Description of 2019 joker Because a breath of fresh air seems somehow wrong given its disturbing atmosphere, but in a world where superhero movies are starting to blur into each other, director Todd Phillips’ take on the origin story of the Crown Prince of Crime was compellingly different.

This weekend the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters with Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the Joker, this time joined by Lady Gaga as Harlequin. The decision to make the film primarily a musical was certainly made to ensure that the film would once again offer something different, and early reviews indicate that it was a decidedly divisive decision; time will tell if it is the right one.

If you plan to go to a theater to see the movie, what format is best to see the movie in?

With music playing such an important role, it would make sense to look for something better than a regular screen with conventional surround sound and Dolby Atmos gives you that extra sense of drama. You’ll find this on larger format premium screens such as Superscreen in the UK and Regal RPX, Cinemark XD and AMC Prime in the US.

An even better choice will be a dedicated Dolby Cinema screen, which not only offers Dolby Atmos but also the best picture, thanks to the wider color gamut, deepest black levels and widest dynamic range available anywhere.

You will find too Joker: Folie à Deux available in ScreenX and 4DX. The former offers more images along the sides of the screen and the latter provides a mix of water, wind, scent and strobe lighting in a moving chair. I’m a fan of 4DX with the right film, but the sound is just decent so I wouldn’t choose that Joker: Folie à Deux as my first choice.

The ultimate format for Joker: Folie à Deuxhowever, must be IMAX. Filmed with Alexa 65 and Alexa Mini LF digital cameras, most IMAX screens show the film in an extended aspect ratio of 1.90:1; larger than the standard 2.20:1 ratio used in non-IMAX displays. If your nearest IMAX theater has upgraded to a laser projector, you’ll get an even better experience, with a bright 4K image with better contrast. IMAX speakers provide dynamically rich and powerful sound, which is exactly what you’re looking for with a movie like Joker 2. Many IMAX Laser systems will also feature a 12-channel sound system with even better sound, so head into one of those if you can.

The ultimate version of the film, however, is in IMAX 1.43:1, with 54 minutes of the 2 hour and 19 minute running time in that extended format. This means you get even more view than the 1.90:1 version at the top and bottom of the screen, increasing the impact of what you’re watching.

To see it in this version you will need an IMAX theater equipped with a full 1.43:1 aspect ratio screen and an IMAX dual laser or an IMAX 70mm projector. There are 26 of the former and only 11 of the latter worldwide. See the links on the IMAX website for more information. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one of these, I’d make the effort, because even if the musical film doesn’t turn out to be to your taste, you’ll at least be singing the praises of the presentation.