Michael Jordan made some enormous shots in his career, and those shots really are enormous in “Michael Jordan to the MAX,” the movie opening Jan. 16 on the giant IMAX screen at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.
This action-packed film, which follows Jordan’s and the Chicago Bull’s run through the 1998 NBA playoffs, will show at 2 p.m. daily through June 18. There will be an extra show at 4 p.m. Jan. 17-19 during its opening Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
“Michael Jordan is certain to be enshrined this September into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame,” said Chris Loynd, marketing director of The Maritime Aquarium. “So this is the perfect year to bring his athletic magnificence to our IMAX screen.”
“Even if you saw him play, in person or on TV, it’s nothing like seeing him soar on our six-story screen,” Loynd added. “And, hard to believe, but he’s been retired long enough that younger kids today only know Michael Jordan by name. This film will be a great way for them to see why he was one of the greatest ever.”
“Michael Jordan to the MAX” gives you a front-row seat as Jordan and the Bulls stomp through three rounds of playoffs, setting up a rematch in the finals against the Utah Jazz. Jordan’s memorable championship-clinching shot in Game 6 would be his last for the Bulls.
Interspersed with the game action is Jordan’s biography, and he talks about the people and moments that lit his competitive fire and unmatched work ethic. Although he became one of the most famous athletes in the world, “To the MAX” shows how Jordan carried himself with class and dignity both on and off the court. His message of participation and inspiration is appropriate to young and old alike.
Audiences also hear from sportscaster Bob Costas, former Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene, actor and Chicago sports nut Bill Murray, NBA Commissioner David Stern and NBA coaches Phil Jackson and Doug Collins.
Even the National Basketball Association, in its biography of Jordan, calls him “the greatest basketball player of all time." His amazing career with the Chicago Bulls included six NBA championships (1991-93 and 1996-98), five MVP awards and 10 scoring titles. He holds the NBA record for career regular-season scoring average with 30.1 points per game.
Fans loved Jordan’s tongue-wagging gravity-defying dunks, earning him the nicknames “Air Jordan” and “His Airness.” He parlayed his success and popularity into lucrative product endorsements, including Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers, which remain big sellers 24 years after their introduction.
Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film, “Space Jam.” He is currently part-owner and Managing Member of Basketball Operations of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats.
Tickets for “Michael Jordan to the MAX” are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors 62+ and $6.50 for children 2-12. Maritime Aquarium members save $2 per ticket.
The Maritime Aquarium’s IMAX movie theater is the largest in Connecticut, with a screen that’s six stories high and eight stories wide. The current film lineup also includes:
– “Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk” at 11 a.m. and 1 & 3 p.m. daily.
– “Wild Ocean: Where Africa Meets the Sea” at noon daily.
– the Hollywood hit “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” in it final weekend at 5 p.m. Jan. 16-18. (Specially priced.)
– beginning Jan. 23, encore presentations of the acclaimed Hollywood sequel “The Dark Knight,” starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, will play at 7 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through Feb. 22. (Specially priced.)
For more information about The Maritime Aquarium’s IMAX movies, exhibits or programs, go online to www.maritimeaquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700.
