Sadly, nobody believes this unless they actually see a stereoscopic (the technical name for 3D) flick for themselves. So here are several of the most promising, upcoming 3D movies that are sure to make you a believer.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Brendan Frasier plays Trevor Anderson, a scientist who goes on a journey to Iceland to find his missing brother. Trevor, his nephew Josh, and their mountain guide discover a cave that leads them unwillingly into the center of the earth just as it was described by Jules Verne.
Journey is the first live action feature film to be filmed and release in digital 3D, and the first feature project for the Pace/Cameron Fusion camera system. The movie is directed by the Oscar winning visual effects supervisor Eric Brevig, who worked on a slew of Hollywood action movies including The Island, The Day After Tomorrow, Pearl Harbor, and Total Recall.
Trailer
Official Site
Release Date: July 11th 2008
Bolt
Bolt is a dog with his own hit TV show. He spends his days pretending to battle villains with his canine superpowers. However, Bolt thinks it's all real. After an unfortunate mishap thrusts Bolt out into the real world, he embarks on a mission to save his on-screen ally Penny. But along the way, Bolt will learn that the world he knew is not the world he lives in.
Bolt will be released with the same 3D animation technology as Disney's earlier stereoscopic movies Meet the Robinsons, and Chicken Little, and will also feature the voices of John Travolta, Malcolm McDowell, and Miley Cyrus.
Trailer
Release Date: November 26th 2008
The Dark Country
A newlywed couple traveling to their honeymoon in Las Vegas, stumbles across a corpse which transforms their trip into the vacation from hell.
Starring Ron Pearlman, Lauren German, and Thomas Jane (who also directs), Dark Country is the silver screen adaptation of the graphic novel by the same name. This will be the second live action 3D feature film (after Journey) and will be the first horror movie to use modern 3D technology. Dark Country may also be the first stereoscopic movie that isn't safe for the kids.
Release Date: 2008
Coraline
Coraline (pronounced core-ah-line) is a young girl who stumbles upon a hidden tunnel in her house which leads to a parallel universe that is oddly similar to her own. Although fun at first, this new world quickly becomes dangerous for Coraline when she realizes that getting back to her own world may not be so simple.
Coraline is adapted from the Hugo award winning novel by the same name and will feature the voices of Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher. The movie is directed by Henry Selick, who also directed The Nightmare Before Christmas, (most people think it was Tim Burton). Coraline features the same style of stop motion animation that Nightmare did only this time, it's in three dimensions.
Trailer
Release Date: February 6th 2009
Up
Up is the story of Carl, a geriatric protagonist, and Russell, the young explorer who helps Carl get up and out of his everyday life, and see the world he has always dreamed of.
Up is the next animated film project for Pixar Studios, which is probably the most successful animation studio out there. Although Wall-E will be a very hard act to follow, Up, combined with stereoscopic imagery, should be a breathtaking experience.
Release Date: May 29th 2009
Toy Story
Yes, the movie that got Pixar where it is today. Toy Story was Pixar's first feature film and was nominated for three Oscars when it released. However, Toy Story didn't make this list just because it's Toy Story. It made the list in order to raise awareness that Pixar will be re-releasing Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D by the end of 2009. Not to mention that, beginning with the above, all Pixar films will be in 3D including Toy Story 3 which is planned for early 2010.
Trailer (original)
Release Date: October 2nd 2009
Avatar
In the distant future, Jake, a war veteran, travels to a far away planet known as Alpha Centauri B-4. There he comes to know the native people called the Na'vi, and the dangerous alien power their planet holds.
Avatar is James Cameron's newest brain child which he has developed specifically to be made in 3D. Cameron, along with friend and cinematographer Vince Pace developed the Pace/Cameron fusion camera system specifically for this movie. If that name sounds familiar it's because it is the same technology behind Journey to the Center of the Earth.
However Avatar is being produced with a much larger budget, and state of the art special effects, something people have come to expect from James Cameron who's past flicks include both Terminator movies, Aliens, True Lies, Tthe Abyss and Titanic. Judging from the buzz in the industry, Avatar sounds like it could be the turning point for 3D cinema.
Release Date: December 18th 2009
The Dive
James Cameron believes in 3D so whole heartedly, that he has been quoted as saying all of his movies from now on will be stereoscopic. Between Avatar and its sequel, Battle Angel, Cameron will be writing and directing a small budget romantic drama based on the true story of Cuban free diver Francisco Ferreras. James Cameron's thesis with this movie is to show that stereoscopic cinema is not just for gimmicks. He plans to show people that modern 3D movies are an incredibly immersive experience that 3D works for big budget action as well as small, dramatic narratives.
Release Date: TBA
Modern 3D movies are absolutely stunning to look at, and provide a far more immersive experience than regular movies. This is especially true in IMAX theatres where the sound is all encompassing and the screen takes up most of your vision. Either way, IMAX or no, be sure to check out any, if not all of these movies when they release; you'll wonder why every movie isn't 3D.
