Back when the release date for Star Wars was announced, I began to consider taking the next day off from work so I could go to the midnight premiere. I haven't been to a midnight premiere since college. The last few times I've attended movies that began after 10 I fell asleep in the theater. But for Star Wars, I was willing to insert an IV drip of caffeine so I could thoroughly enjoy the first showing.
It turns out that I'm not the only one for whom midnight premieres aren't exactly feasible, and the industry is beginning to realize this. Across the country, the movie was shown at 7 PM on Thursday. A cynical person might call this a money grab (Star Wars shattered records, and I'm sure at least part of that is because of the extended opening weekend), but I was thrilled for the earlier showing that meant I wouldn't have to chug coffee or miss work.
I was even more thrilled when Zach discovered that we could get tickets to see the movie at the IMAX at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It was perfectly nerdy, and exactly the right place to enjoy the new Star Wars film. There was even something special about it being one of the few theaters to show it on film rather than digitally, not that I'm the sort of person who can tell the difference.
I wore my Jedi dress to work and was sorely disappointed by the reactions of my coworkers. Many of them hadn't even realized that Star Wars was premiering that day. One person complimented my hood, but then she admitted that she'd never seen Star Wars before. But it was all fine, because as soon as work was over I caught the train downtown.
Zach had arrived early to pick up tickets and secure a place in line. I snarfed a sandwich on my walk over because I wasn't expecting the Smithsonian to have food available. I was pleasantly surprised to find a concession stand that sold both food and beer. Our group stood in line drinking beer, talking, taking pictures, and generally getting really excited.
The movie itself was fantastic. I had done my best to lower my expectations, which worked in my favor. The plot itself was somewhat predictable, as though a fan were writing fanfiction of the original movie. But that's exactly what it was (albeit with an enormous budget), so I can't really fault it too much. The predictability drained the tension of a handful of scenes. But the movie was so much fun that I couldn't really care that much.
We ended up in the very front of the theater, so close to the screen that I had to physically move my head from side to side to read the rolling text in the beginning. The corners of the screen were outside my vision. It made for a delightfully overwhelming experience. Though I do want to see it again on a more normal sized screen, so I can better appreciate the movie as a movie and not just an experience.
This was the most fun I've had at the movies in a long time. Possibly in my life. I'm so glad the movie was as good as it was, and I'm really excited for the sequel. Here's hoping for another fun night at the Smithsonian in a few years.
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