Here Is The Only Way You Should See 'Interstellar'

There are six different ways to see "Interstellar." 

If you're heading out to see the film, which opened in theaters Friday, you want to make sure you're seeing it in the best possible way.

Now that I've seen the movie twice, in 70mm IMAX and 70mm film, it became instantly clear Nolan's sci-fi film should be seen on the biggest screen possible. 

Friday evening, I headed over to New York City's Ziegfeld theater to see the movie on 70mm film. Since Nolan filmed the movie in both 65mm IMAX and 35mm anamorphic film, I figured it only made sense to see it in both IMAX and film before making a decision on the right way to see it.

My biggest concern was how the big IMAX scenes would transition over to a smaller screen. There are a few absolutely gorgeous moments when Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway's characters are blasting through space that I couldn't imagine looking better in any format other than IMAX.

While I was pleasantly surprised to still feel the pull of being taken through space in 70mm, those scenes felt much more immersive while seeing it in IMAX. You feel like you're on a ride as you appear to zoom through a wormhole and across an icy planet.

Your eyes can't help but wander up the screen as you feel the enormity of a giant wave on another planet. 

The only problem is that if you want to see "Interstellar" on a legitimate IMAX screen, they are few in the US. As IMAX has become an increasingly popular format, many theaters started retrofitting theaters with smaller IMAX screens that are around 30 feet high.

There is only one real IMAX screen in New York City, the AMC Lincoln Square theater. It's about a 600-person theater with a screen that's 80 feet high and 100 feet wide. If there's a movie worth seeing in IMAX, that's the theater I'll want to see it at.

According to Paramount, there are 42 theaters showing "Interstellar" in 70mm IMAX in the US and Canada. Here's the full list of US theaters: 

Alabama
Huntsville: IMAX, U.S. Space & Rocket Center 

Arizona
Tempe: Harkins Arizona Mills 25 & IMAX

California
Dublin: Regal Hacienda Crossings Stadium 21 & IMAX
Hollywood: TCL Chinese Theatres IMAX
Irvine: Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 IMAX & RPX
Sacramento: Esquire IMAX
San Francisco: AMC Meteon 16 & IMAX
San Jose: Hackworth IMAX Dome, The Tech Museum
Universal City: AMC Universal Citywalk Stadium 19 & IMAX

Colorado
Denver: UA Colorado Center Stadium 9 & IMAX  

DC
Washington: Lockheed Martin IMAX, National Air & Space Museum

Florida
Fort Lauderdale: Autonation IMAX, Museum of Discovery & Science
Tampa: IMAX Dome, Museum of Science & Industry

Georgia
Buford: Regal Mall of Georgia Stadium 20 & IMAX

Iowa
Des Moines: Blank IMAX Dome, Science Center of Iowa

Idaho
Boise: Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX

Illinois
Chicago: Navy Pier IMAX
Lincolnshire: Regal Lincolnshire Stadium 21 & IMAX

Indiana
Indianapolis: IMAX, Indiana State Museum

Michigan
Dearborn: IMAX, The Henry Ford
Grand Rapids: Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North & IMAX

Minnesota
Apple Valley: Great Clips IMAX, Minnesota Zoo

Missouri
Branson: Branson's IMAX

Nevada
Las Vegas: Benden Theatres & IMAX at the Palms

New York
New Rochelle: Regal New Roc Stadium 18 & IMAX
New York City: AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX
Rochester: Cinemark Tinseltown USA & IMAX
West Nyack: AMC Loews Palisades 21 & IMAX

Pennsylvania
King of Prussia: UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX
Philadelphia: Tuttleman IMAX, The Franklin Institute

Rhode Island
Providence: Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX

Tennessee
Nashville: Regal Opry Mills Stadium 20 & IMAX

Texas 
Austin: IMAX, The Bullock Texas State History Museum
Dallas: Cinemark 17 & IMAX
San Antonio: AMC Rivercenter 11 & IMAX

Virginia
Chantilly: Airbus IMAX, Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Washington
Seattle: Boeing IMAX, Pacific Science Center

There is one issue I had seeing the film in 70mm IMAX at AMC's Lincoln Square. I couldn't help but think the sound was better at the Ziegfeld in 70mm film.

We're not the only ones.

Recommend seeing INTERSTELLAR in 70mm at Ziegfeld in NYC. Several of us found sound mix at Lincoln Square IMAX obscures key dialogue.

— Lou Lumenick (@LouLumenick) November 3, 2014

have heard INTERSTELLAR 35mm and digital don't have any issues. But I can report my IMAX screening had issues w/dialogue in select scenes

— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) November 3, 2014

While the sound didn't appear to distort any of the dialogue during my IMAX screening at Lincoln Square, I did pick up on a few more jokes from a wise-cracking robot named TARS that I missed the first time around. 

The sound of composer Hans Zimmer's harrowing soundtrack was less deafening and dynamic in the Ziegfeld. If you're not a fan of very loud films, 70mm may be the way to go. 

SEE ALSO: Our review of "Interstellar"

AND: A huge actor has a big cameo in "Interstellar"

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