river is a source of water and power to 25 million Americans who live in the Southwest.

"Grand Canyon Adventure" is narrated by Robert Redford with music by the Dave Matthews Band.

Both films continue until June 22.

The Montreal Science Centre IMAX Theatre is at the King Edward Pier in the Old Port. Admission for "U23D" is $15 for adults, $14 for teens and seniors, and $12 for children 4 to 12. "Grand Canyon" costs $12 for adults, $11 for teens and seniors, and $9 for children 4 to 12. The double bill costs $23 for adults, $21 for teens and seniors, and $17 for children 4 to 12. It's recommended you reserve your tickets in advance. For more information and a complete schedule, call (514) 496-4629 or visit www.montrealsciencecentre.com. Also visit www.Grand

CanyonAdventureFilm.com.

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