Only Big 3D Release Next Week is an Artistic Porno

 

The only problem with running a blog like this is that sometimes you get into dry spells where news on your specific topic is so slow it makes updating difficult.  You already know that the 3D release of "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" has been delayed and that Disney isn't backtracking on their lack of 3D support for the rest of their films anytime soon, but next week feels far more grim.  For the horrible "Norm of the North" won't be released in BluRay 3D when it hits store shelves next week (in all fairness the movie wasn't released in 3D in theaters either, but I have heard from producers that it was intended for three dimensions).  "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is enough of a disappointment that Warner Bros. is considering releasing the R-rated cut in theaters later this year to push the film towards the $1 billion dollar mark (will be interesting to see if this version is also in 3D).

The only BluRay 3D we're getting next week is for Gaspar Noé's "Love."  For those who want to know what this movie is you can stream the 2D version on Netflix... though I strongly encourage you skip it.  The director claims that the movie is about passion and exploring sexuality, but it is really just an excuse to have actors perform unsimulated sex on camera.  The movie (which was so terrible I couldn't even finish it) is about 135 minutes long with almost a full quarter of it dedicated to graphic sex.  Some of the shots in this "movie" are so unpleasant to watch in 2D that I have no doubt it will be worse in 3D.  The only reason I'm even discussing this release is that (in my opinion of course) this is not the direction the format wants to take if it is to survive long term.  Likewise I know many 3D fans will pick this up because 3D content is so rare we'll sometimes buy things we really have no intention of ever watching again.

I'm not saying this because I'm against movies that use lots of sex as a way to tell stories either.  I'm against THIS particular film because it's smut trying to parade as art.  No doubt the 3D was used in an attempt to be 'bold' and 'different' from other movies, but all it does it make certain *cough* "shots" seem too close for comfort.  Of course Noé was free to make whatever kind of movie he wants to make.  He's an artist and, if "Irreversible" is anything to judge by, a very good one.  I feel "Love" is a complete misfire and a total waste of everyone's time.  The idea that the movie will have some blind buys from a fan base that craves more content from their 3D TV's is enough to make me squirm.  So I'm encouraging everyone to skip it.  I know it's not fun to have to go almost a whole month without having a 3D BluRay to buy, but there are some products that are so bad we need to take a stand against them from the get go.  Please don't buy "Love."

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"Jaws 3" Coming to BluRay in 3D (No, Really)

Chances are you've been too busy spending the last thirty years re-watching Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning classic film "Jaws" to realize that there are actually sequels to it.  Three of them to be exact!  And each of them is worse than the last.  These movies are so bad that "Jaws" is essentially the franchise most film lovers tend to pretend is only one really good movie.  Before the final film was released, Universal tried to ride the initial 3D gimmick with the release of "Jaws 3D."  Critically lambasted as being the worst excuse for a sequel since - well, "Jaws 2" - the movie has languished on VHS and 3:00am TNT reruns for years, but now its finally coming to BluRay along with the rest of the rejects.  What's more, for the first time since the theatrical release, viewers can see the 3D version on BluRay 3D.  So just to recap: America is denied BluRay 3D releases of "Frozen," "Big Hero 6," "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F," "Noah," and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2," but we get "Jaws 3."

Really, you can't make this stuff up.

In a strange way, I AM looking forward to seeing this in 3D!  Not because I like this movie or anything, but because the movie looks so goofy in 2D that I almost need to see for myself if the original 3D effect could possibly manage to make the film look any less silly than it already does.  There have been many satirical YouTube reviews to save you from seeing the movie yourself, but if you ever wanted to own the 'Jaws' movies that totally suck, they are all coming to BluRay later this year, with "Jaws 3D" making its true home video début.  I can already tell you it's going to be a very, VERY interesting year!  See Disney, Universal says "Jaws 3" gets a 3D release.  Don't you think you should start making your movies available in 3D?

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The Force is Strong at Retailers This Week

 

I was visiting a Fry's yesterday to pick up a new power cord for my PlayStation 3 when a powerful feeling swept over me when I stepping into the building.  No, it wasn't that of a powerful AC, but that of a billion dollar franchise that was determined to take my money.  For right in front of me there were toys of little robots, glowing colored light stick, and on virtually every corner a copy of "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" was sitting on a shelf or table, waiting to be bought.  Much like how the franchise would soon be taking over Disneyland, the movie was taking over retailers all over the globe with exclusive retailer editions to help fuel the desires of the consumer to spend more money on a movie that probably grossed more than it deserved.  Fighting the urge to buy the movie was not easy.  Disney even went out of their way to give the movie a special black case that would make it stand out on the shelf (until Ultra HD BluRay's become a common thing that is).

The interesting thing is that this was no ordinary movie push by a retailer.  For the movie was not only displayed front and center at the store, but has display stands and tables dedicated to virtually every section.  If you somehow got through the store without picking up a copy there were mini-displays sitting on all the counters of the cashiers.  Going to the nice lady to pay my $3 for my cord resulted in a stare down with this movie that I could hear in a Darth Vader voice saying "you can not resist the power of the Disney Side.  It is time to join us and add this movie to your growing BluRay collection." I started to sweat at this point as I resisted the urge to buy my own disk.  I felt for the first time what it must feel like to have a mind battle with a powerful Sith Lord, and only wished that Yoda was there to teach me the ways of the Jedi so that I may not stray from the Light Side of the Force.

After starring at the movie the lady asked me if I wanted to pick up a copy while I was here.  I looked her in the eyes, knowing that this would be the test of a lifetime, and I said firmly "thanks, but no thanks."  I bought my cord and left without a copy of the biggest movie of the year.  Now, under normal circumstances I would have bought this movie, but as you are well aware the 3D version wasn't released today.  Thankfully we WILL be getting that at a later date (most likely in that big 'Ultimate Edition' that's been announced), at the moment though we just have it in 2D.  The reason I share this story is because even though "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" was not my favorite movie last year (or even close to it really) it does have a power that makes wanted to buy it so very desirable.

It is the only movie so far where I've felt like "well, it's not being released how it was supposed to be seen...but I can probably live with this until we get the real version later on."  This is one of the genius things about Disney's marketing: They know the power of Star Wars is great enough to double dip.  In a day and age where double dipping on movies is largely in the past (mainly because people wised up to it after Peter Jackson exploited the concept with his movies) Star Wars is the one franchise that can get away with this practice.  That is one of the key reasons we are not getting the 3D version day and not.  Not because it won't sell, but because Disney knows this is a big enough movie where fans would buy the thing twice.  Holding off on certain presentations and special features ensures that the movie is bought twice by most consumers.  It is for that reason I must resist the power of the Force and save my money until the 3D version comes out later.  I didn't want to buy two copies of "Frozen" (which was a much better movie) and I won't buy two copies of this.

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The LASER Sharp 3D of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"

Last weekend "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" managed to get toxic reviews yet easily claim the number one spot for the weekend.  With a $170 million opening, an extended universe starter had just been unleashed upon the world.  Like "Zootopia" a lot of the business was helped by 3D and IMAX screenings (85% of movie theaters showed the film on screens that required glasses).  The second weekend the movie was dropped like a bad habit (by about 68% some reports suggest).  I saw it last weekend and joined most of the world in hating it.  Frustratingly, I hated not because it was consistently terrible, but because it was really good before the extended universe selling came into the picture.  This is a drop so deep that it puts the future of this franchise into question.  Yes, the studio can afford to take a critical hit, but if those numbers hold up, then long term Warner Bros. could have a real disaster on their hands.  It seams the lessons of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" weren't learned: Audiences don't want to buy tickets to commercials for future products, they just want a ticket to THIS product!

I could repeat my opinions of the film all I want, but I already wrote a review for it and it would be more constructive of my time if you were to just read that.  I'm not even going to discuss the success (or lack therefor) of the film itself much.  Yes I opened with it because I couldn't resist the urge, but I really want to discuss the format I saw the movie in.  See, I saw "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" in the famous TCL Chinese Theater!  A couple of years ago they replaced their really big screen and put in a really big IMAX.  Since that upgrade it became home to the first ever IMAX 4K Laser projection. Despite using lots of gadgets in my everyday life, I'm not always sure what new type of cameras and projectors are on the market or what they intend to do.  This new stuff always promises to "make images more detailed," but sometimes in practice I can't see what the heck the companies are talking about.

Dolby Vision may have been designed to bring out contrast in the image better than it ever had been before, but all I see when I watch a movie in that format is a brighter image.  High Frame Rate may have been invented to make movies look more realistic, but the effect just comes off an uncanny.  When I watched "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" in 4K Laser projection I have to admit that I was pretty impressed.  Not because it made the image clearer (I believe we're at a point where images can't get clearer than they already are), but because it made the images on the screen smoother.  More specifically, it made the 3D run smoother than I had ever seen it before without compromising the image.  Before this the smoothest 3D I had seen was with Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.  While I was very critical in my views of the 48 HFR filming, I did have to admit that those extra frames did make the 3D images much easier on the eyes.

The thing about 3D is that is can be a strain to watch sometimes.  Doctors recommend not to watch it all the time because your eyes and brain are constantly working to make out the double images and turn them into a fully working experience.  While it never really bothered me before, I noticed pretty quickly that the Hobbit movies were much easier on the eyes.  I was partially happy with that effect.  What's the point of gaining a better viewing experience though when the rest of the image looks like YouTube garbage?  It was a step in the wrong direction (I don't want to have the movies look worse just so 3D is less stressful... I don't like the format THAT much).  With the 4K Laser projector though, I think we might have found the best solution for this problem thus far.  While I wasn't completely thrilled with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" as a movie, I did notice that the 3D was excellent.

It's some of the best 3D I've seen, and during the (admittingly overblown) action sequences, the camera angle's, editing, and sweeping images were all complimented by the 3D in ways I haven't experienced in an action movie since "Mad Max: Fury Road" ("The Walk" doesn't count because that films use of 3D is very different in nature).  Action movies are extremely difficult to make good 3D films out of, because their very nature and the way most of them are made clash with what makes 3D really work sometimes.  3D needs long shots, steady pacing, and an image that is content to sway rather than jerk around.  Most action films, in contrast, have short shots, quick editing, and cameras that shake all over the place.  It makes the 3D blur up and jerk around.  In cases like "Noah" the resulting effect was such a visual disaster we didn't even get it in the states.  What's interesting with "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is that the way the movie is shot suggests that the 3D should have been a complete disaster.

Zach Snyder is not a subtle director.  In fact, dare I saw it, I don't think he even knows HOW to direct sometimes!  With the exception of "300" and "Watchmen," his movies are so frantically paced that there is almost no room to breath.  "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" does have lots of breathing room early on, but once the fighting begins it brings up the same problems "Sucker Punch" had.  This kind of film making does not lend itself well to 3D.  Yet on an IMAX 4K Laser projection system, the 3D looking beautiful and the image was sharp.  I will be seeing the film again in a standard IMAX 3D to see if the image still holds up, but if it doesn't, then that means laser projection could be the first step in eliminating what many people dub "the 3D headaches" altogether.  It's just a shame I had to discover this through THIS film!

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Disney Confirms They Don't Support 3D with Announcement of "The Finest Hour"

 

So... I'm sad to say my suspicions were correct about Disney.  In a post a few days ago I addressed growing optimism that Disney was back to supporting BluRay 3D in the states.  I pointed out that all the movies that were getting 3D releases were from Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, who all operate separately from the Mouse (he just distributes and takes his cut).  I mentioned that unless we got "The Finest Hours" and "Zootopia" on BluRay 3D I remained unconvinced that Disney had turned their ship around.  Yesterday confirmed my suspicions as Disney sent out a press release for "The Finest Hours" coming to BluRay, DVD, and HD Digital.  No where in the release does it mention a BluRay 3D release and there is no reason to suspect we will get one.  Now, we might still get a 3D download on Vudu and Europe will certainly get a BluRay 3D that will more than likely be playable on American BluRay players.  So that is the good news.  For those who wanted to buy the BluRay 3D in America though... sorry, looks like you'll still have to play the import game.  Full press release below.

 

ONE OF THE GREATEST RESCUE STORIES EVER TOLDStarring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster and Eric Bana

RELEASES ON IN-HOME PLATFORMS, MAY 24TH


Disney Presents

THE FINEST HOURS


The Film Storms Home on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere,

and Packaged with A Host of Bonus Features Including An All-New Documentary With A Look at the True Life Heroes Behind the Story, Making-of Featurettes and Deleted Scenes​

BURBANK, Calif., March 25, 2016 — “THE FINEST HOURS,” a heroic action-thriller based on the true story of a 1952 U.S. Coast Guard rescue, storms home on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, and On-Demand on May 24th, 2016. Starring Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films), Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck (“Interstellar”), Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma”) and Eric Bana (“Lone Survivor”), “THE FINEST HOURS” makes its in-home debut packaged with a host of bonus features about the making of the movie and the remarkable true-life events that inspired it.


Based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias, viewers can enjoy diving into the thrilling eye of the storm with: An all-new documentary “Against All Odds: The Bernie Webber Story,” in which real-life residents of Chatham recall the events that set the stage for the film’s historic rescue mission; Four making-of featurettes highlighting cast members experiences and reflections by members of the U.S. Coast Guard; as well as two never-before-shared Deleted Scenes.


Directed by Craig Gillespie (“Million Dollar Arm”), “THE FINEST HOURS” stars Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films); Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck (“Interstellar”); Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma”); Holliday Grainger (“Cinderella”); John Ortiz (“Silver Linings Playbook”); and Eric Bana (“Lone Survivor”). The film is produced by Jim Whitaker (“Cinderella Man”) and Dorothy Aufiero (“The Fighter”), the screenplay is by Oscar® nominee Scott Silver (“8 Mile”) and Oscar nominees Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (“The Fighter”) based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias. Doug Merrifield(the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) serves as executive producer.


BONUS FEATURES*:


Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Digital SD, Disney Movies Anywhere

· AGAINST ALL ODDS: THE BERNIE WEBBER STORY – Visit the quaint and close-knit town of Chatham, and experience the events surrounding the most heroic Coast Guard rescue ever through the eyes of the people who witnessed them.


· BROTHERHOOD – Cast members reflect on the bonds they forged during the shoot.


· TWO CREWS – Chris Pine and Casey Affleck share insights into Bernie Webber and Ray Sybert, men who led their respective crews against all odds.


· WHAT IS YOUR FINEST HOUR? – A Coast Guard member recounts an incredible rescue.


· THE FINEST INSPIRATION: THE U.S. COAST GUARD Meet the people who put their lives on the line for others.


· DELETED SCENES:

o A Desperate Idea

o The Story of How They Met


DVD

· BROTHERHOOD

· THE FINEST INSPIRATION: THE U.S. COAST GUARD


*Bonus Features may vary by retailer


DISC SPECIFICATIONS:

Feature Run Time: Approximately 117 min.

Rating: PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; G in CF

Aspect Ratio: Blu-ray Feature Film = 1080p High Definition / 2.39:1

DVD Feature Film = 2.39:1

Audio: Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, French-Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Latin Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital

DVD = 5.1 Dolby Digital (English, French, & Spanish), English 2.0 DVS Dolby Digital

Languages/Subtitles: English, English SDH, French & Spanish


SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: Facebook.com/TheFinestHoursMovie

Website: Movies.Disney.com/The-Finest-Hours


FILM SYNOPSIS:

This heroic action-thriller is based on the extraordinary true story of the greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history. In 1952, a massive winter storm strikes off the coast of Cape Cod, ripping a T-2 oil tanker in half and trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly sinking stern. When word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard, four men led by Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) set out in a 12-seat boat on a daring mission to rescue the stranded men, braving freezing cold, 60-foot waves and hurricane-force winds, and guided by Webber’s vow that “We all live, or we all die.” Packed with thrilling, larger-than-life action and anchored in a belief in the strength of the human spirit, The Finest Hours is a triumph.

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Upcoming Panasonic Ultra HD Player to Support 3D!

The biggest threat in the upcoming 4K revolution is the fact that many of the major TV manufacturer's are trying to phase out the 3D option from future sets.  I don't know why manufacturer's feel like they need to phase out 3D rather than just make it an additional feature... but I'll write about that at a later date.  In the meantime 4K TV's are the new "it thing" in the home theater world, and with shiny new TV's comes a shiny new format called UltraHD BluRay.  During the announcement there were many questions asked about whether or not it would support 3D (so much for there being no interest in the format) and pretty much everyone said that while the players don't support 3D at the moment, the hardware can be upgraded should companies want to revisit the idea in the future.  This was obviously disappointing news to many fans of the format, however some good news has come that there will be at least one Ultra BluRay player that will be compatible with BluRay 3D right out of the box: The Panasonic DMP-UB900!

This device is made with 4K TV's in mind, will play the new UltraHD BluRay format, and it will be compatible with your DVD's, BluRay's, and BluRay 3D's (owners who have HD-DVD's are still out of luck).  As of this writing the device is only available in Europe, but Panasonic has confirmed it will be released statewide later in the year.  We will keep you updated when that is.  While it would be nice if more of these players were compatible with BluRay 3D disks, it is nice to know fans can get at least one player that will support them, so now you can safely upgrade your TV without the fear of never being able to watch "Avatar" in the only format that makes any sense.

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"Divergent Series" Sheds 3D

Considering how slow 3D news has been these days (with select TV manufacturer's phasing it out this year) it's interesting that I somehow managed to miss one of the more obvious stories that was starring me right in my face: "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" was released to theaters this weekend WITHOUT a 3D version to accompany it!  To my knowledge the film was announced to be in 3D, but it is being released only in 2D and I'm not even aware of the Chinese market getting a 3D version.  Part of me is kicking myself for missing such an obvious story, but I think this may actually speak more about the problems the franchise is having in general than it does about me.  The first film is the series was not released in 3D.  With "The Divergent Series: Insurgent" though, Summit Entertainment made the announcement the series would be jumping into the realm of 3D, and thus that film became the first in the series to get the 3D treatment.

At the same time it was announced that the final book in the series would be split into two movies: "The Divergent Series: Allegiant - Part 1" and "The Divergent Series: Allegiant - Part 2." Both were also announced to be in 3D.  Amazing what a difference a year makes though.  So what happened?  I've got a few theories.  Keep in mind these are more or less speculative guesses, but I think they're strong ones.  After splitting the final 'Hunger Games' movie into two parts proved to be a creative (and critical) nightmare for Lionsgate (who also happens to distribute "The Divergent Series"), some changes were made.  The first thing that needed to go was the whole "Part 1 and Part 2" thing.  Look, it may have worked for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," but that novel was almost 800 pages long.  "Mockingjay" and "Allegiant" COMBINED barely make 700 pages, yet both these books were being split into two movies to keep the franchises alive just a little longer!

The thing about this is that fans are getting tired of the film splitting.  They see it for what it really is, and if they didn't before, they certainly did when "The Hobbit" was forced to be a trilogy.  I have a saying that goes "you can't keep people stupid forever," and that was starting to show in the box office returns and reviews.  Thus "The Divergent Series: Allegiant - Part 1" became just "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" while the sequel was renamed as "The Divergent Series: Ascendant.". Granted, this is STILL splitting one book into two, but at least the studios are sort of trying to hide the fact now!  That goes a long way to showing that they are aware of the public scorn for this practise.  The second thing they did was move the release date for the final film up a few months to give the film makers more time to work on the film.  This series has had one of the fastest production schedules of any major franchise, and it shows in how people have received the final projects.

With each new installment the reviews get worse and worse, and there is probably some hope that giving the film makers a few more months to tweak the final movie might give them a better final project (hey, it worked for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2").  Finally, we get to the 3D.  Although the 3D surcharges did add some money to 'Insurgent's' final box office tally, the film still grossed less than its predecessor.  3D upconversion can still add at least several million dollars to the budget, so since the format didn't bring in the extra money the studio wanted, they decided to cut their loss on it and not use it for the next films.  This ultimately seems like a wise move as the latest movie grossed much less than the previous two films and has the worst reviews of the bunch.  It is ironic that the movie opened number two at the box office to "Zootopia," a movie that is in it's third week I release and is kicking serious butt in the 3D and IMAX formats.  I have to laugh because it just goes to show you that nobody knows anything in Hollywood.

I would like to point out if there is a lesson to be learned in all of this, it's that ultimately formats can be used to enhance any movie and it doesn't matter which genre you apply them to, it just matters how the movie uses them.  "Zootopia" was a movie that was predicted to be a disappointment because no one goes to see animation in 3D or IMAX anymore.  The movie has proved them wrong.  On the other hand conventional wisdom says that these formats would benefit 'The Divergent Series.' They did not.  All the number crunching in the world can't predict what 3D movies will be embraced and which ones will be shunned.  It's not about what types of films use the format; it's how the films use the format.  With manufacturers scaling back on production of 3D TV's, who knows if this lesson will ever truly sink in.  I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens with "Avatar 2."

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Is "Zootopia" Coming to BluRay 3D?

In the midst of the home 3D market collapsing, the one company that has been the most difficult to figure out in terms of their support for the BluRay 3D format is Disney.  I have been getting e-mails from people who mention that Disney is changing their ways.  That they once were lost, but now they see (the 3D).  After backing off from the BluRay 3D support, we've seen a vast majority of their films get 3D releases on disk.  I want to say upfront this makes me happy, this is obviously a step in the right direction, but...I'm not completely sold on the idea Disney is back in this market.  I say this mainly because the movies they've released in the BluRay 3D format have not technically been Disney films: They've been movies from Pixar and Marvel.  Pixar, Marvel, and (now) Lucasfilm are owned by Disney, but they operate independently from the main studio.  They have resources to the Mouse's money, connections, and talent, but they largely control how their movies are made, seen, and released...largely.

This explains why "Inside Out" and "Ant-Man" have BluRay 3D releases.  This also explains why Lucasfilm announced upfront that "Stars Wars: The Force Awakens" will be getting a 3D release in the future (most likely in a massive collectors edition that will be way overpriced but...ah, who am I kidding, I'm still going to buy it).  When it comes to Disney themselves I have seen little evidence that they are changing their minds.  This is especially true when it comes to their animated features.  At this point they've not made a domestic 3D version of both "Frozen" and "Big Hero 6."  They also passed on the 3D release of "Maleficent" and "Need for Speed."  Three of these movies have either won Academy Awards or have been nominated, and the fact they can't seem to be bothered to release the films in their intended viewing format is maddening.  With that said, there is a chance that maybe - just maybe - things might be turning around.

As you are well aware, Disney's 55th animated feature "Zootopia" opened this weekend to glowing praise and unexpectedly good box office results.  It broke a few records, 3D tickets were a huge chunk of those sales, and it even had one of the biggest IMAX openings in history, proving almost everyone at IMAX wrong for turning their back on animated films because they felt families didn't pay premium ticket prices for cartoons (they obviously do as you can see).  The movie is being heavily advertised as being a 3D experience in all the ads.  My opinion is that the 3D is certainly good, but in terms of being a make-or-break visual experience...eh, maybe the 2D experience is just as good this time around.  I still want to own it in 3D and will import another disk if I have to.  We may not have to though as I discovered this on Best Buy's website...

Yep, that's a pre-order button for "Zootopia" on BluRay 3D!  I haven't found another store that is pre-ordering the title for 3D (including Amazon) and "Frozen" had pre-orders for a 3D version that ultimately never came out.  I'm going to be cautiously optimistic this time around.  Stores like Best Buy make a killing in pre-orders these days, and the last thing they want to do is have to refund people on a product that never came out.  If they have a BluRay 3D up for pre-order, then there might be a chance we'll see one.  In the meantime, if you DO want the title on 3D, it couldn't hurt to vote with your wallet and pre-order a copy now.  This will let them know you're interested in the product.  If it ultimately doesn't come out, the order is canceled with you being charged a penny, and we can move onto importing the steelbook release from Zavii!  And to wrap up what I said before, Disney needs to start releasing their own movies on BluRay 3D to completely convince me that they are back in the game.  So until "Zootopia" and "The Finest Hour" get 3D releases in America, they are still of questionable reliability in my book.

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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Announced for BluRay (Will We Get it in 3D?)

 

The big announcement today is that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is coming to BluRay on April 5th.  This has been one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood the past few weeks, but I suppose it's nice to have it official.  Disappointingly there will be NO BluRay 3D release on the 5th, but the press release has made mention that a 3D version is coming out later this year.  It doesn't specify whether that will be on disk or via a streaming site like Vudu, but it's nice to know we're at least getting something later on.  I will share my thoughts on why the release may be a good thing in the long run if Disney is doing what I think they will be doing, but for now you can read the press release here.  I personally won't be buying the movie until a 3D release is announced myself, but I know a lot of you won't be able to help yourselves, so be prepared to be double dipped on this one.

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Where's the News for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" BluRay 3D Release?

There have been questions coming in about whether or not "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be coming out on BluRay 3D.  The worry about its status is certainly understandable.  Retailers and CE are slowly giving up on the format.  Many TV manufacturers aren't including 3D features in their newest models (minus the high end models of course).  Disney is the company who made this and their commitment to 3D has been more than shaky these days (though kudos to them for releasing "The Good Dinosaur" on BluRay 3D this week).  Of course, the biggest point of worry is that a BluRay 3D hasn't been announced and to my knowledge there isn't on up for pre-order (and before I get any e-mails: I don't shop at Amazon.com, so I am completely in the dark on what they have up for pre-order these days).

These are all good points and valid concerns.  In this case though, I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll get a BluRay 3D release at some point.  First of all, this is one of the movies that made almost half of it's $2 billion dollars thanks to 3D tickets.  Second, while Disney themselves have backed off BluRay 3D, their subcompanies (AKA: Marvel, Pixar, Touchstone, etc...) seem to still be releasing movies in 3D, so there's a chance Lucasfilm falls under this category as well.  Third (and this is the big one) if there is any movie that will sell on BluRay 3D, it's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."  Look deep inside your hearts, you all know this to be true.  So for the time being we'll be keeping this one off our MIA list.  We're not discounting the idea that we won't be getting this, but at the moment we'd be surprised if we didn't.  So as Yoda taught Luke, patience will be the emotion we must learn.  Until next time, may the force be with you!

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Did You Know MGM Re-released "Creed" in 3D?

Chances are many of you have heard of "Creed."  The seventh installment in the 'Rocky' series was released late last year to big box office returns and overwhelmingly positive reviews.  Critics and audiences alike loved the film Ryan Coogler brought to the house, and Sylvester Stallone is looking to walk away with his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as the aging Rocky Balboa.  By now most of you reading this have already seen the movie.  If you haven't it will be on BluRay in a few weeks.  However, did you know that two weeks ago MGM re-released the film in theaters?  Not only that, but they re-released it in a brand new 3D version.  Seriously, check out my ticket stub.

 

 



That's right, while most cheap theaters have the movie as originally released, regular movies theaters have gotten this unconverted monstrosity to show.  I'm sorry, did I say monstrosity?  Well, so much for reviewing the 3D version properly.  I guess there was no beating around the bush with this one though.  If a 3D version had been planned all along we would have gotten it on opening weekend.  Instead the movie was hastily converted to 3D within a couple months and released into theaters without so much a penny spent on advertising.

So how IS the 3D version?!

As mentioned before, it is a monstrosity.  It is an un-Godly sin upon the art of film making.  I've seen terrible 3D presentations before.  When people think of how bad the format can be they normally think of "The Last Airbender" and "Clash of the Titans" as their prime examples.  Those were certainly bad conversions and some of the worst examples of 3D you could find, but now that I've seen "Creed" I can honestly say I've found a new "winner" in the war for worst 3D upconversion.  First of all, this is "3D" in the most basic of ways.  While great 3D pops out at the audience, most of this movie pops in.  That means the image always seems to be several inches inside the screen rather than seven inches out of it.  This doesn't give us a sense of being immersed in the film; it gives us a sense the film is farther away from us than it should be.  This was probably done so that the characters could always be popping out of us.

The problem with that is that characters themselves might be popping out of the image, but that is all they are doing.  They hover in front of the backgrounds but they never seem to actually be there.  They look flat and unconvincing.  If you need a good visualizer, the best I can say is to remember those old pop up books you liked to read as a child.  The pictures pop out but the images are still flat.  That is how the effects work in "Creed." There is a slight upside to the 3D when we get to the training montages and the final fight scene, as those have obviously been given more time and attention to.  Those are the only scenes that could have benefited from this conversion in the first place.  Somehow they still don't give off the fully three dimensional feeling that is required to make it worth spending the extra $3 on (or even wearing those silly glasses for that matter).  In short, "Creed 3D" is a total bust as a movie going experience.

The only question now is why did MGM bother with it in the first place?  There was no demand for this even when the movie first opened, so why now?  It is strange, especially when you consider it was dumped into theaters without so much of a peep from the studios.  Well, one of the things that could have prompted this is that MGM decided that with the Oscar nomination for Sylvester Stallone, it would raise interest in the movie, so having a 3D re-release would insure that any slow pokes who were late to the party would be forced to pay an inflated price for the ticket.  It's totally possible.  Another reason could be that this was made for China, who embraces 3D almost to a fault.  In fact, most of the time China will get a 3D version of a film when America doesn't get it (see "Furious 7" and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2").  The movie hasn't opened in China yet, so there is a chance this was made primarily for the Chinese market.

If that was the case though, again, why did they bother to release it in America?  The final reason could be that it was being made for a BluRay 3D release... on the other hand, scratch that, we aren't getting it on disk.  The disk comes out in a few weeks, unless there is some last minute printing I'm pretty positive we won't be getting it.  So what is the reason?  Well... I don't know.  I'm sorry guys, I just don't.  I tried figuring it out on my own, I can't think of a justifiable reason for it.  I have reached out to MGM for comment and I will let you know what they say after I hear back from them.  Until then you can see "Creed" in 3D in about 1,000 or so theaters.  I can't really recommend it unless you missed the boat the first time around, in which case a bad 3D upconversion is still worth putting up with to see it on the big screen.

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