These are the best movie theaters in Las Vegas

Those auditoriums we gathered in to watch films before the pandemic? Before those films started hitting streaming services in weeks instead of months? And before 55-inch TVs could be had for the price of a handful of drive-thru meals?

Now that, for many of us, moviegoing has become something of a special event, it’s worth looking at some of the best auditoriums the valley has to offer.

You want big? Brenden Theatres at the Palms has the only old-school, jaw-droppingly massive IMAX screen in the valley. Unlike newer digital IMAX screens that can seem only slightly larger than ones found in traditional theaters, Brenden’s is one of those awe-inspiring beasts that you used to encounter in theme parks and museums.

The Dolby Cinema at AMC Town Square combines Dolby Vision Dual 4K laser projection with immersive Dolby Atmos audio for a mix of vivid colors and rich, crystal-clear sound you can feel in your bones.

And, if simply watching a movie isn’t enough, seats in the 4DX theater at Regal Red Rock pitch, roll and heave in synchronization with the movie. Fog, snow and rain also can be deployed. The motion can be so intense, 4DX comes with a series of warnings, including that neither the company nor the theater assumes any responsibility for injuries or damages. The seats also should not be occupied by anyone who is pregnant, elderly or suffering from high blood pressure, epilepsy, allergies or heart, neck or back conditions.

This list doesn’t include a few other spectacular moviegoing experiences. The Sphere boasts the world’s highest-resolution LED screen but currently only shows two movies. The Beverly Theater offers the valley’s best lineup of films, while the Regal Cinebarre at Palace Station has the best food menu.

Here’s a look at some more premium auditoriums around the valley:

— D-BOX seats boast more than 65,000 unique haptic effects and movements, but they won’t make you feel like you need to sign a waiver. They’re available at Century Orleans, Century Santa Fe, Galaxy Boulevard, Galaxy Cannery and Maya Cinemas.

— Digital IMAX screens can be found at the Regal theaters at Aliante, Red Rock and Sunset Station. The nicest one, though, is at AMC Town Square.

— Cinemark XD is among the premium large format auditoriums that have sprung up in an attempt to rival IMAX. In addition to having premium audio, Cinemark says its XD screens are capable of producing 35 trillion colors. Find them at The Orleans, Santa Fe Station, South Point and Sunset Station.

Galaxy Theatres’ large format, known as DFX or Digital Fusion Experience, combines immersive Dolby Atmos audio with some of the latest advances in laser projection. It’s available at the Boulevard Mall, Cannery and Green Valley.

— At Maya Cinemas in North Las Vegas, the format — Dolby Atmos, dual laser projectors, giant screen — is known as MPX.

— Similar to Dolby Cinema, Sony Digital Cinema combines high-quality audio with the Sony High Spec Digital Laser projection system. It’s available in an auditorium at Galaxy Boulevard.

— There’s a veritable alphabet soup of premium formats inside Brenden Theatres at the Palms. In addition to IMAX, there’s JB-X with its dual laser projection, wall-to-wall curved screen and Dolby Atmos sound; DTS:X offers immersive, spatial audio; and the THX Certified Cinema has been subjected to hundreds of calibrations to ensure optimal sound and picture.

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567.