Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Tonight, Sunday night/Monday morning 2:30 a.m. showing, in San Francisco, in IMAX 3D.

From the IMAX web site:

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released across our various cutting-edge projection technologies including our xenon digital system, IMAX 15/70mm film and our next-generation laser system. Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by J.J. Abrams & Lawrence Kasdan.The IMAX release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of An IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

The AMC Metreon theatre has 3D IMAX Laser projection:

“Another of the largest IMAX theaters in the country, SF’s Metreon also boasts a local connection that makes it the place for Bay Area Star Wars fans to see the new film. Since SF is also the home of Dolby Laboratories, the Metreon theater is fortunate enough to have both 3D IMAX Laser projection as well as a theater equipped with AMC ETX, which features Dolby Atmos sound.”
Via: http://www.wired.com/2015/12/best-star-wars-screens/

Parking:

• SFPark
• Sutter Stockton Garage (444 Stockton St): 
• About 0.5 mile walk to the theatre and back
• Rate: midnight--9:00 a.m., $1/hr

UPDATE:

• Parking went smoothly
• Raining, lightly
• Union Square:
• Saw the ice skating rink, at Union Square--skaters skating through the thin layer of rainwater which had collected
• Inflatable Snoopy, by Macy's (someone had dropped a fork onto the top)
• Saw the "Winter Walk": http://www.visitunionsquaresf.com/blog/winter_walk_sf_is_here/ "second annual Winter Walk, organized by the Union Square Business Improvement District with help from the SFMTA. This year there will also be light shows, food trucks, San Francisco-centric live performances such as Velocity Circus and a variety of other attractions set in the pop-up plaza along Stockton Street between Geary and Ellis. Visit WinterWalkSF.com for event schedule and details."
• Walked through Macy's; looked at holiday decorations
• Walked to the theatre, stopping for coffee, on the way
• Waited, in the lobby, sitting on the floor, played Words with Friends
• More coffee and root beer soda, to stay awake
• We attended the 2:30 a.m. showing, the last of the premier weekend
• Premier weekend merchandise:
• Got a number of free "AMC IMAX Star Wars print", #1 of 4: "Every Sunday from December 20 to January 10, get an exclusive AMC IMAX Star Wars print when you see the movie in IMAX 3D! A new poster will be given away each week, so make sure to collect them all!"

  

  Ticket takers encouraged us to "take as many as we liked", so we grabbed about a score of them

• Dawn purchased a women's cut Star Wars tee shirt, for $25:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The concession booth attendants suggested Dawn get the purple "Galaxy Premiere Star Wars Force Awakens Women's Dolman Tee", but, after trying them on, she got the grey one
  
• They also tried to sell me a "Star Wars The Force Awakens: 30,000 Limited Edition Galaxy Premiere Ticket Holder"...but yeah, probably a mistake not to buy and resell, but, then again, lots of stuff floating around never amounts to anything
  
  
  
  
• We had seats G28 and G29, dead center, both front-to-back and right-to-left
• Fans cheered upon the opening crawl, but otherwise very respectful and quiet
• One fan walked in with a "IT'S A TRAP" white trucker cap and a purple plastic lightsaber; we saw a few others with lightsabers
• Movie notes:
• Solid showing; very enjoyable; would watch again
• Poe's character reminded me of Scott Baio, from Charles in Charge
• Leia's character's voice (gravelly?) reminded me of someone...haven't put my finger on it, yet (UPDATE: I think it reminds me of Kate McKinnon's portrayal of Hillary Clinton, on Saturday Night Live. Heh. For example)
• Luke's character looked overweight...sort of out-of-place, for an ascetic living so remotely
• Rey's character did very well--much harder to portray than the others...more complicated
• Finn's character seemed to express the emotions of the audience
• BB-8 a clear winner
• Maz Kanata = the new Yoda