With rising ticket and concession prices, it makes sense to be selective as to what movies to watch in the theaters and which to wait for the DVD to be released. Making the decision can sometimes be a tricky combination of checking requirements off of a personal standards list and wading through a little movie reviewer voodoo. As this is an inherently imperfect and fallible system, it’s reasonable to take some time to review my movie selection standards and see if there are any areas that can be improved. I’ll use Tron: Legacy as a guide for outlining the criteria I use in selecting a movie to watch on the big screen since that was the last one that I saw in the theater and it covers many of the variables in my selection process.

One of the first things that I look at when picking a movie for the big screen is whether or not it will make the most of the large screen and the big sound that can only be found at the theater. I often view theatrical viewings of movies as something similar to a theme park ride—the experience itself often compensates for the high price. As a superior theatrical experience, Tron: Legacy definitely filled that criterion. The special effects were spectacular and the sound was big and booming. In many ways it was the “ride” that I could have only experienced in that venue. Continue reading “Will that be big screen or small?” »