I have been a few times to this Imax cinema, most recently to see A Christmas Carol in 3D. The Imax is located next to the science centre and the new BBC building and looks like a large silver globe shaped building - like a smaller version of the SECC armadillo building. There is ample car parking, however, it is not free parking - it was around £2 after 6pm but if you pay for the token at the customer services desk at the front door before you watch the film, you get it cheaper.

Firstly, you MUST get there early to have any chance of a decent seat. Last time I got there around 30mins before the film started and there were already a few queueing but luckily I was near the front and got a great seat. The previous time I went I got there about 10mins before it started and got a seat right at the front row. It was awful and I don't recommend anyone to end up in that row - waste of money.

The cinema itself looks like a normal cinema only it is much steeper (no problems with anyone tall sitting in front and blocking your view) and the seats run in curved rows. The screen is massive and it's curved slightly so it fits your whole field of vision. As I've said before, you really don't want to be in the front few rows as you have to physically look up to see the whole screen and it hurts your eyes. Try to get at least from the middle row to the back.

The 3D effects were excellent - they give you the glasses as you go in and they are proper plastic ones not the rubbish paper ones. (It's amazing how different a film looks in 3D - its like you could reach out and touch things on the screen. Brilliant. When the camera pans in or out it feels as if you are actually moving and you get the butterfly feeling in your stomach like when you go over a hill in a car if you know what I mean! And the sound is excellent - full surround sound so it's much more realistic.

It's a bit more expensive than the normal cinema, adults around £8-9, students around £6-7 and children £5-6. But it's definately worth it especially if you have never seen a 3D film before - you will never want to see a normal film again!