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Streaming may have been our lockdown lifeline, but if last night’s premiere at The Zone @ Rosebank proved anything, it’s that the magic of the big screen is unmatched.
For a while, we tried to convince ourselves that a 55-inch OLED and a soundbar were good enough, but last night, sitting in the heart of Rosebank, I realised how wrong we were.
I was at the launch of the brand-new IMAX with Laser cinema, now officially the largest screen in Gauteng, for a preview screening of the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, MICHAEL. And if this experience was any indication, the return to the cinema is long overdue.
A sensory experience
If you’re going to watch a story about the greatest entertainer of all time, you don't want to watch it on a screen that feels like an afterthought. The IMAX with Laser is a beast. The visuals are startlingly sharp, but it’s the sound that really recalibrates your senses.
During the performance sequences, the audio didn't just fill the room; it reverberated through the floor. Stepping out of the cinema, I still had Bad ringing in my ears, an effect that would last until I got into bed. Actually, I think I can still hear it right now.
In the spirit of you get what you get, and you don't get upset, I ended up on the side near the front, but even from this vantage point, the scale was impressive. For the best experience, you must book in the centre row. Trust me on this.
The man in the mirror
As for the film itself? MICHAEL is, in a word, epic. It’s a gorgeous, sweeping highlight reel of the most defining moments of a career that reshaped global culture. But more than the moonwalks and the Motown milestones, it offered a rare look at the man behind the myth.
I left the theatre with a renewed reverence for the legend and a lump in my throat. In a world riddled with distractions, it’s the kind of storytelling that demands your undivided attention.
The power of the collective
Tech aside, what struck me most about the experience was the atmosphere. Recently, I caught a live screening of the BTS concert at the cinema, and the vibe was electric. MICHAEL was no different.
Streaming is convenient, but it’s also solitary. There is nothing quite like the shared energy of a crowd, the audible gasps, the "whoops" when our favourite song starts, or the collective silence during the heavy moments. The cinema brings us together in a way an algorithm never will.
With a massive lineup of blockbusters slated for the rest of 2026 and into next year, the arrival of this IMAX feels like a turning point. It’s a reminder that some stories are just too big for your living room.
If you’re looking for a reason to put down the remote and head back to the movies, this is it. The ticket price is well worth the immersion.
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