Giant Sized!

Last weekend, my wife and I went to see two movies at the IMAX theater downtown. We saw them back to back, and we really enjoyed both, even though they were very different from one another.

The first movie was Tornado Alley, a documentary better explained as "the true story behind the movie Twister." While this is not completely accurate, it gives you a pretty good idea of what you're in for: storm chasers trying to get as close to a tornado as possible so that they can gather data to help increase the warning time for people living in what's known as Tornado Alley. (Plus, it's narrated by Bill Paxton!) The movie was fun, but the end was a little bit disappointing, as the one shot the director had been chasing for eight years was not as spectacular as (a) other shots in the movie, or (b) what the audience had been anticipating. Still, it was fun, and it looked great on an IMAX screen.

The second one was the clear winner, though, and you'll see why in a second. Born to Be Wild 3D tells the story of two different animal sanctuaries: one in Kenya, and one in Borneo. In Kenya, we meet a herd of orphaned elephants the people working there are raising until they're ready to go back into the wild. In Borneo, we meet a herd of orphaned orangutans the people working there are raising until they're ready to go back into the wild. Do you see a pattern? Baby animals are always cute, and this documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman, radiates cuteness in every single scene. Plus, the 3D is incredibly immersive, and the picture quality is tremendously crisp. So, if you love animals and nature, do not hesitate and check this movie out!