As early as Thursday night, comic book fans and blockbuster aficionados will finally have the chance to see Man of Steel, the Zack Snyder-Christopher Nolan take on Superman, the all-American superhero.
If you've been paying attention to the trailers surfacing periodically on Facebook, Twitter, and in theaters (people still go to those, right?), then you know this Superman movie won't look like any previous version. But whether it's really Snyder doing his best Malick impression, or just another ho-hum rock-em-sock-em extravaganza, no summer movie is more hotly anticipated. So, where can you see it on the big screen -- I mean the really big screen? Or, if you're old-fashioned, where can you see it on celluloid? And who or what is a General Zod? Take a look at our Man of Steel primer for answers.
See it BIG Snyder didn't use IMAX cameras for Man of Steel, but that doesn't mean you won't see it on IMAX screens across the country. Not every IMAX location is made the same, though.
True IMAX uses celluloid that is 15 perforations wide, not digital projection, and is shown on screens bigger than some that carry the IMAX name. So how can you know you're sitting in the real deal and not a "lieMAX" auditorium? LF Examiner, a journal of large format cinema, lists the Webb Chapel Cinemark as the one you want.
And what if IMAX doesn't matter to you but you still want to see it big? There's no place better than the Cine Capri screen at Harkins in Southlake. With a room that seats 600 and a screen 70 feet wide, you'll feel like you're right up Superman's nose. Plus, with the auditorium's swanky gold decor and the classical music playing beforehand, you'll also get a dose of sophistication with your summer blockbuster needs.
Go Old School with 35mm But maybe a Superman-sized screen isn't what you're looking for. You want something with some local flavor, where you and your friends can grab a drink before, during, and after your trip to Metropolis. The Texas Theatre's got you covered. From Thursday night at midnight through Monday, Dallasites can enjoy the theater's relaxed, historical atmosphere while also taking in the biggest film of the summer.
Get to Know the Villain -- General Zod If you're a longtime reader of the Superman comics, or you've seen Superman: The Movie (1978) and Superman II (1980), you know all you need to know about Man of Steel's baddie (played by Michael Shannon, of Boardwalk Empire fame). If you haven't, you might be scratching your head at the bizarre name and thinking, "What's a Zod?"
In short, he's another Kryptonian, like Superman. He was a military leader sentenced of Krypton's Phantom Zone for mutinous activities. If you want to see him in action in the comics, Dallas writer David Ray Carter recommends the Superman: Last Son storyline (repackaged in the link as Superman: Last Son of Krypton), "unless you want to read early 60s Superboys."
Remember Why It's Been So Long Since the Last Superman Movie?
This: