Many people are heading out to see "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" this weekend.
For anyone who hasn't seen the film yet or those planning to see it after what should be a very packed weekend, you're probably wondering what ticket you should buy.
I've now seen "The Force Awakens" in both 2D and 3D IMAX — the showings that will be most easily accessible to the public — and it's clear that one version is better than the other.
Unless you're seeing this on a true IMAX screen and in 70mm (one of these theaters), go with the 2D tickets.
The film wasn't made in 3D.
Other than a handful of scenes — there's one in particular where I wanted to reach my hand out to touch a ship flying overhead — there wasn't much reason to see this in 3D in my opinion. Plus, any time I turned my head too much to the left or the right you could tell you were watching 3D because the picture would get out of focus. You had to watch the movie straight on.
Yes, a sequence of the film was shot in IMAX (see the above photos), but, again, unless you're seeing it on a true 80-foot-tall screen, you're not getting the most out of the experience.
Even the screening Disney showed press on Tuesday evening was in 2D. Typically, when I head to these screenings the studios will show it to you in the best possible format. Originally, I thought I was going to see "The Force Awakens" on the big IMAX screen inside New York City's AMC Lincoln Square (it's my favorite theater to see a movie on for the sheer enormity of the screen), but that wasn't the case.
According to ScreenCrush, the AMC Lincoln Square, the theater with the biggest screen in NYC, is showing the film in digital until it installs "IMAX with laser," which won't be installed until mid-January. (Boo.)
If 2D's good enough for Disney's press screening, then it's probably good enough for everyone else.
Also, I recommend going to a theater with reserved seating if possible.
I've gone to many midnight fan premieres. If you're a fan this is the way you want to see these movies, with the people who enjoy them the most, because they're high energy and everyone is as equally excited to see the film. The downside is they can also be quite hectic as everyone scrambles to get the best seats in the house.
If you're seeing the film this weekend, chances are screenings will be filled with plenty of fanboys heading out in large groups arriving at theaters early to save seats. There may be some fighting and arguing over said seats.
Thursday evening I had reserved seats at a 3D IMAX screening and it made all the difference. I didn't have to worry about showing up at the theater hours early. People were rolling into the theater ten minutes before the movie began because they had peace of mind that no one was going to take their seats. It was the least stressful opening showing I've ever attended.
In contrast, my colleague Kim Renfro headed to a theater without reserved seating, and while she had no problem getting inside, she said it was chaotic outside her theater with people lined up and cutting waiting to enter the building.
No thanks.
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