I was sucker punched by “Sucker Punch.”
Not being a big fan of action-fantasy movies in general or specifically Zack Snyder’s digital-heavy movies like “300″ and “Watchmen” (though I admired “Legend of the Guardians” fairly well), I was not expecting to like “Sucker Punch” much at all.

Boy, do I love finding out I was wrong and winding up enjoying a movie as much as I did “Sucker Punch.” And I have yet to regret going the extra mile to see the movie on a giant full-size IMAX screen. “Sucker Punch” was no exception — this is yet another that translates extremely well to the larger screen and superior sound system of IMAX.
The movie opens Friday (March 25) on 229 IMAX screens domestically and at least 78 IMAX screens internationally simultaneous with Warner Bros.’ release of the movie in traditional theaters.

For the first 15 min. – 20 min. of the two-hour film I was not having a good time, though the opening was not at all what I expected. While visually dynamic and interesting, it seemed like it was stylized exploitation, going for the lowest common denominator in starting out like a horror film with scenes of parental rape of a stepchild and then segueing into a setting at an insane asylum for young scantily-clad orphan girls who were being abused by an administrator acting as a pimp (the latter part in the vivid imagination of our protagonist).
Then it morphed into wild anachronistic fantasy mixing modern technology into settings with helicopters and zeppelins flying over medieval castles. The sexy helpless girls suddenly became super-humans, using huge swords and giant machine guns and leaping inhumanly high. They were never slowed for a second after being batted roughly against walls during epic battles with zombies, robots, and dragons. Battle scenes that seemed to blur World War I with World War II all intermingled with primary settings that seemed to be of 1950s era Americana.
Little of it was logical and the story seemed somewhat hard to follow at times.
Then, about the same time the first of many great songs in the movie was introduced — an ear-catching unlikely version of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” sung by star Emily Browning (off-screen, gratefully not in musical style like “Moulin Rouge”) — I decided to abandon all traditional viewing perspectives for this movie and just enjoy the ride.

What a pleasure to see such a rare fresh approach to cinematic style and entertainment, from Snyder’s trademark color-saturated and/or grainy washed-out settings to his brave and effective framing of shots, such as an extreme close-up of the lead actress on the left half of the frame and another actor in a medium shot on the right side and also in full focus. And writer/director/producer Snyder got some terrific performances out of relatively unfamiliar lead Australian actress Browning (“The Uninvited”), here with stark white hair and very fair skin, and fairly unknown lead villain Oscar Isaac (“Robin Hood,” “Body of Lies”), who is brilliantly intimidating (don’t miss his performance of Roxy Music’s “Love Is the Drug,” with co-villain Carla Gugino during the closing credits).

There are also fun smaller turns by more familiar actors such as Jena Malone (“Bastard out of Carolina,” Into the Wild”), Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), Scott Glenn, and especially a departure role for “High School Musical” sweetheart Vanessa Hudgens.

But one of the most enjoyable elements to be sure is the reworking of popular songs such as a mash-up of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” with “I Want it All” from “Armageddon,” Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini’s take on Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” and many others.

– By Scott Hettrick

Director Zack Snyder (“300,” “Watchmen”) delivers one of the strongest 3D presentations thus far in Warner Bros.’ family-friendly PG feature “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” which opened Friday, Sept. 24.

Enhancing the brilliant use of depth and perspective in obvious owl flying sequences as well as more subtle scenes, all of which were originally rendered in 3D animation, is the IMAX large format presentation, as always.

The Road Runner eludes Wile E. Coyote in the Looney Tunes 3D short "Fur of Flying"

Getting the experience off to a terrific start is the second 3D Looney Tunes Road Runner animated short, “Fur of Flying,” which perhaps surpasses the terrific “Coyote Falls” that preceded the forgettable summer flick “Cats and Dogs: The Return of Kitty Galore.”

IMAX accounted for a much larger percentage than usual of the $16.1 million opening weekend North American box-office gross with about 11% or $1.7 million. While IMAX has achieved 9% – 10% of some action films, the percentage on family films is usually closer to 6% to 8%.

IMAX digitally re-mastered the image and sound of “Guardians” for IMAX theaters and opened it on 193 IMAX 3D screens domestically and 63 IMAX screens internationally, three of which will open this Friday with the additional runs debuting throughout the following weeks.

– By Scott Hettrick

“Inception” opens in a record 197 IMAX theaters and other traditional theaters today with near-unanimous critical praise.

The latest Christopher Nolan cinematc mindbender will keep you riveted throughout the 2 1/2-hour running time, not only due to the fast pace, high energy, and frequent innovative action scenes, but also because of the challenge in deciphering the plot and setting that is literally working on multiple levels — of the dream-state and subconscious minds of the characters.

The elaborate visual elements and dynamic chases, including the eye-popping sight of a full-scale train plowing through rush-hour automobile traffic on a downtown city street, is all quite enveloping when it encompasses your entire horizontal and vertical field of view in a full-scale IMAX theater, as was the case at Universal CityWalk’s IMAX theater Thursday night. (The digitally remastered film for IMAX theaters opened on 22 international IMAX screens Thursday and will follow in 44 others internationally in the coming weeks.)

Nolan, whose “Dark Knight,” also from Warner Bros., grossed more than $65 million at IMAX theaters, said audiences will get the best immersive experience when watching it in IMAX. ”We have done all kinds of things to re-format the film for The IMAX Experience, and as a result, you get enhanced clarity, sound and a closer relationship with the action.”

“…Nolan and IMAX have once again proven to be ideally suited to each other,” said Warner Bros. Pictures’ president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman. He also noted that with the number of IMAX theaters doubling since the release of “Dark Knight,” more moviegoers will be able to “experience ‘Inception’  in this exceptional format.”

“With a visionary director that knows and understands the power of the IMAX medium, …this film has all the key ingredients for an anchor 2010 IMAX release,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment.

M.C. Escher 1960 lithograph Ascending and Descending

I am not the first to make the comparison to “The Matrix” or even Nolan’s “Memento” when referencing the cryptic challenges of “Inception,” but the movie is also filled with fun homages or maybe even Nolan’s own subconscious references to other movies such as the gun-toting skiers and even the accompanying score during what I’ll call the Level 3 setting that is very reminiscent of a couple of James Bond movies. Nolan also borrows from M.C. Escher, using CGI to bring to cinematic life the artist’s famous visual puzzles drawings of continuous up/down staircases.

Ever since “Catch Me If You Can” in 2002, Leonardo DiCacprio’s performances have been noticeably stronger with each new challenging role he chooses to tackle as opposed to settling for an obvious or easy character in a simple, one-dimensional  film.

That trend continues here as DiCaprio delivers a convincing character of sufficient depth that amidst all the action and the brain-testing labyrinth of story-lines and the real and imagined characters and settings, he is able to repeatedly engage and capture our deep sympathy and emotion in gripping scenes depicting his struggle to reconnect with his two young children and come to terms about an unresolved traumatic confrontation with his wife.

DiCaprio is supported by a strong cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days of Summer”), Ellen Page (“Juno”), Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai”), Marion Cotillard (“La vie en rose”), Tom Hardy (“RocknRolla”), Cillian Murphy (“Batman Begins”), Tom Berenger (“Platoon”) and even Michael Caine in a small but important role. But, as always, this is Christopher Nolan’s movie with his stamp on the concept, writing, and directing.

– By Scott Hettrick