The first moving picture, which depicted a horse running at full gallop, was quickly enhanced by the first special effects, which showed a horse exploding next to a 3-D spaceship. Enjoy advances in film with today's Groupon: for $12, you get a book of five passes to the IMAX Film Festival at the Maryland Science Center, a $25 value for non-museum members, and a $15 value for members.

The film festival, which begins on January 4th, features seven eye-smacking films shown on a full-size, five-story IMAX screen. The fest lasts for nine weeks, and there's no need to purchase Science Center admission ticket to attend any of the showings. Film choices include movies like Hurricane on the Bayou, a stirring documentary narrated by Meryl Streep that taps deep into the musical soul of the Big Easy before, during, and after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. Volcanoes of the Deep Sea brings viewers 12,000 feet into the depths of the deep Atlantic wherescientists aboard a submersible explore the alien creatures, landscapes, and fast food franchises of earth's ocean floor. Other larger-than-life flicks include Michael Jordon to the Max, Greatest Places, Survival Island, and Extreme, which follows adventure-seeking athletes as they challenge some of the most intense forces of nature to a game of foosball. Music fans can nod their heads to U2 3D, a front stage pass to U2's worldwide Vertigo tour, filmed during the band's stop in South America. For a full description of films on the docket, visit the festival's website.

Reviews

Yelpers give the Maryland Science Center an average of four stars, and have great things to say about the museum's IMAX theater:

• A must see when in B'more. So much hands on exhibits for kids and kids at heart to do! The Imax and Davis Planetarium are great. You'll need at least four hours to see and do everything that is offered. – Tim W.
• We saw the IMAX movie "Under the Sea 3D". It was fantastic. – C Q.