(l-r, Stacy Prezioso, Jenn Ruggeri, Kim Brown)
Comcast 3D IMAX Theater
Reading MA
Sunday, August 12 2007
We cheated in coming to Jordan Furniture's Comcast 3D IMAX Theater, as in we came by car...but it IS accessible by the MBTA bus system, which stops out front of the shopping center...
We were there to see the 3-D Imax version of "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix" (see earlier review).
Located at 50 Walkers Brook Drive in Reading (there's another one in Natick, also), the complex is MUCH MORE than a theater, much more...and for an all-in-one afternoon of family-oriented entertainment, this place simply cannot be beat!
You enter the lobby through a set of humongous revolving doors, which you don't even have to touch - they're automatic. And you enter into a wonderous world of JellyBelly proportions. Jelly Belly is one of several merchants in the lobby area, and you actually have to walk a bit to get to the theater's actual lobby, which is to the left of the doors, past Fuddrucker's Restaurant, and down another small mirrored hallway.
We had pre-purchased our tickets and didn't need to visit the ticket booth, which from all accounts was very quick and well organized. I didn't see any ticket kiosks, however, and this place would seem to have been a natural for them.
The snack bar is well manned and well stocked, and handled by extremely friendly employees who know their job. It can be a bit noisy, though - the theater's line starts right next to the snackbar area. But overall, a very pleasant experience. And the popcorn was delicious as well. They also provide a "do-it-yourself" soda and butter bar for you to fill your own soda and butter your own popcorn; it could have been a little bit neater - the butter was all over the machine and didn't really work very well, though we got a little bit, and drenched the bottom of the popcorn bag. Messy, but we were able to wipe it off to the poing where we didn't get any on our clothes.
The seats in the IMAX Auditorum are deluxe seats, with extra padding and long, comfortable arms. However, their appearance is decieving, as I found myself becoming increasingly uncomfortable due to the way the seat was manufactured, with a piping of material running just under my upper legs. By the end of the first hour, my legs were not happy with that. But I have a problem with upper leg circulation due to a back problem, and the others with me said they had no discomfort.
The bathrooms were busy and still in tiptop shape - all the facilities were in perfect working order and clean as they could be. The floor around the sinks was a bit wet, but not overly so to where it might cause an accident.
Overall, the quality of the movie was great - it usually is with an IMAX film - and sound was pretty good, although less than i'm used to with IMAX - I had a hard time hearing the low parts of the movie, which I didn't have when we saw it in the regular multiplex. The theater was only about half full and no matter where you sit, IMAX gives you an excellent view of the screen. The 3D effects, located in the final 25 minutes of the movie, were INCREDIBLE. A small flashing icon on screen lets you know it's time for the glasses, and another icon lets you know when to take them off. Very simple, and very easy to follow.
The cinema itself was SPOTLESS! We were at the third show of the day, and there wasn't a single cup, bag, or anything to be found, nor was there even a single stray piece of popcorn on the floor. Kudos to the teams which help keep the theater amazingly clean!
THE SCORES: (all are out of 5)
Lobby - 5
Snack Bar - 4
Theater Cleanliness - 5
Theater Temperature - 5
Comfy Factor - 4
Film Quality - 5
Sound Quality - 4
Bathrooms - 5
Employees - 5
Ticket Kiosks - 0
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TOTAL SCORE: 42 out of 50 - Excellent
I cannot say enough about the fantastic complex that Jordans have put in to house the theater. In addition to the wonderful theater, they have, as I mentioned above, a Jelly Belly -sponsored area that includes a number of little specialty shops that sell tees and jelly beans, plus a number of other attractions, including a trapeze school (!), a Richardson's Ice Cream parlor, a fantastic and fun musical fountain display called Liquid Fireworks, and a full sized Fuddrucker's restaurant. And of course, several entrances into the main Jordan's Furniture building.
After the movie, we went to Fuddrucker's for lunch, then tackled the ice cream parlor and took our ice creams (which were larger than Ben And Jerry's large size for less than the price of a B&J Small, and that was a Richardson's MEDIUM!) to a table next to the fountains, which really cooled off the building...it would be a great place to sit in the heat of summer and cool off.
All in all, I think this one was the most fun we've had at ANY of our tour stops - hats off to Comcast and Jordan's Furniture for making one of PNR's Metro Boston Summer Tour stops one of the most pleasant days we've had out in a long time.
On The Web: http://www.jordansimax.live.terabyte.co.nz/
We'll have a review of another MetroBoston Theater on our PNR Summer Tour 2007 coming soon! And don't forget to check back frequently, and on our weekly podcast Subject:CINEMA, for more PNR MetroBoston Summer Tour 07 coverage!
