Here we are gathered yet again for another random Monday blog, todays topic; 3D movies. By now most if not all of you should have some exposure to this seemingly new industry standard for feature movies through first hand encounters or hearing about it from friends. However as great an addition it may be is it truly a necessity and does it vastly increase the enjoyment factor of the movie? Lets take a little look at what the 3D experience entails...
This is how 3D videos look to the naked eye, the above video comes with instructions that will help you to view the video in 3D without the aid of actual 3D glasses viewable in the description section on youtube. A 3-D film or S3D (stereoscopic 3D) film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception. Derived from stereoscopic photography, a regular motion picture camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives (or computer-generated imagery generates the two perspectives in post-production), and special projection hardware and/or eyewear are used to provide the illusion of depth when viewing the film. This boom in the use of 3D movies, really started to soar with the box office success of the James Cameron movie Avatar, in December 2009. My biggest gripe is when Hollywood starts slapping on 3D on movies, thinking that its an automatic plus to the movie and will make it that much better; case in point the horrible rendition of the awesome cartoon series "Avatar: The Last Airbender".
Any fan of the actual cartoon, can find a million and one ways that movie squandered it's potential, but enough about the past lets talk about the present. I recently watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 3D and as much of a fancy addition it is, I honestly don't think the 3D was needed. The movie already had stunning cinematography, and honestly I found myself watching various parts of the movie with my glasses off, wondering what portions of the movie were even in 3D. To put it bluntly, it neither added nor subtracted anything as far as the movie was concerned. I am conflicted if this is a good thing however due to the fact that on one hand if i'm paying to see a movie in 3D I would like to get my moneys worth and be bombarded with the awesomeness that 3D can bring to the table; but on the other hand I have to wonder if maybe the over the top 3D wouldn't have been a good fit for the movie, given the tone and pace of the movie.
In closing, the main point of it all is that not every big movie release needs to be in 3D, and if a need for 3D is valid then majority of the movie should be in 3D, not just bits and pieces. I sincerely hope for two things to happen as far as Hollywood is concerned with 3D movies; firstly make 3D movies that are atleast 70% 3D so one can fully be submerged in the wonder that is 3D, and secondly implement 3D movie viewing screens that don't require the glasses, such as with the Nintendo 3DS. Until that time I think i'll continue to do things the old fashioned way and download my movies. In the mean time you can look forward to more random 3D movies made on the 3D hype...
