Nothing would suffice in making a movie about the tallest mountain on earth than by showing it in the largest format on earth, as well.

This 70mm IMAX film, which I saw on the country’s largest movie screen at the new San Francisco Sony Metreon (80 feet tall, 100 feet wide), is nothing short of jaw-dropping spectacular.

While the tale of Ed Viesturs climbing Mount Everest (for the fifth time) is a good one, the story of the eight people from another party who got stuck on the summit during a fierce storm – and died – almost brings you to tears. Everest is indeed larger than life.

Of course, this is IMAX, and you go to see the spectacle of the photography. But remember, there’s a guy carrying that enormous camera up that mountain. And a guy with a microphone. And a tripod. And film. And batteries. The making of Everest is as phenomenal as the end product.

But in the end, of course, nothing can be bigger than the real thing.



Good morning, sunshine.