My first screening of Avatar was in IMAX 3D, and it was great.  Yesterday, I caught Avatar in RealD 3D.

If you read my Avatar review, then you’ll see that I experienced some slight issues with out of focus objects in the foreground of a few scenes.  I wanted to compare this issue with 3D experience of RealD.

Most of the recent films that I’ve watched in 3D have been in RealD 3D, which have been very impressive for the most part.  I expected the RealD version of Avatar to outshine the IMAX 3D version; however, once I got settled in, I really couldn’t tell that much difference in the overall video and 3D quality.

I think that Avatar is slightly smoother in RealD, but not by much. In fact, I would recommend seeing Avatar in IMAX 3D as opposed to RealD.  The screen size makes a big difference in the viewing experience.  The top and bottom of the film screen were just too limiting after having seen it in IMAX 3D.

That’s not saying it was a bad experience in RealD 3D.  The 3D glasses were a world better in RealD 3D.  The special effects looked just as good in RealD, just not as big.  And that’s what makes IMAX 3D such an epic experience.

If you’re trying to decide which 3D version to see, my recommendation is the IMAX 3D version.

Talk about an anticipated release… It’s been a decade and a half since James Cameron originally conceived this movie and realized that the technology didn’t exist to make the film.  After more than 4 years in production, the film was finally released for the public to behold tonight at 12:01 AM.  I was there wearing 3D glasses in front of an IMAX screen to see what all the fuss was about.

Simply put, Avatar is the kind of movie that makes us want to go to the movies again.  So many films come out that make me say, “eh, I’ll wait for the DVD.”  Avatar is not one of those films.

When I saw the first trailer for Avatar, I questioned whether James Cameron could sell us on the Na’vi characters, which are indigenous to the planet Pandora.  I also had a sense of the whole White Man vs. Native Americans and a Dances With Wolves Aliens feeling.  Granted, I think there is still a strong parallel for this in the story, but I was sold on the Na’vi when Jake Sully woke up in his Na’vi Avatar for the first time.

For two and a half hours, James Cameron takes us on an out-of-our-world and into Pandora in the year 2154 while humans are attempting to mine a precious metal from underneath the Na’vi.  Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, is a former US Marine who is thrust into the Avatar program because his twin brother died and Jake needs the money.

The Avatar program uses human DNA in a genetically engineered Na’vi body to create a neurological link between a human and his or her respective Na’vi avatar.  The result is a true role-playing experience with full sensory feedback and responses. The science end of this project is very low key during the film.  You are fed enough information to buy into the concept without bogging down the plot with too many details of how it works.  The result is a pretty smooth transition because what we really want to see and learn more about is the Na’vi.

The pace of the film is calculated to build to an intense climax.  There is something for everyone in Avatar – love, romance, duty, action, betrayal and redemption.  I had the feeling of an incredible ride throughout the film.  It never slowed to a pace where I found myself pondering too far beyond the present scene.  While I wanted to know what was going the happen next, I also remained content in the moment of the story being told.  It was just beautiful storytelling throughout the film.

How does he do it though?

Pandora and the Na’vi seem so real.  You get the feeling that you are there, or at least that you could go there.  Sam Worthington makes a pleasant transition between the human Jake Sully and his Na’vi couterpart – and Jake is Jake on either side of the link.

Likewise, Zoe Saldaña is the beautiful Na’vi woman Neytiri.  Saldaña sells Neytiri as a strong and smart Na’vi, who also happens to be the tribe leader’s daughter.  When Sully and Neytiri meet, you are rooting for them from then on.  It’s a fun adventure that they take you on, and you a gratuitous grand tour of Pandora as a result of their bonding experiences.

You can get a pretty good flavor of the overall theme of the plot by watching the longer versions of the trailers.  Personally, I’d recommend to stop reading about the movie before actually seeing it.  I felt like I read far too much and saw too much behind the scenes before watching the film.  There are a lot of things that I would have preferred to see on the big screen for the first time.

I’ll get to the special effects in a minute, but the real thing that sells the movie is a great blend of the acting and special effects.  Without solid efforts by Worthington and Saldaña, you just couldn’t buy into the Na’vi.  However, because you believe in them, you feel the empathy for the Na’vi and have no problem siding with them in the battle against the invading humans.

Cameron’s Avatar story is told with such rich details of this other world.  Elements of science pushed by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) help to ease you into believing that all living things on Pandora really are connected by some biological energy.  It’s not quite the Force, but not too far off either.  It’s a powerful piece of the story on Pandora that ultimately becomes the key to the Na’vi survival.

Special Effects, IMAX and 3D

Immersive.

James Cameron was right when he said this movie couldn’t be made in 1994.  Heck, I just watched it and can’t believe it’s on movie screens in 2009.  The bar for special effects has been raised so far beyond what I thought was possible.

The amount of CGI is mind boggling.  Even the leading characters are CGI thanks to Cameron’s new motion-capture process.  Unlike other movies, however, the CGI in Avatar looks real.  I can’t tell what’s been filmed in the real world and what’s been created with computers.  I think that’s the bar every film strives for, but no film has nailed it to the level that Avatar achieved.

The IMAX 3D experience was also solid.  There were a handful of scenes where the on-screen image had a shallow depth-of-field in the foreground that distracted from the 3D viewing experience; however, I felt that the overall experience was very solid.  This film was intended as a 3D experience before principal photography began.  A modified version of Cameron’s 3D Fusion Camera System was used by for the live action shooting – and it was bang-on good.

So many scenes put you right in there with Jake and Neytiri.  And, I have to admit, I jumped a few times.  The 3D just added to the intensity level.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the RealD 3D experience may be a little smoother overall.  I know for sure that the glasses are better.  I don’t know what’s up with the crappy glasses they handed out at the IMAX screening, but they were rather uncomfortable and set a little far away from my eyes.  I’ll update this review after I have a chance to screen a RealD 3D version of the film.

From the "Are you kidding me? department..."

Almost every scene gave you that true feeling of depth so that you feel like you’re looking into the scene instead of watching a screen.  If anything, Avatar is a strong signal that 3D technology is here and it’s ready.

Now, can I just get that setup at home?

Also, I don’t want to leave out the music.  One of the best parts of the film, the sound and music mesh perfectly with the other components of Avatar to aid in the immersive experience.

Winding Up and Recommendations

Avatar is my movie pick of the year by a long shot.  This film is why we go to the movies.

To you, Mr. Cameron, I give you my applause and my thanks for making such an incredible movie. I’m waiting for your sequel.  Not necessarily an Avatar sequel, but your sequel.  How are you going to top this?

To you, Hollywood, this is what we want to see.  Stop the remakes of previously popular films from yesteryear and let artists paint with a blank canvas.  Do that, and you just might get a masterpiece like Avatar.

The latest iteration of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Disney’s A Christmas Carol, was released in both IMAX 3D and Disney Digital 3D.  I caught the 3D version, but not IMAX.

The 3D Setup and Previews

As with all of the recent 3D flicks I’ve attended, I received a pair of RealD 3D glasses for the show.  It seems like every time I go to the movies, they improve on the quality of these glasses.  This was the sturdiest pair of RealD 3D glasses that I’ve had yet.

Before I get into the meat of the movie, I’ll also point out that there were some great 3D previews shown as well.  Toy Story 3 had a long full 3D trailer, as did How to Train Your Dragon.  You can tell that Hollywood is really set on 3D being a big deal in 2010 and beyond.  The animation and 3D effects just keep getting smoother and smoother.

How the Story Went

Now, the story isn’t any secret of course.  We’ve all seen many takes on Charles Dickens’ story.  From Muppets to musicals, there are so many variations, and each one has its own fans and critics.  Jim Carrey’s Scrooge story will be no different.

Jim Carrey knocked it out of the park with his acting.  Every time I see a Jim Carrey movie, he just gets better and better.  He absolutely makes this movie and shines through all the special effects, animation and any other distractions within.

I would consider Carrey’s Scrooge story to be one of the darker versions of the tale.  Some of the encounters with the ghosts are definitely scarier than what you experience from the Muppets’ story or Albert Finney’s musical version.  That said, the story was well told overall and it was a fun movie-going experience for families.  I would caution parents with younger children to consider their own kids’ tolerance for strong thematic elements.

3D and Special Effects

The 3D animation did not disappoint.  Although, at some points in the film, I felt like it came to a bit of a stall so the creators could show off their amazing special effects.  While the effects were stunning for the most part, as we neared the end of the film, I began to wonder just how many more “flying” or chase sequences could be thrown in.  The effects were almost pushed over the edge at these times to a point where the tail wagged the dog.

As for the 3D effects in general, Disney nailed it again with an almost seamless display of 3D theater.  The snow was spectacular, particularly in some of the solemn and still life sequences.  It really looked like it was snowing inside the theater.

The 3D effects gave a depth to the entire movie that I really haven’t appreciated before.  When I saw Disney’s UP in 3D, I thought it was the best 3D translation I had ever seen.  I have to put Disney’s A Christmas Carol right up there with it, if not a notch above.

Looking into some of the rooms or outside of windows in scenes produced an immersing experience.  It felt like A Christmas Carol was truly striving for a 3D experience from the story board to the big screen.  In UP 3D, the 3D experience seemed more subtle and passive.  In A Christmas Carol 3D, you are pushed into the scenes with the characters.  It makes you want to reach out and capture a snowflake before it landed on the seat in front of you.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D Review Conclusion

The effects were stunning, no doubt.  Unfortunately, it felt like the effects were pushed too far in some sequences, creating a “just for show” feel.  Disney’s A Christmas Carol is certainly worth seeing in Disney Digital 3D; however, the movie doesn’t have that “timeless classic” feel to it that should have been the case because Jim Carrey’s acting was spectacular.  Additionally, the darker scenes may keep it from being a children’s favorite, and parents should definitely take a pre-screening of the film before turning your children loose to watch it at will.

Disney’s UP debuted in theaters on May 29, 2009.  Up was the tenth Pixar film.  It was also the tenth time a Pixar film took the number one slot on opening weekend.

UP – Content Review

Pixar doesn’t mess around.  This was genuinely one of the best movies I’ve ever seen and I’ll have to say that it’s my favorite Pixar movie to date.

In all the previews that I saw, I was very skeptical going into this flick.  It didn’t seem like I would enjoy it at all.  A grumpy old fart floating around in his house thanks to a bunch of balloons?  Come on?  I’m a 30-year-old male.  I like action, sci-fi and explosions.

If anything, I thought the kids would enjoy it because the dog looked kind of funny in the previews.  Boy, had I made some poor assumptions.  Truth be told, I should have known better.  Pixar has always knocked my socks off with their animation and story telling.  They don’t do anything half way.

By the time the credits rolled, I (Mr. 30-year-old action and sci-fi fan) had laugh, cried (embarrassingly, quite a bit) and truly connected with the old fart, dog and the kid in the movie.  My 6-year-old son loved the movie too.

The balance of humor and overall story that is conveyed speaks to kids and adults in different ways; however, the message is strong and the movie is certainly entertaining for all.  I can’t count the times that my son and I have randomly shout “Squirrel!” since seeing UP – thanks to Dug’s (the dog) best line of the movie.

UP – 3D and Effects Review

This is where UP really sets itself apart from other 3D movies.  Most 3D movies that I’ve seen are really made to be 3D movies.  That is, the effects are built around the fact that you are going to be watching it in 3D.  Someone reaches their arm toward the camera, which produces the effect of the arm coming toward the audience.  This effect is particularly noticeable when you watch the movie in standard 2D.  A couple of movies where I think they overdid it a bit were Journey to the Center of the Earth and My Bloody Valentine.  In each of these, the effect is very distracting when you see the movie again in 2D.

You don’t get that sensation when watching UP.  The 3D effects are subtle, yet immersive.   This was the first movie that I have seen in 3D where I forgot I had 3D glasses on and was watching a 3D movie.  So many scenes in other movies are made in order to tailor to the 3D effects.  UP isn’t like that and is a great step in the right direction toward getting the balance between 3D and 2D viewing just right.

The RealD 3D glasses were great and weren’t so cumbersome that they became distracting to the viewing experience.  The glasses were distributed to ticket holders as we walked into the theater in sealed plastic as seen in the above image.  While they aren’t quite Oakleys, the get the job done in reasonable comfort.

UP 3D Review – Conclusion

All in all UP scores big on the 3D effects and overall experience.  I can highly recommend this movie to anyone.  It’s a great experience and one that I’m sure I will see many times.  While I look forward to the Blu-ray and DVD version, I am cautiously optimistic that the 3D effects will translate well over to the small screen.

CyberLink showed up at Computex 2009 to show off their HD 3D movie playback tech that allows us to view 3D movies on our computers using the video decoder software PowerDVD.  No word of exactly when it will hit, but according to CyberLink, it will be available on your PC very soon.

More details in the following press release.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, is showcasing for the first time its high definition 3D movie playback technology using PowerDVD at Computex 2009. The new 3D movie playback technology will allow consumers to experience stereoscopic 3D effects by using PowerDVD. 3D cinemas will soon come to a PC near you.

“We are excited to showcase cutting-edge technology for home movie entertainment,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink Corp. “The advanced 3D technology will soon allow consumers to enjoy amazing 3D effects and build a next generation of home theaters right from their multimedia PCs.”

CyberLink 3D video technology is planned to be built into PowerDVD and other video decoder software such as PowerCinema. The Computex showcase demonstrates how users will soon be able to enjoy life-like 3D movies right from their desktop and notebook PCs in the near future.