THE days of sitting in a theater seat, with a movie reel whirring in the background as it projects a black-and-white picture on a screen are gone. The film industry has developed advanced technologies in sound, color and dimension. Today, going to the movies means multi-dimensional entertainment. Cinemas, too, are changing with the times. Where and how we watch films are becoming as important as the films themselves. Shanghai Daily offers a sneak preview of some non-traditional cinemas in Minhang.Going to the flicks?

SHANGHAI Film Group CGV

This cinema propels audiences through an adventure journey alongside the film characters.

The 4D movie environment simulates smell, vibration, weightlessness and lights so that people feel part of the action on the screen.

“It was great to watch 4D versions of some movies, but the experience wasn’t so exciting for all movies,” said Louise Wang, a frequent customer at the cinema.

She singled out “Jurassic World” as among the best.

“The vibrating seats made me feel like I was riding a rollercoaster and it was fun,” she said.

On the other hand, “Man of Steel” was a bit of a nightmare for Wang.

“Something on the back of the chair kept poking me whenever there was a fight scene, and it hurt a lot,” she said. “At one point, all I heard people yelling in the theater was ‘ouch!’”

Water misted on audiences during some movies also annoyed her. She recalled get too much water in her face on several occasions, and once or twice it went directly into her mouth.

“I don’t know if the water was clean or not, and I felt gross,” she said. “Now every time I see any liquid appearing on the screen, I put my hand tightly over my mouth.”

Niggling aside, Wang said she loves 4D movies and won’t stop going to see them.

“Once you get used to 4D movies, other movies feel like you are missing something,” she said.

Address: 4/F, 5001 Dushi Rd

Wanmu Movies

Unlike standard cinemas, this theater is intimate, accommodating no more than 10 people at one time. Moviegoers here can select the film they want to watch.

The theater has reclining chairs that allow customers to lay back in comfort. A movie selection system works something like a jukebox in a karaoke bar. Like every cinema, this theater also sells soft drinks and popcorn.

Movies here are not the latest releases. The fare includes many foreign films and also 3D movies.

“It feels like watching DVD at home, but in the atmosphere of a movie theater,” said Shi Yi, who frequents the cinema on dates.

Shi said the theater allows the audience to talk about the films while they are being screened, without disrupting others.

“It is an ideal place for couples on a date or for friends having a movie party,” she said.

Address: 3/F, 7688 Humin Rd

The Griffin Drive-In

Drive-in movies evoke the image of America in the 1960s and 70s, when people watched movies from cars parked in front of huge screens. Young children fell asleep in backseats while their parents watched films to the end. Courting couples smooched, ignoring the movies altogether.

Drive-ins never really caught on in a big way in China, though some do exist. One such venue is Griffin Drive-In. It’s a bit of a nostalgic trip for Chinese familiar with the American drive-in culture.

The movies shown here, however, are recent releases. For a 160 yuan (US$24) ticket per car, viewers can watch six movies. That’s a good deal by any standard.

“My husband took me there once, and it was a new experience for both of us,” wrote a netizen with the tag name DLoveXs on dianping.com, a Chinese Yelp-style website. “Because we were in our car, we could literally do anything — laugh aloud, eat and talk. We didn’t have to worry about disturbing others.”

The only problem was the locale. The drive-in is located in an industrial area, and the air was dusty, she said.

“When we got home, our car was filthy,” she wrote. “It was like coming out of a dust storm.”

Address: 429 Quwu Rd

WHAT’S playing at cinemas in May

THE upcoming month will be bonanza for movie fans. Three Hollywood blockbusters and several domestic works films are due to be released.

The most hotly discussed movie is the long-awaited “Captain America 3: Civil War.” What will happen between superheroes Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)? The question has been the subject of rampant speculation, making the Disney and Marvel movie the most anticipated since “The Avengers” was released in 2012.

On Chinese social media websites, two distinct groups — “Team Cap” and “Team Iron Man” — are engaged in a weekly battle about who will do what to whom in the upcoming film.

“I’m afraid some of the fans will start fighting in the theater,” said Mindy Lao, a movie fan. “I have decided that I will wear a ‘just a casual viewer’ pin to the movie in case I’m caught in the crossfire.”

Another Disney sequel, “Alice in Wonderland 2: Through the Looking Glass” will be on Chinese screens by the end of May.

Based loosely on the novel by Lewis Carroll, the movie will pick up at the end of the last movie to explore Alice’s new adventures in the whimsical world of Wonderland. This time, her mission is to travel back in time to save the Mat Hatter.

All the beloved cast will return, including Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. This movie will also posthumously feature the voice of the late Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar.

“It will be real sad to hear that voice again,” said Lao. “Johnny Depp is my favorite, but I will go to the movie more than once just to hear Rickman.”

Sequels seem to be the flavor of the month. Another Hollywood movie due to be screened is “X-men: Apocalypse,” the ninth of the “X-men” series.

James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto will reprise their roles, with Jennifer Lawrence continuing to star as Mistique after her series debut in 2011.

Compared with these Hollywood blockbusters, the domestic Chinese films on offer next month may look a bit lame, but there might be surprises in store.

The most attention-catching work will be “Brothers” directed by A Gan, who is known for horror and thriller movies. “Brothers” tells a story of two siblings fighting for their respective family camps.

“It is a 3D movie, and I hope this signifies that domestic films will be making a breakthrough in technology,” said movie aficionado Lao.