Digital 3D in Summer 2011

I feel like the film industry has learned some valuable lessons in terms of using Digital 3D in film. I am, personally, an affable fan of the technique just so long as it is done correctly. It's like really good chocolate, but you can still overdo it. This Summer has found a certain measure of moderation, with X-Men: First Class, Super 8, and Cowboys & Aliens all opting out of Digital 3D. I think it's a worthy rule that if your film isn't just standard popcorn fare that you shouldn't go for 3D. In the meantime, there are some films that you could easily see in 2D without complaint. I'll try to give you a decent idea of which films would be worth the extra three bucks.

May

Thor - Post-conversion, but deals with epic celestial realms. Probably still majestic and preferable in 2D.

Priest - Not in 3D. Not in 2D. Not on DVD. NOT EVER!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Promising visuals from Rob Marshall in service of a less than spectacular screenplay. If you see it at all, go for 3D.

Kung Fu Panda 2 - Heartfelt animation from Dreamworks, so definitely worth 3D.

June

Green Lantern - It's practically an animated film, and the superhero was made for 3D. Should attract the same fans as Avatar, so you'll see it in 3D either way.

Cars 2 - If it's not in the sky, it's not worth your time. If you see Pixar's latest, see it in 2D.

July

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Sparks, explosions, clanging metal, and more explosions. Shut your brain off and see it in frantic 3D glory!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - I'm completing the journey in 2D. You should too.

Captain America: The First Avenger - Seems to evoke the film I would have died to see in 3D, Star Trek, so go for the glasses.

The Smurfs - Seriously? Don't even bother.

Digital 3D: Lessons Learned

We have truly gone through an unbearably tough year concerning 3D. At the end of last year it was the ultimate craze, and every studio was ready to capitalize on the success of it. I remain in the minority on Avatar, but I admit that I may have been a little too harsh on the film over the years. I may indeed give the film a second chance as casual Saturday night entertainment. This year did have a few nice successes with 3D such as How To Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me, but nearly everything else had troubles. Some generally poor films were released in 3D (Alice in Wonderland, Cats and Dogs 2), some great films were simply not enhanced by the format (Toy Story 3), and some films were just plain atrocious and given the 3D post-conversion hack jobs (Clash of the Titans, The Last Airbender).

However, despite everything that's happened, I feel like 3D may indeed still be worth it. Today, Warner Bros. announced that despite their best efforts, they would not be able to release Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in 3D. They deemed that the film would not have a proper conversion finished by the time the film is released, so instead of pushing it back a few weeks like any other studio would, they simply decided to release it in 2D. They didn't want to disappoint the fans by making them wait any longer, and I believe that that's one of the most noble decisions they've made concerning the series. After all, we do remember the public outcry after Half-Blood Prince was pushed back 8 months.

They confirmed that Part 2 would still be released in 3D, and some have implied that a re-release of Part 1 in 3D may happen some time next summer. I still find it very interesting that Warner Bros. didn't just rush the rest of the conversion as they did for Clash of the Titans. The fact that they wanted more time to do a high-quality conversion job or none at all, shows how much they've learned from their mistakes. What do you think of all this. Are you saddened that you won't be able to see Part 1 in 3D? Are you impressed by how Warner Bros. chose to deal with it. I must know what you think!