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A nerd's checklist to watching 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' this weekend
Guests, dressed in cosplay, arrive for the screening of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" after the closing ceremony of the Dubai International Film Festival, in Dubai on December 13, 2017.
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AMMAR ABD RABBO/AFP/Getty Images
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You're going to see "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" this weekend! Great! Here's your checklist to make sure you have the best time possible at a theater near you.
How to prepare
- Reserved seats: Oh, you just got Moviepass! Cool, free movies, right? Well, given that this is projected to be the biggest movie opening of the year and either the third or fourth largest of all time (according to Deadline), you're going to want to choose your seats in advance — which you can't do with Moviepass. Some of the best options are already sold out (sorry, El Capitan and Chinese Theatre fans), but you may still have some luck with a weekend matinee or going during the week.
- Coordinate with friends: Find at least one other person who hasn't seen it yet to share those seats and a bucket of popcorn with, because you're going to want to talk about this afterward. But don't be that jerk spoiling it on social media for those who haven't seen it yet.
- Review "The Force Awakens": "The Last Jedi" picks up right where "The Force Awakens" left off, so you'll want to make sure you have at least a passing familiarity with the previous film. If you don't have time to rewatch it, we've got your back — just watch this 2-minute recap from the A.V. Club:
If you want to take a deeper dive on Star Wars history, you can also watch this 7-minute summary of the first six movies from IGN.
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What to bring/wear to the movie
- A fun, geeky T-shirt: A new Star Wars is one of those big cultural events where everyone else there shares your excitement. Why not let your fan flag fly and open yourself up to comments from strangers like "That shirt is awesome!" and "I disagree with that shirt's sentiment, the Empire is WAY better than the Rebels!"
- Comfortable pants and shoes: This is the longest Star Wars movie to date, so between the film's 2 hour and 33 minute run time, trailers, and pre-movie ads, you're likely sitting for almost three hours. Make sure you do so in comfort.
- Your phone in airplane mode: You've avoided spoilers so far. Why risk having a friend text you their thoughts on the ending or getting a push alert from some site promising more details about why that CRAZY THING in this movie happened? (We don't know if there's a crazy thing because we haven't seen it either. But who knows?)
Once you're at the theater
- A medium-at-the-biggest drink: As mentioned before, this is a long movie. You don't want to be running to the bathroom if Darth Vader comes back and tells Luke "Just kidding! I'm not actually your father!" Just go easy on the fluids. Alternately, download an iPhone app like RunPee and check out when they say that the best times to go to the restroom are — but come on, be strong!
- A light sweatshirt: Movie theaters are usually freezing. Don't make yourself start longing for the warmth of Hoth due to a poor clothing choice — be prepared and have a light sweatshirt you can throw on, at least once the lights come down and you don't have to show off your shirt anymore.
You're ready. Now close this article and don't look at anything else on the internet until you see this movie. Check back afterward and let us know what you thought in the comments.
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