Does anyone actually like 3d movies?

TxTechnician@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 122 points –

I'm rewatching Final Destination.

And it dawned on me that all of the shots were choreographed for 3D animation.

I remember disliking 3D movies whenever we had those red and blue lens glasses.

And whenever the movie industry switched over to the new clear 3D glasses. I still didn't see the point in 3D movies. I watch them and then threw away the glasses at the end of the movie. The experience sucked, just like always.

So I'm curious.

Did anybody actually want 3D movies? Or was this something that the movie industry was just trying to shove down our throats?

83

If a movie was shot in 3d and the CGI was designed in 3d and the movie was produced for 3d I've generally enjoyed them (Avatar, Gemini Man, Alita Battle Angel). If however the 3d is produced by an off shore sweat shot rotoscoping a 2d shot then layering everything over a parallax background that's an immediate pass.

I'd love if there was a 3d movie distribution app/platform for VR headsets though. I had to buy the 3d Blu-ray release of a movie, a PC Blu-ray drive, Blu-ray ripping software, then render that to a stereoscopic player and set a VR app to copy my desktop in stereoscopic mode just to watch it. That cost like $100 for a movie, and it seems more people have a quest or some shit then ever had a 3d TV.

Oh man, Alita had some amazing sequences, so damned good in 3d. I'm still crushed we'll never see the rest in theatres.

Good news! There will be a sequel! We (the fans) did a lot of stuff to I guess convince "them" to go ahead and make the two sequels. I wrote a blog about it - there is also a link way down to SCREENGEEK that talks about the sequels

https://nx2.site/alitaarmy

You're either in the industry or a big nerd. I had no idea they did that to 2d movies. Might explain some bad experiences

I watched a 3DBR in PSVR but the quality was so bad I never bothered again.

They don't even make 4K 3D discs so I guess that format is dead. High frame rate never made it either.

I enjoy them, but only when they are well made and use the 3d to add proper depths to shots. Too many 3d movies tried to rely on cheap "object comes out of screen" tricks that get old very fast.

Best one i ever saw was the Animated A Christmas Carol... With Jim Carey as Scrooge. They did some amazing 3d depth shots in that one.

No for two reasons.

  1. I already wear glasses, these are just uncomfortable.

  2. My brain stops noticing the 3D effect after a few moments. I think it’s cool when concentrating on it, but it’s not worth the extra cost and equipment.

Yeah ive always loved 3D effects, and never understand what folks have against it.

It's not that I hate 3d effects, but I'll avoid them if I can, for a variety of reasons.

As other people have said - I wear glasses, I having to put the glasses over my own glasses just makes it difficult. They don't stay on and I have to hold them, it makes the image askew, it's uncomfortable on my nose and ears when it does "fit". They really should come up with a more inclusive way to watch these as a good portion of the population wears glasses.

For another, I suffer from migraines and 3d effects not done well tend to trigger them, and I already have enough triggers that I can't avoid.

A strange one needs a little bit of backstory - I was never great a sports as a kid, could never quite catch a pop-up or hit a fast ball, but I was great at throwing or other aspects. People wrote it off as just "unathletic" and I went on to live my life as a weird nerdy kid despite the rest of my family being athletic. Fast forward to my adult life when I was put on a very strong medication and needed a very thorough eye exam and a result to set a baseline to make sure the medication doesn't end up damaging my retinas (thorough to the point that the exam was 5 hours and I had tests done I'd never seen it heard of before).
It turns out my eyes/brain only interpret half the depth perception of the average person. So what I'm seeing during a 3d movie is not what's meant to be seen. And since this is not an eye exam that would be regularly given - who knows if it people that are complaining about the movies have the same issue I do? Cartoon-y 3d (like Disney world/theme Park things) is fine for me, but things like Avatar just give me migraines.

It's definitely the tech getting in the way of the experience. There's comments to be made about the gimmicky nature of content made for 3d but if it really took off you'd eventually see stand out art and ultimately it would become so standard and expected that even for a film not taking particular advantage it'd probably be there, literally, adding another dimension to the experience of the film. The problem is, in all it's history we just haven't figured out a way that isn't clunky and irritating on the viewing side. A pair of plastic glasses may seem a pretty minor inconvenience but people balk at that type of thing and only have the desire and patience for it during brief spikes where it re-emerges as a fad.

It also, from memory suffers from making the films seem darker, the glasses are prone to being lost, or scratched. To make them comfortable you'd really have to make them as good as actual glasses, which are expensive. It's also problematic from a theatrical perspective because a session has to be 3d only, you can't have people in the same session watching it without glasses, the screening is unwatchable without them so you have to tie up 2 screens with a 3d and 2d version. I think I recall hearing about advances the last time this fad was big, where they finally didn't need glasses, but it resulted in narrow viewing angle requirements.

If you're picking up a theme here, it's that all the complaints are about the practicalities of the tech, not necessarily the entertainment value of 3d itself. The trouble comes when that entertainment, while fun, isn't worth it.

I dont think its the glasses, I remember plenty of people hating on the 3DS's use of 3D.

I wear glasses, so 3D glasses on top of my regular glasses are annoying. Some 3D movies make me motion sick, too (not always, but sometimes). But i do it anyway because friends/family are worth a bit of discomfort . I don't feel super strongly about it or anything, but that's what I have against it.

Because it's pointless.

  • the effect wears off after the first or second scene. So then I'm just watching a regular movie where a handle occasionally comes out of the screen.
  • it's gimmicky. It just doesn't add anything of value for me.
  • it's a hassle. I don't want to wear (and eventually toss) a cheap pair of plastic glasses.

VR on the other hand. Rules.

I don't understand where the VR comment comes from. It's not like 3D and never has been. They're 2 wildly different things.

1 more...

Nope. I fidget a lot. Turn my head sideways and it all goes blurry. Usually it costs more money. I don't want the discomfort of wearing scratched up glasses. I think I can go on and on. It's just not a value-add to me.

It's flopped and dead to me. I think it was definitely something to raise ticket prices.

And yet they never fell after that, did they?

...they were a premium exclusively for 3D shows. There was no change in price for regular shows, beyond the usual inflationary increases.

When done right, yes. But i will say whenever i see a 3d movie i also see it in 2d either before or after.

Once i saw avatar and saw that this 3d wasn't just "popping out" 3d like the red/blue kind and instead more like using the screen like a window into the world of the movie I thought it was brilliant. Still didn't stop some films using it as a gimmick though.

I still kinda wish 3d took off more past the gimmicky phase. I was too young to get a 3d tv at the time and I wish I could experience some of those movies again in 3d. But even if I had a 3d tv now they haven't released 3d versions of movies outside of the cinemas in like 10 years. I would still like to get one to experiment with 3d gaming though. But will probably result in me being disappointed because it's potential was never fully realised, like 2 screen async gaming on the wii u.

Avatar 2 was ridiculous in 3D. One of the most visually impressive things I've ever seen. Sure, the movie was garbage but damned if it wasn't absurdly pretty garbage. Watching rain scenes through droplets, seeing my whole row reflexively flinch when we got "splashed" just, goodness gracious.

I love it! I searched long and hard to get a nice 4K 3D TV from 2015 a couple years ago and I have no regrets. I love watching movies on Blu-ray 3D. But yes, I recognize that I am very in the minority here. 🤣

Do they still release current 3d films anywhere? Would love to see the lijes of spidercerse in 3d again

They're rare, but 3D releases still come out on occasion! Sometimes you have to buy them from the UK or Japan, but thanks to the internet, that's not difficult to do. Into the Spider-Verse is amazing in 3D. :)

Oh. I'm from the uk but i still don't notice them around when shopping for blurays. Might have to think about picking up a 3d tv more now

Oh, in the U.S., no brick and mortar stores are carrying them anymore. You'll have to buy them online. Amazon is a great place for them!

I watched Tron : Legacy on release at the local IMAX in 3D. It was epic. Not seen anything else in 3D though.

Tron: Legacy was my first 3D movie. At the beginning of the movie I was like "huh, this 3D thing is absolutely not worth it" then, the guy goes into the grid and everything turns 3D and I thought about the people that watched The Wizard of Oz in cinemas for the first time, and how cool it must have felt to see a movie turn into color. That's how I felt.

I avoid them at all costs, even the 3D rides at Disney World. I don't even put the glasses on and just let my family enjoy the ride.

They give me the worst headache!

Personally love 3d movies. Obv many are built around the 3d and that can feel gimmicky, but many like the marvel ones just add an extra element of depth which is nice.

Used vr headsets for 3d, and have had a series of protectors that do 3d for it. Thought it was dying out, but newer 4k projectors keep adding the feature.

But I agree the general public opinion is it's not worth it, so the studios will follow the money. If people vote with their wallets I'll just have to accept the limited library I have so far.

I also feel like I need to add that many people either don't see 3d (and don't realize it, my father and daughter included), or have poor depth perception making the effect headache inducing. This accounts for a reasonable amount of the public, making the effect either worthless or not worth the strain.

This. I was surprised to learn how bad many people's depth perception is. I used to work in VR and it seemed like a quarter to half of the people I showed it to could not see the depth.

I think it's amazing when done right.

But

Almost every time I've been to a 3d showing they have the screen adjusted wrong or in the wrong aspect ratio and it messes everything up.

I have a buddy with a home theater and a 3d projector with synchronized LCD glasses and 3d blu rays in that context are great.

I think certain movies are 3D worthy. Like I would I loved to watch Interstellar or Gravity in 3D. When full immersion is something that adds value.

I find that most movies aren't worthy of it.

I love it, bought all the 3d movie I could. It just offers much more immersion for me. I still have my 3d tv and projector, but they stopped making the movies. Sad day.

I like them too, there are still a few movies that get a 3D release (although live action movies now are pretty much all just 3D conversion). Wikipedia lists 12 movies released this year that got 3D releases, 5 of those are animated movies, and 3 are Marvel movies. I missed the window on 3D home theater, but with the right tools I can watch the 3D releases I do have in VR, which is admittedly slightly less comfortable, but works since I'm the only person I know that actually likes watching in 3D anyway.

Do they release outside of the cinema though?

A few do on BluRay, although that's likely not going to last much longer, since the studios seem to really want to kill off physical media.

I love 3D movies.

That said, I refuse to go to a movie theater now days.

I'd rather just buy the movie on Streaming and watch any time I want, as many times as I want.

But I don't have 3D at home, or a home theater type setup, so, it is just something I go without. Would of course love a home theater with 3D capability, but that ain't happening, so, life goes on.

Like many here I enjoy them if they are well made. Dr Strange Movies in 3D were awesome

I watched the original Avatar on 2D on cinemas when it was released.

A few days later I went to a 3D screening. The only time the 3D really called my attention was when the "wheelchair guy" was on an empty room with the "bad military guy".

3D is a little enhancement/gimmick, but not a must. I avoided 3D movies from that day on, it's not worth the money.

The most impressive thing I remember from when I watched Avatar in 3d, was the trailer for Toy Story before the movie.

I find the effect for real life movies isn't great but in animated films they seem to have more control of how it's layered. I've enjoyed it a couple times and hated it a few times, but it really is a gimmick for now.

Decent passive 3D tech (no glasses) or actual advances in holographic tech might change that but not much else will take over 2D being mainstream.

3D films is always a fad that comes in waves. Given it’s price to set up at home, it will be a premium that only movie theaters will offer—and such a gimmick is what those movie corporations spring on us to try to redrum up folks’ interest in paying to go to the theater (especially when a new technology for 3D is released).

The last one I went to on purpose was the first Dr. Strange movie since it was pretty obvious all of these effects would be well-suited for 3D which personally I think heightened the entertainment of that film. Many other cases were more forgetable, induced a headache, & were not worth the premium ticket.

I always try go see the 2d version, but occasionally I’ll watch a movie in 3d like avatar.

I don't enjoy migraines, so I avoid 3D anything.

I'm very prone to migraines, get vertigo too. 3d's never done that to me though. Unless i try watching it without the glasses though i guess haha

Mine are often related to vision (diplopia) so unfortunately I can only last about 5 minutes into any 3D content before mine triggers.

I get vestibular migraines that can affect my vision but is not induced by, as far as i can tell anyway. Migraines suck :(

I enjoy the novelty of it for first half an hour but then immediately forget about it. I feel like it was just an extra money maker a trend of the time.

They were a fun novelty when it was only theme parks doing it, because the theatre experience was tailored to that one movie and they could bring practical effects into the show.

In a standard movie theater there wasn't much point and I watched potc 4 without the glasses because it genuinely looked better than with the glasses on.

That's bonkers, how was watching it with a double image better than with the glasses?

With the glasses on I felt like I was going cross eyed. They fucked it up so badly.

Could've been a bad projection? I saw a film (cant remember what it was now) where they accidentally flipped the projections (not image itself btw), so that what was to be in your left eye was actually getting shown to your right. It was awful. Had to watch it with one hand over one of the lenses so I could see it without being double imaged or cross eyed.

No. My eyes, or mind, doesn't quite accept it and yes, the filming for 3d sort of fucks up the 2d experience. I don't think film is the right medium for 3d. Our 3d experience of the world is a smaller view but movies show a wider perspective (visually). It's just annoying.

I love 3d movies and I'm angry that I can't buy 3d blurays of movies that were shot in 3d!

I enjoyed 3D movies and wish it became a thing. I still break out the 3D glasses for my TV every once in a while

Sure. If they’re made to be 3D, the writing, direction, and camera work are all done to integrate and make 3D part of the story.

If they just make Fast And Furious 15 in 3D because hey, 3D marketing gimmick…hell no.

I like it if it's done well. But 3D TVs didn't take off so it's a mixed bag if you're watching them at home. I also liked the high(er) framerate Hobbit movies.

I saw Kiss Me Kate in 3D with the old glasses back in 1980 or so. Had a 3D Three Stooges short before the movie that was also pretty great.

I remember being wowed by Beowulf (which I think was the first high profile 3D movie in the most recent wave), and I also enjoyed Avatar in 3D. Other than those two movies I found that 3D detected detracted from the overall experience and I quickly stopped attending 3D showings.

edit: realized I made a typo three days later...embarrassing

I never cared for them. The technology and techniques have improved vastly over the years but given the choice I'm fine with the flat experience. Oddly enough I only play VR games anymore.

I saw a couple of the classic 50s 3d flicks in the theatre when I was a teenager in the 80s.

It was fun.

Didn't make me want to see any more.

I am not a huge fan of the theater experience but you can watch 3d movies in Skybox on the Meta Quest 2, etc. Which I think is kinda good, if you have a good way of obtaining them 😅

I liked them. I also really enjoyed playing 3D games on the 3DS, especially the 3D-ified 16bit games.

I don't like it, and I don't think it adds anything to the experience aside from headaches and eye strain.

I like 3d as a fun novelty I never had headaches at al l from it. I have a 3d fractal artbook that's fun to look at when I'm high as fuck. There is also 3d tapestry wall art

I hate 3d movies. They don't add to the story or the experience. Moreover, I find it distracting.