Micro-perf is ruining some movie theaters
I started noticing a couple of years ago what looked like a grid of black dots displayed over movies in some movie theaters. It ranges from *very* visible and distracting to only slightly so. The issue is that these are 'micro-perf' screens: screens with tiny holes built into them to allow a sound from a speaker placed behind the screen to carry through. In theory, these holes are supposed to be so tiny that they're impossible to see. Unfortunately, that is not the case at a bunch of movie theaters, at least in NYC.
It looks something like this: https://share.google/images/3lf5WK8fQr9iQsA4z
Has anyone else been noticing this? I'm kind of shocked at how distracting it is and at the fact that I haven't found it being discussed anywhere.
The places I've most noticed it (in NYC) are Film Forum, Nitehawk, and Angelika East (downstairs, not the big screen). These are all small/indie movie theaters, so I guess it wouldn't surprise me if it isn't a problem at big multiplexes.
Posted Nov 5, 2025, 1:51 AM UTC