3D Domination

When I was eight, I saw Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story." It was an amazing film with computer-generated animation that far surpassed anything seen before. It even spawned a well-received sequel. The smooth, colorful scenes of "Toy Story" have even become an established style in the animation world, with many films and TV shows following suit of Pixar.

Nearly 15 years later, Disney is introducing "Toy Story 3," and to get the hype up, the first two films are being released with the feature (or should I say gimmick) of 3D effects. Beyond the idea of paying $9.50 for a movie I saw on TV last night, the implementation of 3D bothers me in the fact that it degrades my cinematic experience, visually and otherwise.

3D is the new thing, with films such as Dreamworks' "Monsters vs Aliens," "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs." These films bring in large 3D glasses-wearing audiences week after week, and it's not just for the young crowd with movies like "My Bloody Valentine 3D" bringing in $100 million in gross profits.

Call me old fashioned, but I have a real problem with trying to change-up the scope of cinema as we know it. It's bad enough having digital equipment replacing beautiful, time-tested film cameras, but 3D really crosses the line.

About a month ago I saw "U23D" in an IMAX theater. I donned my 3D glasses and was excited to see a concert video of one of my favorite bands. It was a great film, but the current technology makes a half-assed effort at delivering a true 3D experience. I feel I would have enjoyed it more if it was shot traditionally, without the distracting, quality-degrading red and blue outlines on Bono that make the effect work.

A concert video, however, is a much better application for 3D. With the incredible amount of time and effort that goes into making a modern Hollywood film, I doubt any director, or audience for that matter would want to take themselves out of the complex and subtle world the film has created for the quick buck made with 3D. Win any luck, 3D cinema will stay where it is in the animated, horror and special application categories, and not make its way to mainstream drama until 3D becomes a technique used for more than its pure gimmick.