A few days after I published my reflection on watching Sinners at Kochi’s Cinepolis IMAX, I received an email from Arjun, a reader who had seen my Reddit comment. He had a simple and practical question:

“Hey Ashik,

Saw your IMAX Kochi comment on Reddit… Just wanted to ask [for] your best seat recommendation for Kochi IMAX.

Thanks in advance,
Arjun.”

These are the kinds of questions that only come up when you’re planning to go yourself. Here’s the essence of what I shared with Arjun:

My experience with IMAX is limited. I’ve only been to the Kochi IMAX once, as I mentioned in my original post. So do take this as just one perspective.

Why Choose the Centre Seat

That said, my general rule of thumb is to aim for the centre of the auditorium, both horizontally and vertically.

In multiplexes, the screens are typically designed to give you a good view from most seats, whether you’re toward the front or back. If you’re watching at an older, larger theatre (like Kavitha), the traditional balcony seating still offers a better viewing angle. But with today’s multiplexes and smaller IMAX setups, the viewing angle matters much less.

While screen quality holds up across the hall, sound positioning matters more. Sound mixers usually calibrate from the centre. So that is where you’re most likely to experience the best balance of sound. That’s why the centre is ideal.

The exception is a Dolby Atmos theatre playing a film mixed for Atmos, where overhead speakers help even out the soundscape.

When IMAX Premium is Worth it

One thing to keep in mind: unless a movie is actually shot with IMAX cameras (like Sinners was, at least in parts), you’re not getting the full IMAX experience. Many films are just upscaled for the format. Personally, I think the premium price is only worth it when the film is truly made for IMAX. That’s why, back when Interstellar was released, I made the trip all the way to Chennai to see it properly, which was the nearest IMAX at the time.

If you’re wondering about the exact seat number I chose for Sinners: it was Cinepolis Screen 2 (IMAX), G8. That wasn’t exactly at the centre. Those seats had already been booked by the time I bought my ticket—but it was close enough.

I’m not sure if Sinners is still playing in IMAX anymore, but whatever film you end up seeing, I hope you enjoy the experience.

Conscious Choices

For me, there is something soothing and grounding in making choices like this, consciously choosing where I sit in a theatre. That said, seat choice, screen specs, sound mix, all of it only matters up to a point, to help me forget everything else and immerse myself in the story, opening and leaving myself up in the hands of the capable storytellers.

This post grew out of a reader’s question. If you have similar questions or thoughts, feel free to reach out at [email protected].