Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Friday, August 26, 2016
Despite what some of you kids who are reading this may be thinking, 3D is not a new thing. It was experimented with heavily not once, but twice, before it came to the current state it is at (some would argue we are winding down the third experimentation phase, which is a subject for another day). Back in 1954 Universal Studios decided to try their hand at a 3D science fiction film, and the end result was "It Came from Outer Space," which has (naturally) become a cult classic over the years. Part of the reason may be because since the film was shot in 3D - but is unable to be displayed in 3D most of the time - the movie looks just even more silly than most science fiction films of the period sounded. Fans will now get a chance to see that 3D effect though, as Universal is releasing it on BluRay 3D.
The catch is that, for the time being, this will be an exclusive release at Best Buy. This doesn't surprise me too much as Best Buy seems to be the only retailer with a section dedicated to 3D movies (they sit next to the UltraHD movies, ironically enough). Otherwise the only other retailer that still takes time to educate people on the benefits of watching movies in 3D is Amazon (and they are online so it's easy for people to maneuver around that information). For the time being, retailer exclusives are probably the best way we are going to get 3D releases of movies that, quite frankly, don't have a lot of mass market appeal. "It Came from Outer Space" may be historically significant in the history of 3D film, but it (most likely) isn't what you would call a great movie in and of itself. I guess we'll be able to decide that for ourselves come October.
On a final note, if you were interested in seeing "Ben-Hur" in 3D and see a theater near you that is projecting it in the format, see it this weekend, as if may be the last chance you have until the BluRay 3D comes out (it's a Paramount/MGM film, so I'm certain we'll get one).
"Ben-Hur" is officially a flop. It opened at number six at the box office opening weekend, with less than $15 million dollars to show for it. The screening I attended was on a Saturday, in IMAX 3D, at 5:45pm. There couldn't have been more than ten people at the screening. That is pitiful for opening weekend blockbuster. Now, in standard IMAX tradition, the movie is being dropped from their screens come Friday with a double bill of currently-in-theaters "Jason Bourne" (making it's US IMAX debut) and a re-release of "The Jungle Book," a movie that was big in theaters all the way back in April. What's more, most IMAX's aren't even waiting out the first week, with many dumping the movie on Tuesday for these older movies. Friday will also see the film lose many of it's standard screens (as well as almost all of it's 3D screens). Judah Ben-Hur may have come up on top in the movie, but at the box office he was first to die and last to finish.
Still, lackluster as the movie was, I can't help but think "why oh why couldn't this have been 'Suicide Squad?'"
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
You read that correctly folks: "The Jungle Book," one of the best 3D films to be released this year, it coming back to IMAX for a limited time! This says two things at once. First, it shows just how good the IMAX 3D presentation was, as only a select few movies get invited back ("Avatar," "Gravity," "The Dark Knight," "The Polar Express," etc...). The second is that "Ben-Hur" (the current IMAX movie) is doing REALLY poorly in that format! In fact, the movie is doing so bad in general, it might actually lose $100 million dollars, making it one of the biggest flops of the year. So if you want to see "Ben-Hur" on one of the biggest screens out there, you've basically got two days left to do so. It should also be noted that not all IMAX theaters will be showing "The Jungle Book" on Friday. Some will revert back to "Suicide Squad" while others will be premièring "Jason Bourne" in the format (the movie was only shown in international IMAX's).
Bottom line, this isn't the first time IMAX has brought back older movies when a new release fails in a (eh hem) big way. The fact they chose "The Jungle Book" shows just how good the movie was in that format. So, if IMAX wants it back, you'd think this would make an obvious movie to release on BluRay 3D for Disney? Oh, if only life were that simple...
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Saturday, August 20, 2016
If you want to see a 3D movie in theaters this weekend, then the good news is that you have several choices. The bad news it that the good choices are likely going to be hard to track down. Here are the movies you have to choose from if you want to see something in the third dimension:
Ben-Hur
A remake of the 1959 Best Picture winner, "Ben-Hur" makes great use of the 3D effect, but, sadly, comes off as a pointless remake. Going into the movie you know there is no way it can top the 1959 classic, but it is disappointing none-the-less to see the results fall this short. The scene that makes best use of the 3D is the chariot race. Even still, the cost of an IMAX 3D ticket can buy you the original movie on BluRay (with "The Ten Commandments" thrown in for good measure), so this isn't the best option.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Stop motion 3D movies can be very hit or miss in terms of whether or not the effects are worth paying the extra money for. 'Kubo' falls somewhere in the middle here, but the movie itself is so good it's worth paying the extra money for those two or three scenes that truly benefit from the effect!
Pete's Dragon
This is the movie that makes best use of 3D that you can see this weekend. The bad news is the film opened last week to lukewarm box office, so some of the 3D screens have likely been sacrificed for newer movies. If you can find a 3D screen showing this though, it is well worth the money, as it is one of those truly magical experiences that 3D can offer. Also, it should be noted that this is a Disney film. So that combined with a poor box office opening means... enjoy this in theaters, because we likely aren't getting a BluRay 3D release.
Suicide Squad
It pains me that this is still part of the conversation, but not only is "Suicide Squad" still widely available in 3D, but Cinemark XD backed out on their commitment to screen 'Kubo' on their screens to keep this, and a good chunk of IMAX screens are doing the same for their commitment to "Ben-Hur." I can not stress what I lousy, terrible movie this is, with editing and camera shots that are so bad the 3D actually makes the movie look even less comprehensible. This is one to skip at all costs... even though it looks like it might top the box office for a third week in a row.
Labels:
disney,
star wars
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
I feel a little foolish having spent so much time on yesterdays post, but it is one of those rare times I'm glad to have been wrong. It turns out that Disney and Lucasfilm (even though they are essentially the same company now) have confirmed that on November 5th, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be hitting BluRay 3D! It will be a four disk set and contain all the special features on the previous BluRay release, a couple of retailer exclusive bonus features that have been opened up, and a couple of new ones. A price hasn't been announced, but my personal guess is this will retail somewhere between $49-$59. As you can see, I've posted the image for the potential cover art above. Now, if Disney REALLY wants to revive BluRay 3D this Christmas, they could also give us a 3D release of "Frozen!" I'm just saying, it would certainly sell!
Oh, and as for the 3D versions of the prequel trilogy, there is still a chance those can be released somewhere down the line. At this point, maybe it would make sense for Disney to make 3D conversions of the original trilogy, and then release all seven in a giant box set that they know fans will but even if they don't have a 3D TV. For now though, we can officially strike "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" off the MIA list!
So... was "Zootopia" a success on BluRay 3D or wasn't it? I have been trying to find out because, honestly, knowing the answer to that question could potentially clear up where Disney really stands on releasing future movies on BluRay 3D in America. Last week I've read different reports on Disney's plans for several of their upcoming movies: "Alice Through the Looking Glass," "The Jungle Book," and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." We'll tackle each release one at a time.
First up, we have Disney's only real bomb this year, "Alice Through the Looking Glass." "Alice in Wonderland" came out in 2010 and became one of the highest grossing films of all time, and rode the 3D goodwill that had just been established by "Avatar" to great success. While the sequel was never going to match the first films success, no one was prepared for how bad it would ultimately do, and it was one of the few times where the 3D version was given a noticeable shrug by audiences in the theater. Because of this, I sort of understand why Disney has announced a BluRay release without a 3D version attached. However, since "Alice in Wonderland" WAS one of the first movies the studio released in BluRay 3D, it is all the more disappointing that they aren't going all out for it.
Where things get a little more dicey is with their upcoming release of "The Jungle Book." Unlike 'Alice,' this movie WAS a huge hit (it was also a much, MUCH better film all around)! As with 'Alice,' this movie has been announced for BluRay. Unlike 'Alice' though, the press release actually goes so far as to say a BluRay 3D is coming later this year. When later this year? Probably around Christmastime we'll get an 'Ultimate Edition' which will include it. That's a guess though, as the statement in the press release was vague and not very helpful. At least we got some sort of announcement though, so fans can hold off on importing this one.
Finally, let's talk "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." I've saved this one for last partly because this was one is purely speculation, and partly because it's the one movie everyone reading this cares the most about. Next to "Frozen," the lack of a 3D release of 'The Force Awakens' is one of the biggest sticking points for fans of the format. Both these movies are (what I like to call) 'big duh' movies. It's the kind of movie that has so much demand for a 3D release, that if someone actually asked in a board room if one should be made available, a less polite person would give the one asking that question a stupid look and say "well, DUH!" So when we didn't get a BluRay 3D announcement I was left to conclude that either Disney was digging their heals in on not releasing BluRay 3D's just to spite fans, or they were planning something big. If recent rumors are true, it will be because Disney may have found a way to sell a pile of crap to consumers along with the product they actually want to buy.
In fact, Disney might be planning to sell 'Star Wars' fans three piles of crap just to get 'The Force Awakens' on BluRay 3D. First, a question: Does anyone here remember those terrible prequel films? Of course you do. We ALL do! Do you remember that they were going to be remastered in 3D and rereleased in theaters? Well, that was the idea. George Lucas (remember that guy?) wanted to create another tradition of doing annual rereleases of the 'much loved' prequel trilogy, and he figured one of the best ways to do this would be to upconvert the films in 3D. "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" did make it into theaters in 3D, but it did so with a shrug. I was one of the few people who paid money to see the 3D release and I can say that the movie only improved in one scene with the 3D. I bet all of you know what scene I'm talking about too!
That's right, it was the pod racing scene!
The pod racing scene was very much improved by being in three dimensions. Otherwise, though, the movie wasn't any better being in 3D than it was when it was in 2D. There is still that horrible dialog. There was still all that talk about trade disputes. Jar Jar Binks is still annoying. So fans stayed away. I mean, sure, it made some money, but no where near as much as if Lucas had just done another release of 'The Empire Strikes Back.' When Disney bought Lucasfilm the 3D versions for the other two movies were completed, but Disney decided to shelve them. They had a new movie to make, they wanted to make 'Star Wars' cool again, and doing a 3D rerelease of the crappy movies that almost killed this franchise was not a direction Disney likely wanted to take. What does any of this have to do with 'The Force Awakens' you ask? Well, whether these 3D versions are seen as nessicary anymore or not, the fact of the matter is they were made and they do exist. If Disney didn't feel like these versions were going to sell tickets they were just as sure they wouldn't sell disks.
Unless, maybe... it was packed with something people did want? Yes... if that were to be the case, people might actually buy them. So, if the rumors are true, Disney will be releasing a box set in the near future that will have 'The Force Awakens' in 3D along with the prequel trilogy. There will be no stand alone release. If you want the good movie in 3D, you'll have to pay for the movies you don't want in 3D as well. And - because this is considered a specialty release - the chances of these movies being sold separately somewhere down the road is not guaranteed, so the fans will just have to suck it up. This is what the geeks will refer to as "the dark side of the force." Because it is true that this is a pretty good way to do this. Purely from a business perspective, it makes perfect sense. 'Star Wars' fans will buy anything. Don't act like this isn't true; you know it is.
You also know that, despite this mentality, the prequel movies are so bad most people won't buy them unless forced to. When the movies were released on BluRay you had to buy all six at once. Eventually they split them into two trilogies, but guess which trilogy you see more copies of on store shelves consistently? Fans have been very vocal about wanting 'The Force Awakens' on BluRay 3D, and they want it enough that they may just be willing to spend over $100 (which would include three movies they don't want) just to get it. I would normally complain about such obvious price gauging, but if 'Star Wars' fans haven't learned their lesson after thirty years of this practice, then maybe they deserve to keep getting screwed. And really, if these rumors are true, at least they are getting the 3D version. 'Alice' and 'Jungle Book' fans are the ones who are potentially getting the short straws in all this, as they might be forced into doing the import game again.
I mean it, I REALLY would like to know if "Zootopia" was a success on BluRay 3D or not! I would like to know if that was contributing to the solution or the problem. I would like to know if a movie has to hit a magical number at the box office before Disney even considers releasing something in BluRay 3D. Disney is one of the most profitable companies in the world. They can certainly afford to have a blanket policy where everything gets a 3D release if a version exists. If they can't justify a separate release, just make one massive combo pack and charge an extra $5 for it. Trust me, people paid an average of $5 extra for Disney movies when they were releasing them on VHS. They will certainly do it again for BluRay. Until they do something, Disney will be on our list of companies to complain about. It's nice that we're getting a few key releases, but that is nowhere near good enough when their competition is largely just releasing everything and not playing this game at all (that means "Suicide Squad" fans will get to buy a BluRay 3D regardless how disappointing the box office ultimately is in the long run).
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Friday, August 5, 2016
We might as well not beat around the bush: "Suicide Squad" is likely to open big this weekend. Despite getting absolutely abysmal reviews, the hype for this thing is just too great to derail it this weekend. It will open big, many theaters will be sold out, and we'll just have to wait until the second weekend to see if audiences actually enjoyed it enough to keep it around more for than a few weeks. The vast majority of the screens will be presenting the film in 3D (as will almost all the IMAX's), so even if Warner Bros. don't mention it specifically, this movie is bound to be another hit for the format. There is, however, another 3D movie opening this weekend, but finding a 3D presentation for it may require some detective work. That movie is "The Little Prince," which was supposed to be released by Paramount Pictures in March, before they dumped the film and sold it to Netflix.
Netflix will be premièring the film on their streaming service today, but a few theaters will be showing the film as well. The problem is these screenings are going to be VERY sparse! How sparse? Well, I live near Los Angeles County, and even I can't find any showings of the movie. There is an Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco that appears to be showing it, but they are only showing it once a day. At 2:45pm. In 2D. That is... pretty sad for a movie that was shot specifically with the 3D format in mind. In fact, animation tends to lend itself better to 3D than most live action movies, so in this case the lack of options to view it in the format is especially discouraging. Despite what many believe, Netflix does stream some 3D content, but at the moment we have no idea if "The Little Prince" is going to have that option made available.
If there was the promise of a BluRay 3D to come maybe some concerns could be eased, but Netflix is (rightfully) cautious about releasing exclusive content on disk. The fact that "Daredevil" and their various DreamWorks cartoons aren't yet on DVD or BluRay speaks volumes about that. It should also be noted that a month and a half ago Netflix premièred the long lost "Underdogs" movie...
...which was supposed to go to theaters via The Weinstein Company, but was pulled at the last minute without so much as a word. That movie was also shot in 3D, but (surprise, surprise) there is no current way for fans of the movie to watch it in the specified format at the moment. These are the days when running this blog is especially frustrating because "The Little Prince" and "Underdogs" were both made to be viewed in 3D. Both films had their theatrical runs cancelled, they were shoved onto Netflix (which - I must stress - is still better than not getting them at all), and have dumped 3D versions that made both movies look better. "Suicide Squad" has dubious 3D effects, yet is made available for the entire world to see very easily should they choose to (even if they don't). It's a little sad, but that is the world we live in.
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Thursday, July 28, 2016
"Star Trek Beyond" has been announced for home media (already), but the big news is that not only is it getting a BluRay 3D release, but here is going to be one of those massive combo packs that contains both the 4K UltraHD disk as well as the BluRay 3D! Who knew that one week after "The Angry Birds Movie" started this trend we'd get a second release from a movie that is a much bigger deal in both formats?! That said, this one comes with a couple strings. The first, is that you can only buy it in this massive set that comes with a replica of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The second, is that it is going to be exclusive to Amazon.com. Now, I know that a lot of people here have no issue purchasing something from Amazon, but I have essentially been buying from everywhere BUT Amazon for the past three years! It's going to be interesting to see if I go through the gates of Hell this one time to get me a combo pack.
Yes, I still am nowhere near getting a 4K TV (and would prefer to watch this movie in 3D even if I did), but I do genuinely like the idea of packing both special disks into one pack rather than make consumers choose. Heck, maybe manufacturer's can start moving TV's if they are selling people TWO picture upgrades on their sets as opposed to one or the other! For that reason alone, until it becomes commonplace to get these sort of releases, I'm probably dedicated to buying these ultra combo packs every time one is announced. Still man, I have to admit, having the double whacking of paying for a model I won't need AND buying the item from the closest thing we have to a Satan on Earth... that is a mighty tough pill to swallow! I'm hoping there will be some sort of compromise before we get to the street date, but I am also aware of the fact that store exclusivity is the best bet most fans have to get these sort of releases in the near future.
I mean, just look at that thing; it doesn't hold the disks or anything.
I have now seen "Star Trek Beyond" twice in a week. I enjoyed the movie so seeing it twice was not a chore by any stretch of the imagination, but my reasons for seeing it a second time so soon were more for research purposes. I first saw the film with my family at the Esquire IMAX theater in Sacramento, CA, where it was presented in glorious 3D that took full advantage of the films settings and action sequences, making it one of the best 3D experiences I've had at the movies this year. However, I heard shortly afterwards about this new theater format called Barco Escape, which was being developed as this new, immersive screen that would surround the audience. It has been developed to compete with IMAX and Dolby Cinema, and with "Star Trek Beyond," about thirty minutes of the movie were made specifically with this format in mind. Being someone who always wants to see a film the way its film makers intended it to be seen, I called a friend (let's call him Zach the Mac) to see if he wanted to see the movie in this new format with me.
So we drove to the Palladio 16 Cinemas in Folsom, CA, where we were surprised to find the ticket price was no more or less expensive than a standard 2D ticket price. We arrived just in time for the pre-movie intro, where one of the producers explains how the Barco Escape worked. Basically, there are three screens. One in the center and two on the sides. For the most part, only the center screen will be on, but for a few sequences (mainly ones involving the Enterprise fighting in space) the other two screens will turn on and show expanded images, thus immersing the audience more deeply into the action. In way, this isn't much different from how certain IMAX movies have expanded images at the top and the bottom of the screen, only this time the images literally circle you. Here's the thing about Barco Escape though: This isn't the first time this sort of cinematic experience has been attempted before. In fact, this is pretty much an exact modern day replica of Cinerama.
The image you see above is what a Cinerama Theater looks like (seeing as how there is one still in operation in Hollywood, CA, you can still check it out for yourself if you so desire). The screen was developed to be given a "curved" look, which would sort of wrap around a movie theater that was presented in a dome. Dome theaters are pretty rare these days, so Barco Escape has taken a different approach...
...by just sitting three 2.35:1 aspect ratio scenes next to each other. Now, I should probably mention that the photo you see above is likely how the screen was designed to be exhibited in theaters. The screen me and Zach the Mac went to was previously a regular screen that was converted to this new technology. I understand that sometimes theaters just have to make do with space that they already have, but - as IMAX learned the hard way - this sort of conversion can lead to many compromises in the actual experience. For instead of the screens surrounding the audience, they were sort of parched up in the air. To be on an even viewing field an audience member would have to sit in the back of the theater, at which point they would sort of be surrounded by the screens, but not really. For that matter, the closer you are, the more you have to look up at the screens.
We sat in the center row of the theater, in seats that were more on the right. This meant that whenever the Barco Escape scenes started, the image was a mixed bag. The left screen and center screen looked fine, but the right screen always seem to have an image that never really connected with the center screen. Had we been at a theater where the screen and seats were made from the ground up to compliment each other, maybe this wouldn't have been an issue, but in a converted theater, I sense there are a very select ground of seats where the full experience can even be felt. For that matter, the fact that there was only 30 minutes of the movie that took advantage of the other two screens became a distraction. Even when all three screens were in use, the only screen that really mattered was the center one. This is obviously because the film makers knew not many theaters could screen the film in this way (only 24 if my research is correct), so they wanted to make sure the movie looked consistently good with only one screen.
When the other two screens weren't in use (which was often), the center screen was so small and distant, that I almost didn't feel like I was in a movie theater. Again, had this been a native Barco Escape theater, maybe this wouldn't have been an issue, but in a converted theater, the center screen was just noticeably small. A small screen is exactly the opposite of what I want when I go to a movie theater. Now, in all fairness, its not like Barco Escape is the only specialty viewing experience that comes with handicaps. With 3D films if you view the screen from too much of an angle the effect might be blurry, and sitting in the first three to five rows at an IMAX film makes the screen too big to really see anything. The difference with those experiences is that only a small number of seats are affected by (what I'm going to call) their 'viewing handicap.' Barco Escape, on the other hand, seems to have a MAJOR viewing handicap for not just a few seats, but a vast majority of the theater!
There were only two times during "Star Trek Beyond" when the surrounding effect seemed to be working at 100% capacity, and they both involve the Enterprise flying in a curve, so there was no image distortion from the three screens. To give the folks at Barco Escape some credit (as I'm sure I must seem like a villain to them at this point), when the effect did work, it was REALLY good! If they can figure out how to make this more consistent and not as visually limiting, it could be a really fun experience for certain films. As it stands though, if you want to watch this movie and feel immersed in everything, I have to suggest seeing a 3D screening of the film instead (probably not surprising coming from me).
Since this IS a 3D website I should mention that none of the Barco Escape theaters are showing "Star Trek Beyond" in 3D! I'm not sure if they are capable of 3D projection, but it seems pretty obvious why they aren't doing this now. Considering that 3D screens need to be centered perfectly to get the most out of the effect, putting 3D images on screens that will be viewed with side glances by the audience most likely won't work. If it did, it would likely look terrible. Maybe one day (should they care to) they will figure it out, but for the time being I wouldn't expect that to be a huge priority for the company.
To anyone at Barco Escape who might be reading this, I assure you that, despite how this must sound to you, I didn't completely hate my experience. Sure, it didn't work very often and I think there are huge issues to work out. But hey, 3D movies weren't that great at first, and look where they're at now. Despite my miserable experience at this thing, the idea behind it intrigues me to no end. Maybe if I attend one of the native theaters and have more than 30 minutes worth of footage to judge, I may like the experience more. Like I said before: The concept intrigues me. That said, because I am a film critic first, if readers want to see "Star Trek Beyond" in the best possible way and can only afford to do so once, then the IMAX 3D version is hands down the way to go. It's immersive and consistent the entire two hours, where the Barco Escape version is a mixed bag. I look forward to seeing where this format goes in the future though.
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
I've long since come to an understanding that magazine Consumer Reports is more about the stock market then it is about giving out useful advice to their readers. The idea behind the magazine is that they are supposed to let readers know about different technology, how it works, and whether it would be beneficial to the people reading the magazine to have it. More often than not, however, most of their (so-called) "recommendations" have more to do with what is catching on in the marketplace, not whether or not people would have use for an item that may or may not be catching ground. In their September, 2016 issue, CR did yet another guide on the different types of TV's out there, who is making them, and whether or not you'd want to buy one with said features in it. Of course, the pros and cons really just boiled down to what is selling and what's not, and no where is that more evident than in their 'advice' on whether or not to buy a 3D TV.
I have posted a picture of the (brief) article above, but the basic gist of it is that you should only buy 3D if you already like it, and that the cons are that most television manufacturers aren't making them anymore. This is so not helpful to a consumer for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is that some people reading this magazine may genuinely not know WHY they would or wouldn't want a 3D TV! For me, I can name some good reasons right now for owning a 3D TV:
Avatar
Star Trek: Into Darkness
How to Train Your Dragon 1 & 2
Kung fu Panda Trilogy
Gravity
Dolphin Tale
Anything from DreamWorks Animation
Disney's A Christmas Carol
The Polar Express
The Hobbit Trilogy
Oz the Great and Powerful
Coraline
The Adventures of Tinting
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Walk
Inside Out
Life of Pi
Hugo
Pina
Frozen
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Amazing Spider-Man
And that's just what's out. Reasons to get it soon include:
The Jungle Book
Star Trek Beyond
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Finding Dory
CR, let me clue you in on why someone would want a 3D TV: Because 3D makes certain movies better. It just does. Therefor, when people ask why they would want a 3D TV, you don't discuss that it makes the TV more expensive, the glasses can be a pain, or that TV manufacturer's completely overestimated how much people would want the format in the first place. You discuss these movies. You discuss how, even though they may be few and far between, you want the 3D TV so that should you ever watch movies like these, you will have the option to watch them not only in the way they were meant to be seen, but the best possible way PERIOD! What you wrote was a stock holder fluff piece on how the format hasn't taken off. If this was truly supposed to be helpful to consumers, you failed in a massive way. The average consumer doesn't care about whether or not 3D is a technical success or not. They do, however, care if having that option will make their favorite movies look better. In the cases of the movies listed above (and some not mentioned) the answer is yes, and you should be ashamed that you didn't explain this.
Labels:
4k 3d,
combo packs
Posted by
Kevin T. Rodriguez
Monday, July 18, 2016
4K TV's are here. They are currently in stores, studios are pushing them hard, and I think it's safe to say they aren't going away anytime soon. Hollywood is so serious about 4K content that they launched a whole new video format to maximize the home experience, called 4K Ultra HD. I myself have already bought a few of these disks despite not owning the TV yet ("Sicario," "Concussion," and "The Revenant," in case you're interested). I can do this because, like BluRay 3D before it, each 4K Ultra HD copy (or, most of them, I should say) come with a standard BluRay disk, as well as an Ultraviolet code to watch the movie digitally. It's a win-win situation as I can still watch my movie, and I have content for whenever I get my 4K TV (not planning for that anytime soon, but if I've learned one thing in life, it's that "anytime soon" sneaks up on you).
The struggle 3D fans have been facing is when it comes to the new format is a lack 3D content. Now, in the studios defense, there is no 4K content that is in 3D yet. Chances are it will come at some point, but for the time being, we're stuck with it in 720p. That said, so far, when a movie has been released on the 4K Ultra HD format that was seen in 3D in theaters, fans of the movie have had to choose which combo pack to buy. They can either watch the movie in 4K, or they can watch it in 3D. I know that 3D never quite took off in the way studios wanted it to, but the frustrating thing about this is that combo packs were made specifically to give people options. They were made so that, in essence, people wouldn't HAVE to make a choice which version of the movie they wanted to buy; they would simply have every version! This doesn't work when "The Peanuts Movie" forces you to choose between two viewing formats.
Thankfully, it looks like at least one movie is going to cut that problem out by making the very first combo pack that included a 4K Ultra HD, BluRay 3D, BluRay, and Digital HD versions... and it's the stinking "Angry Birds Movie."
Yep, a studio finally releases a movie to test whether or not people would buy one of these elaborate combo packs, and it's for "The Angry Birds Movie." I know I'm repeating myself there, but I almost need to keep reminding myself this is how it's working. I mean, this option couldn't be made available for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" this week? It's pretty confusing. I'm not sure why this is the first movie (to my knowledge) where viewers don't have to choose between 4K and 3D, but part of it may be that the movie was designed around 3D, and the effect is so important to the film makers that they decided to make it available for whatever version you buy (except for the DVD version of course). I have to say, they also unwittingly may have sold me a copy of this movie. I wasn't exactly a huge fan of this film and I certainly had no plans to buy it, but this is a great idea.
Considering how expensive these combo packs are, it's strange that I have to choose between one of two ways to future proof my collection. There is no reason for it. If someone is spending $44 for a 4K Ultra HD combo pack, what is an extra $5 to include the BluRay 3D disk? So, despite my better judgment, it looks like I will be buying a copy of "The Angry Birds Movie" in this big combo pack to support this idea in the future. When I buy it, I will also send an e-mail to the studio letting them know this is the main reason I bought this version. Because I've been a big supporter of the "one combo pack fits all" concept, and it's frustrating to see Hollywood still dance around this concept. Oh, and for the record, no, this does NOT include a DVD copy! But really, if you are buying a set that comes with a 4K Ultra HD disk, then chances are you are about as far away from using a DVD to watch a movie as you can possibly get now.
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