Star Wars at Matakana Cinemas

 Today Andrew and I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the Matakana Cinemas in Matakana.

Waiting for the movie

Of course, I hate spoilers, so I can't say much about the movie itself. It was, according to one review that I agree with, better than it needed to be. Of course, nothing can match the original movies because the expectation has been set high already, but it was a decent sequel to the Star Wars franchise and better than episodes 1-3. It feels like it is introducing Star Wars to a new generation while giving a nice hat tip to the older generation.

Now let's talk about this theater! WOW!!!  I think I would quite happily pay to go see every movie in theaters if every cinema were as nice as this one was. The lounge outside of the three cinemas had a very comfortable waiting area with cozy couches and comfy bean bag chairs. The concession, in addition to the normal assortment of soda and treats, also had fresh scooped ice cream, a fine selection of wines (yes, you could take them into the theater with you), and a number of gourmet style treats as well.

There was practically no line to speak of. The 20 or so of us going into the theater simply relaxed in the lobby until about 15 minutes before the show started, then the theater doors opened. The theater wasn't full by any means. I was absolutely astonished when we walked in to see the beautifully decorated space lit by a stunning crystal chandelier. The seats themselves as well. Some of the seats were wide and cushy with nice tables between them to rest your treats. Obviously traditional arm rests with cup holders don't work if you are offering wine at the concession. The first row of seats though...leather plush recliners. I'll give you three guesses where Andrew and I chose to sit. I have to say it was the most comfortable theater experience I have ever had. It was like sitting on the couch at home, but with a great sound system and an incredibly wide screen 3D movie.

The Tivoli theater

Andrew in the comfy seats

Crystal chandelier for lighting