Avatar And Other 3D Movies

[klikklak]

I just saw Avatar and while effect wasn't totally mindblowing (in fact the effect seems quite "natural", strange that , it worked well even with eyeglasses on. So now I'm _really_ looking forward to other films with this tech and especially 3d gaming. I think I might have to give my money to the evil-doers at Sony for a PS3 if it has upcoming 3D games. And I think ATI since Nvidia has announced (on nvnews) that they have no plans to support 3D on Geforce on Linux.

As for movies, any hints? There was a trailer for Through the looking glass (I think) by Tim Burton, which looked good and if it's even an average Burton movie it probably is worth the money.

Oh and Avatar the movie, plotwise it was ok, there were some parts where I cringed and some parts where I just went "bollocks to that", especially the ending bits where the white man becomes the voodoo-hoodoo chief or something. Oh and Pandora the planet seems to be a psy-trance rave. Other than that, it was a pretty good blockbuster.

 

[fischju2000]

Here is a list of movies that will be using RealD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealD_Cinema#List_of_RealD_released_and_upcoming_films Already out ones and upcoming.

CES this year is everything 3D. The Blu-Ray 3D spec was finalized, confirmation that the PS3 can play those films with an update, dozens of TVs that support it (that are in the same price range as TVs that don't), new glasses, DirecTV saying they will broadcast in 3D... And I believe ATI is going to add 3D, but I wouldn't bet on it being better than Nvidia's.

 

[OrR]

I've been playing Trackmania with red/blue glasses on my PC. IIRC, there are a bunch of 3D solutions already, from modified engines to special drivers.

I wonder if there are shutter glasses with Linux drivers, yet? You could probably run 3D games and movies on a Pandora with those, then. Although I have grown quite fond of the red/blue effect. It's reliable low tech, you get used to it and there is a bunch of weird old movies available.

Are there video codecs for 3D shutter movies, yet? I'd imagine you'd have to encode two videos for left and right eye, and then switch between those, or else you'd have to encode in very high quality...

 

[Tom`]

I never watch 3D movies, I have visual problems which ensure that I have no conventional depth perception. I tried watching one once - it was very annoying visually, due to the ghosting effect.

So I guess the continued proliferation of such things (games, screens, etc.) is a bit depressing.

 

[klikklak]

fischju2000, thanks for the list. It looks like the movies are still few and far in between. That "through the looking glass" is apparently just named Alice in Wonderland, and it's not out until 15.3! So my choices seem to be to go to (english is silly see Cloudy with a chance of meatballs in a weeks time, but other than that I'll have to wait. Damn.

OrR I think there aren't any shutter glass drivers yet and nvidias not going to be providing it. I did see a CES announcement from Bitlocker about "universal remote" type shutter glasses that should work on AMD's (and apparently all types of tellys) and with ATI/AMD supporting open source in a good way I think we have a decent chance of getting support. I'm keeping a close eye on this. As for codecs, I haven't seen any, it's just a matter of time though.

 

[Parkydr]

I find 3D films really annoying because the director can never resist having an actor wave or throw stuff out of the screen for no reason other than to show it's 3D.

Hopefully 3D will become so commonplace that they'll stop all the moronic stuff.

 

[pelrun]

I find 3D films really annoying because the director can never resist having an actor wave or throw stuff out of the screen for no reason other than to show it's 3D.

Hopefully 3D will become so commonplace that they'll stop all the moronic stuff.

Did you bother watching Avatar? It's free of that gimmick, except for ONE instance where it actually makes perfect sense. Up 3D was similar; in fact for all the hype surrounding the new 3D tech, the way it's being used has been remarkably restrained.

 

[senquack]

Avatar pretty much blew my mind.

 

[lizard808uk]

I think Avatar has brought the movie industry kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Thats how it should be done.. the last 5 movies I went to with GF were all utter crap. (esp. couldn't believe how lame the Adam Sandler one was.. )

Only fault with Avatar was the horses.. they just didn't look right when moving. I think the designer there was probably smoking some Pandora jungle plants.

Best way to describe Avatar is Predator/Aliens/Dances with Wolves mixed with Secret of Mana & Final Fantasy??

F**k it I'm going to go see it again (3D of course ^_^)

 

[deise]

The last 3D film I saw in the cinema was Jaws 3D in about 1984, I most go to Avatar while its still showing in 3D, sounds good by everyone's reaction

 

[OrR]

I'm surprised I didn't find a red/blue version of Avatar on the net, yet. Seems to be difficult to pirate...

 

[klikklak]

Acer H5360 on pixmania. 560€ for a 720p 3d projector! Sweet, I know what I'm getting. With that, a ps3 and Nvidia 3d vision glasses I'll be set for awhile. I originally thought about getting a TV, but they're difficult to upgrade since they weigh so much. Now I just have to figure out how to get 560€.. typically per month I can spend 200-300, so I'll have to save for awhile.

 

[WizardStan]

Avatar: Brave Heart with aliens.

 

[gp32rich]

I find 3D films really annoying because the director can never resist having an actor wave or throw stuff out of the screen for no reason other than to show it's 3D.

Hopefully 3D will become so commonplace that they'll stop all the moronic stuff.

Did you bother watching Avatar? It's free of that gimmick, except for ONE instance where it actually makes perfect sense. Up 3D was similar; in fact for all the hype surrounding the new 3D tech, the way it's being used has been remarkably restrained.

And that one instance was ... when the fella was waving the lighted torch around?
no, wait .. when the flying things were flying at the camera
no, wait .. the computer displays in the control room
hang on .. what about the bits of ash getting in the way
erm .. the seeds from the tree
and .. the dreamtube thingy going into the MRI looky-thing
or .. the orange plants flipping closed

well. you get the idea with that. B)

one more .. the grunts in the carrier


Anyway. I'd give it 8/10 for the (ahem) spectacle. 6/10 for the story... stereotyped, predictable and derivative.
Barely worth the tenner entry. I almost thought I'd walked into a screening of Duke Nukem 3D instead, but for the lack of humour.

 

[pelrun]

Uh, none of those were being thrown AT THE VIEWER. (pretty sure I would have noticed them throwing things like the computer displays.)

There were elements that were further into/out of the screen than most, but only one instance of "oh, lets throw this at the audience and make them flinch!"

 

[gp32rich]

when the fella was waving the lighted torch around? - I guess this was held, not 'thrown'
when the flying things were flying at the camera - I guess these were flying, not 'thrown'
the computer displays in the control room - given that these are static and the camera was moving, but hey, the camera wasn't 'thrown'
what about the bits of ash getting in the way - I guess these were floating, not 'thrown'
the seeds from the tree - again floating, not 'thrown'
the dreamtube thingy going into the MRI looky-thing - I guess running on rails towards the camera, not 'thrown'
the orange plants flipping closed - well. you get the idea with that. B)

Uh, none of those were being thrown AT THE VIEWER. (pretty sure I would have noticed them throwing things like the computer displays.)

There were elements that were further into/out of the screen than most, but only one instance of "oh, lets throw this at the audience and make them flinch!"

for me it was more of the long slow pans with foreground objects getting in the way of the actual action saying 'Wheee! We got 3D!' as well as the above mentioned. As opposed to 'normal' camera work leaving as clean a line as possible

similar to the way a shaky handheld camera is supposed to signify edgy 'Cinema Verité' -- 24 & BSG, I'm talking about you!



If I'm thinking - 'Cool! It's in 3D' I'm not thinking about the film.
It's over used. It's a distraction.

 

[sam fisher]

I see in 3D everyday and I manage to see things happen without being distracted by the fact I am seeing them happen in 3D world. If you cannot manage this in a cinema then that is a fault on your part .

 

[fishybawb]

I see in 3D everyday and I manage to see things happen without being distracted by the fact I am seeing them happen in 3D world. If you cannot manage this in a cinema then that is a fault on your part .

I've seen Avatar 3 times now, once with the guys from work, once with my family over Christmas, and then again yesterday with my girlfriend. Story isn't amazing, but it's certainly a spectacle. The only other multiple-watch I've done in the cinema was Supertroopers (twice)...

(Awaits Star Wars freaks to tell him they saw all of them 300 times )

 

[gp32rich]

I see in 3D everyday and I manage to see things happen without being distracted by the fact I am seeing them happen in 3D world. If you cannot manage this in a cinema then that is a fault on your part .

Most of the time I'm not doing a slow pan.
Most of the time my field of view isn't foreshortened for cinematic effect.
And having binocular vision means that distractions in my field of view don't obscure exactly the same part for both eyes. Or I can move my head so they dont.


Sometimes I do get amazed by spinning fields when traveling up the motorway :wub:



Maybe I just didn't expect it during a film .. and that distracted me from the film

 

[Tag5]

First of all I bow my head in shame as I have not yet seen Avatar. It looks awesome but the missus won't appreciate this movie as she hates all Sci-fi's. I'm not all that fussed with 3D movies and the silly glasses you have to pay extra for. Must be a sign of getting old and miserable.