Choosing the Best 3D Movies
Table of Contents
Great movies make great 3D movies! A good 3D movie must first be a good movie.
There are different schools of thought about the best way for choosing a 3D movie. One group of people seem to enjoy spectacular 3D shots in action packed films, while another group of people seem to want to choose movies that are already good movies with or without the novelty of 3D.
When stereo music was new, music producers tried some novel approaches. For example, vocals were sometimes recorded in the left track and background music in the right. This way, you could use your balance knob to hear just the instruments or just the vocals. While 3D is still catching on, it may be time to look past the novelty tactics such as flight scenes and slow motion explosions. Some films seem to be packed with “3D” scenes with nothing else to offer.
In my list here, I’m including the storyline, acting, directing, and of course, the 3D visuals. While there are new 3D Blu Rays coming out constantly, I’ll come back and update this list with new releases. Feel free to add your favorites in the comment section, and I may add your suggestions too.
Jurassic Park 3D
Tomatometer Rating: 93%
If you’re 30 or older, you remember how big of a deal Jurassic Park was as a theatrical release. Watching the 3D version at home gave me a bit of nostalgia, even though I experienced higher quality viewing at home than I did in the theatre as a kid.
Spielberg says that he was thinking of 3D when he shot many of the scenes, trying to create a 3D effect before 3D was widely available.
Jurassic Park was not originally shot in 3D, but it did receive a full remastering treatment that improved the colors beyond what is even available in the 2D Blu Ray release.
The 3D remaster also got a sound treatment to rumble the family room. And John Williams’ musical score is now a classic.
Marvel’s The Avengers 3D
Tomatometer Rating: 92%
The characters in The Avengers (2012) have the kind of chemistry that the Star Wars or Indiana Jones characters have. Tony Stark is argumentative, sarcastic, and narcissistic. This makes for some wonderful interplay between superheroes.
The 3D is amazing. There are explosions, flying scenes, arrows flying, slow motion, and a hulk climbing on buildings. This is one of the first 3D movies I wanted to get because I knew that the 3D would be an amazing enhancement to the strong foundation of a great movie.
A Critic Quote
“Smart, witty, funny, action-packed and surprisingly cathartic.” -Dann Gire, Daily Herald (IL)
Avatar 3D
Tomatometer Rating: 83%
Even though the movie seems to have been made to be a 3D spectacle, Avatar (2009) seems to have been made to be a 3D spectacle. I repeated myself because Avatar’s strength seems to be it’s weakness. The plot is sufficient, but when you watch in 3D, you’ll be immersed in a world or beautiful colors and scenery that seem like a realistic place on an idyllic planet.
Sigourney Weaver raises the acting level to a respectable level, even though she doesn’t have a chance to amaze you the way she did in the Alien movies. Avatar follows a familiar story about ruthless money hungry exploitation of natural resources which destroy an innocent people’s environment. Regardless, Avatar is worth the 3D investment.
A Critic Summarized
“The nature scenes are nothing short of magical in this film.” -James Plath, Movie Metropolis
The Wizard of Oz 3D
Tomatometer Rating: 99%
The great thing about The Wizard of Oz (1939) is that it has stood the test of time for some strange reason. I want this movie on my top 10 list because I wish all the great classics could get a 3D remaster. If other great old movies were already converted, this one might fall off the list. Until then, I’m supporting MGM’s decision to update a classic with a modern technology.
The Wizard of Oz had painted set backgrounds. Those backgrounds have been given some minor 3D depth without going overboard. In other words, you can still tell that the hills in the background are paintings, but they don’t look totally flat. You get about as much depth as you’d get on a stage set.
If you’re looking for dazzling 3D effects, there are better movies. However, you’ll get your fill of some fun 3D action among the singing and dancing. My favorite part is when the tonrado is coming toward the house in the beginning of the film. That part is black and white. So, this movie made me realized that I’d rather watch 3D than color.
Some people think 3D is just a fad. Color used to be a fad. Stereo sound used to be a fad. Luckily, we have MGM promoting 3D just like they were promoting color in 1939. I don’t mind that they are using 3D to sell a few copies of a classic movie.
A Well Said Summary
“The blend of old-fashioned, classic storytelling with cutting-edge technology is undeniably enthralling.” -Claudia Puig, USA Today
More Great 3D Blu-Rays
This is the rest of the list of great 3D movies. I’m not going to go into a lot about each of these, but I will update as new movies are released.
- A Christmas Carol 3D
- Alice in Wonderland 3D
- The Amazing Spider-Man 3D
- Brave 3D
- Captain America 3D
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 3D
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 3D
- Despicable Me 1 and 2 3D
- Finding Nemo 3D
- How to Train Your Dragon 3D
- Immortals 3D
- Iron Man 3 3D
- Monsters, Inc. 3D
- Monsters University 3D
- The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D
- Oz the Great and Powerful 3D
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 3D
- Planes 3D
- Prometheus 3D
- Star Trek Into Darkness 3D
- The Lion King 3D
- Tad: The Lost Explorer 3D
- Tangled 3D
- Thor 3D
- Thor: The Dark World 3D
- Toy Story 1, 2, and 3 3D
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D
- Tron: Legacy 3D
- Up 3D
- Wreck it Ralph 3D
If you want to add your own list of favorite 3D movies, write id in the comment section below.