Just an FYI for those unaware since this is a rare, potentially once in a lifetime showing. Its the first time the movies are airing in American theaters.
You can find ticket and theater locations here:
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/gurren-lagann-the-movie-the-light-in-the-sky-are-stars/
Aniplex's subtitles are soulless but its still Gurren Lagann. The second movie is also the actual good one. It covers the second half of the series.
Gurren Lagann is one of those rare and special series with a lot of heart, soul and meaning packed into it, still my favorite anime after almost 9 years when I first watched it as a college freshman. I consider it the greatest anime of all time.
I checked out the first movie on this Tuesday, it was okay, more tolerable in theaters than when I watched it on my PC like 1-2 years ago since the theaters audio and environment help obscure the flaws and issues with it. Its no substitute for the series though.
If you haven't watched Gurren Lagann before, you can just watch episodes 1-15, then watch the second movie if you want to catch the theatrical release. The series is still largely better but the second movie is good enough that I can still recommend it as an acceptable way to experience the second half of TTGL (just make sure you watch the series conclusion afterwards too).
Agreed, the prologue was definitely the best part of the first movie... which is a real shame.
But I already knew the first movie was going to be shit going into it, I was planning on using it as a test for the 4D to see if it was worth seeing the second movie in 4D, but unfortunately the roads were snowed out so I just stuck to watching it in standard.
I was so angry when I first watched the first movie on my own (this was before any theater release), it felt like they butchered the series in my eyes.
However the second movie is a lot better, despite some flaws of course, its still something great.
There's a reason I didn't make any post to suggest people watch the first movie, as its a subpar way to experience the series.
Wtf is 4D supposed to be? How does that even make sense? Unless they've figured out a good way to make a 360 degree viewing experiences in cinemas, then we haven't even properly mastered 3D viewings yet.
Its basically trying to be an amusement park ride, adding in stuff like smoke, rain/water effects, seats shaking and moving, smellovision, etc.
If Cuties had been a movie, Hollywood would have given it a dozen Oscars.
Unfortunately very true.