3D or Not to 3D, That is the Question...

I know a lot of people really like the 3D craze and enjoy watching any film that is created in 3D.  The movie studios and theater owners love it since they can charge more money for a 3D ticket than a regular one,  I however don't like this trend and where it is heading.  First things first, watching 3D films gives me a headache and I can't walk straight when the film is over as it really messes with my equilibrium.  Putting my physical limitations to 3D aside, here are the other reasons that I don't enjoy watching movies in 3D.
 1. It's too gimmicky.
     Years ago (back in the early 90's) they came out with an interactive film.  It was supposed to be the wave of the future but it only lasted for one film as far as I know.  The film was called Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie, and it starred Billy Warlock as Mr. Payback (He was in the first few seasons of Baywatch as well as Days of Our Lives and General Hospital, just in case you were wondering).  Each seat in the theater had a remote control attached it and at certain times in the film everything paused and the audience was told to choose what would happen next.  It was multiple choice and as the film went on, people in the theater started yelling out their choices trying to get others to agree with them as the majority vote would always win.  It was like those Choose Your Own Adventure books that kids read.  It was a fun experience for one movie but if all movies were like that I would be bored with it very quickly.  3D feels the same way to me.  It's a cool experience to see one time but when all movies use the technology it becomes tiresome.
2. It's not all well done.
     Some movies, like Avatar, are filmed in 3D but most films that are touted as 3D were actually done in post production.  There is a huge difference between these two types of 3D formats and the latter does not do the medium justice.
3. It takes me out of the story.
     When the film is in 3D, I find myself looking at the 3D objects more than the film itself as a whole.  It removes me from the emotional aspects of the film and instead of immersing me in the film (which is part of the reasoning behind 3D) it removes me from it as I know it is a gimmick and I'm watching things fly at my face instead of how the characters are interacting.  The subtleties of the medium are lost when you are no longer focusing on the story but on the background.  Some action films that are not 3D do this as well when the special effects seem to become a character in the film because they distract the viewer from the plot (see Transformers: Dark of the Moon).    
4. The glasses are annoying.
     The glasses are much better today than they were in the 50's when they were made of paper with one blue plastic lens and one red but they are still annoying.  In fact, they may be the reason why my brain makes me feel dizzy and sick when I wear them.  Something else needs to be invented that allows you to see a 3D film without any special glasses for you to wear at all.

     Well, those are my thoughts, feel free to agree or disagree.  My hope is that the fad will end soon and become a rare experience to enjoy instead of the norm.
 

Avatar

So I finally saw Avatar since I finished my thesis, yea! And it was good but not the best movie ever like many people have claimed. The story just got a little long winded and I wanted it to speed ahead and get to the good stuff. I loved the visual effects (but no big shocker there), and the colors and sounds were fantastic. They made the world of the Navi come alive. It seemed real to me and I wasn't even watching it in 3D.

Star Wars vs Avatar

So, I saw an MSNBC article today that had me upset. It was titled ‘Avatar’ surpasses ‘Star Wars’ at No. 3 all-time. I haven't actually seen Avatar yet but I know I will eventually. However, I also know that I don't want it surpassing Star Wars. That disturbs me. I have a lot of film student friends and those that have seen Avatar say the 3D effects are amazing but that the story isn't all that wonderful. Also, is this a film that will completely change the way films are made? Maybe in terms of 3D but what about the film business itself? There wasn't a summer blockbuster film until Star Wars created the trend. Star Wars completely changed how studios made films and marketed them. Merchandising as we know it today was formed because of Star Wars. With the ticket prices as high as they are right now, a lot of films are now making the list that if ticket prices were less, would not. Luckily for me (as I am a huge Star Wars fan - I know, big shocker), the article later says that not counting ticket prices, just using number of tickets sold, Star Wars is still way ahead of Avatar. That is the only way films should be judged anyways. Inflation changes ticket prices every year and will continue to do so. Therefore the only scientific way to judge the popularity of a film is how many people went to see it.