3D In CGI Movies
When I visited North America this Summer I saw that Pixar's latest movie 'Up' was now out in cinemas - but only in North America. When I was hanging out with my pals in New Hampshire we had planned to see the film one night, but instead everyone got sidetracked and had a mini fursuit parade instead. Whilst that was quite fun at the time (no, I didn't fursuit, I just watched) I missed the film and knew that I would not get the chance to see it until Autumn. And so I waited, and now I've witnessed it.
The 3D craze of 2009 that has plagued 3D computer animated films for the last few months has caught on by storm - even the advertising posters of these movies has their characters flaunting those glasses (...not in MY movies, if I ever get to produce any). I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I watched 'Ice Age 3' at one of my city's two local cinema multiplexes. Whilst the 3D was apparent, it still made me feel underwhelmed since the film wouldn't be any less good in 2D and would have cost me less.
And naturally with Pixar, the undisputed gods of 3D computer animation, there has been a lot of brouhaha about their latest offering 'Up', and it's 3D potential. Pixar have never once made a bad film, and 'Up' delivers immensely in terms of story, character development and epicness. The 3D is apparent too, but like with 'Ice Age 3' I felt that the 3D was just one big gimmick and a passing fad that is not worth any extra penny of your cash. It wouldn't make the film any less engaging - and the film is perfectly good in two dimensions.
Of course, if you know me then you'll know that I've been highly critical of the overuse of 3D animation in recent times and how it is being promoted for all the wrong reasons. Jeffrey Katzenburg (CEO of Dreamworks Animation) for example, is a man of whom I am often critical of mainly because he prefers quantity over quality. Unlike when he worked for Disney he is prepared to make many woeful pop-culture laden pieces of drivel (like 'Shark Tale' or 'Madagascar') at the expense of a great film with great lastability that comes out more sporadically, which is what Pixar is good at. Granted, Katzenburg has made a few decent films too, but I think for every one good Dreamworks film there are at least two bad ones. When Katzenburg was promoting his latest feature 'Monsters vs Aliens' he said along the lines that 3D in cinemas was the future. I can understand that watching movies these days needs a revamp, but I've seen plenty of 2D films in the cinema when I was a little boy and I certainly didn't think that THEY needed 3D to be 'better'. And this new 3D craze just doesn't impress me and I think it might possibly get old. You never know with these things though...
I tried to get into the whole 3D fad, I really did. But when it comes down to it films like 'Up' can stand on their own without any silly gimmicks and I'll still get the same effect for a lower price. And if you haven't seen 'Up' yet, then that's my advice - go see it, but don't pay extra for the 3D. Four out of five stars!
The 3D craze of 2009 that has plagued 3D computer animated films for the last few months has caught on by storm - even the advertising posters of these movies has their characters flaunting those glasses (...not in MY movies, if I ever get to produce any). I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I watched 'Ice Age 3' at one of my city's two local cinema multiplexes. Whilst the 3D was apparent, it still made me feel underwhelmed since the film wouldn't be any less good in 2D and would have cost me less.
And naturally with Pixar, the undisputed gods of 3D computer animation, there has been a lot of brouhaha about their latest offering 'Up', and it's 3D potential. Pixar have never once made a bad film, and 'Up' delivers immensely in terms of story, character development and epicness. The 3D is apparent too, but like with 'Ice Age 3' I felt that the 3D was just one big gimmick and a passing fad that is not worth any extra penny of your cash. It wouldn't make the film any less engaging - and the film is perfectly good in two dimensions.
Of course, if you know me then you'll know that I've been highly critical of the overuse of 3D animation in recent times and how it is being promoted for all the wrong reasons. Jeffrey Katzenburg (CEO of Dreamworks Animation) for example, is a man of whom I am often critical of mainly because he prefers quantity over quality. Unlike when he worked for Disney he is prepared to make many woeful pop-culture laden pieces of drivel (like 'Shark Tale' or 'Madagascar') at the expense of a great film with great lastability that comes out more sporadically, which is what Pixar is good at. Granted, Katzenburg has made a few decent films too, but I think for every one good Dreamworks film there are at least two bad ones. When Katzenburg was promoting his latest feature 'Monsters vs Aliens' he said along the lines that 3D in cinemas was the future. I can understand that watching movies these days needs a revamp, but I've seen plenty of 2D films in the cinema when I was a little boy and I certainly didn't think that THEY needed 3D to be 'better'. And this new 3D craze just doesn't impress me and I think it might possibly get old. You never know with these things though...
I tried to get into the whole 3D fad, I really did. But when it comes down to it films like 'Up' can stand on their own without any silly gimmicks and I'll still get the same effect for a lower price. And if you haven't seen 'Up' yet, then that's my advice - go see it, but don't pay extra for the 3D. Four out of five stars!