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Is the average 3D movie quality about on par with Underworld The Awakening?

2110 Views 27 Replies 16 Participants Last post by blastermaster, Mar 15, 2013

Mr.SoftDome

Discussion Starter · Jun 25, 2012

Watched my first ever 3D movies this weekend on my new display and Blu-ray player.

First up was TinTin. I was mesmerized and thought this is great and will be my new favorite thing! The added depth was much more important than the pop-out. The sidewalk scenes were so awesome. Just the added dimension to the film was great. I was sold hook line and sinker.

Well with that great experience I moved on to Underworld The Awakening. What a 180. The added depth and feel was not there like TinTin. At some scenes with two characters front and center they look and felt like cut out characters from a children's book and pasted to the front of the screen while there was slight depth behind them but the background was not clear and felt crushed. A completely different experience and a let down. It didn't help that this movie is a stinker although I enjoy the series. I turned off half way thru and will maybe watch the rest tonight. Umm stinker and laying down on the couch with glasses proved difficult! This was just for the last five minutes and I did sit up for the first half.

I hope other viewings aren't similar. Would you say most movies except for a select few are about on par with the quality of this flick? It seems there is still work to do here.

TinTin proved to me what the format can be. Hope most aren't like Underworld.

I bought but have not watched yet-

Tangled

Hugo

Immortals

Since I am new to this I need to watch a lot more content but hope Underworld is not the average for most available choices! This really is exciting to me as a whole so please don't take my initial thoughts as a dislike for the format. TinTin changed my viewing experience for the positive and was a blast.

Rick

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BleedOrange11

· #2 · Jun 25, 2012

No, live-action 3D movies are highly variable in 3D quality. CGI animation can vary too, but most of them have pretty good 3D. Underworld: Awakening is on the better end of the 3D scale, being filmed with 3D cameras and having a few action sequences designed for 3D effects. There's definitely better live-action 3D though. You'll see the current pinnacle in feature films when you watch Hugo.

For other non-documentary live-action 3D, I recommend:

1. Journey to the Center of the Earth

2. Yogi Bear

3. Step Up 3D

4. Sanctum

5. Final Destination 5

6. The Final Destination

7. Resident Evil: Afterlife

8. Drive Angry

9. My Bloody Valentine

10. The Three Musketeers

None of these movies have very good stories, but it's definitely worth checking them out for the 3D if you can find them for a good deal.

P.S. Underworld's best 3D is towards the end of the movie.

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cbcdesign

· #3 · Jun 26, 2012

Quote:
Originally Posted by BleedOrange11 /t/1417337/is-the-average-3d-movie-quality-about-on-par-with-underworld-the-awakening#post_22163855

No, live-action 3D movies are highly variable in 3D quality. CGI animation can vary too, but most of them have pretty good 3D. Underworld: Awakening is on the better end of the 3D scale, being filmed with 3D cameras and having a few action sequences designed for 3D effects.

I disagree entirely. It may well have been filmed with 3D cameras but its hit and miss to say the least with 2d cinematographic (is that a real word?) thinking clearly damaging what should have been a MUCH better presentation. I was very dissapointed and to be honest I think the converted Capain America has better 3D than underworld does and I never thought I would hear myself say such a thing!

BleedOrange11

· #4 · Jun 26, 2012

I'm not saying that Underworld's 3D was great. I wouldn't include it on my list of best live-action 3D, but I enjoyed it. It's definitely better than 95% of 3D conversions. Mainly I wish they would have separated the cameras more for stronger depth and used the 16:9 IMAX cut for Blu-ray 3D as it had slightly better framing. I've seen much worse when it comes to 2D thinking in 3D movies (Pirates of the Caribbean 4, A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Wrath of the Titans, John Carter, Thor, etc).

Johemlee

· #5 · Mar 3, 2013

I am new to this and I hope I am replying to a question from Rick.

I just bought a 3D television about four months ago. So far, the best movies I have watched with the best 3D are 1. Avatar, 2 Journey To The Center of the Earth and 3. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Killer.

Of course, you probably have already found this out.

TonyDP

· #6 · Mar 4, 2013

Personally, I'd consider Underworld: Awakening's 3D sub-par; the cinematography really didn't take advantage of 3D and there was very little in the way of pop out of the screen. Also, the film's 2.39:1 aspect ratio and resulting letterbox presentation further compromises the 3D effect on 16x9 TVs.

I'd say that Journey to the Center of the Earth, Journey 2: Mysterious Island and Hugo are the current benchmarks for live-action natively shot 3D movies, surpassing even more well-regarded titles like Avatar in my opinion. Its also no coincidence that all three of those films are presented at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, using nearly all of the screen on a 16x9 TV, which makes the 3D imagery even more immersive.

Also, if you want to see some good live action 3D, try checking out some of the Imax 3D BluRays like Hubble 3D, Space Station 3D, Grand Canyon 3D Tahiti: Ultimate Wave 3D and Under the Sea 3D; Imax features can be a little dry in terms of presentation but the 3D photography is uniformly stunning.

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jmcguire525

· #7 · Mar 4, 2013

Hugo is a must for live action 3D If you want to see 3D done right (Its also great for home viewing since it was shot in 1.78:1)

Elrowyn

· #8 · Mar 4, 2013

Underworld I remember as being above average. Some of the best live action is Avatar, Hugo, Men in Black III, but the best of the best is Flying Swords of Dragon's Gate. The Journey movies are also very good. I am sure there are several I have missed. Tangled is one of the better animated movies if you already have that what are you waiting for.

jmcguire525

· #9 · Mar 4, 2013

Is Flying Swords that good, the trailer makes the CGI look awful

joed32

· #10 · Mar 4, 2013

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmcguire525 /t/1417337/is-the-average-3d-movie-quality-about-on-par-with-underworld-the-awakening#post_23037316

Is Flying Swords that good, the trailer makes the CGI look awful

I have it but haven't watched it yet because I can't get it to play with English subtitles. It has them in the menu but I can't "play" from that menu and if I back out and play I get Chinese with no STs.

Toe

· #11 · Mar 4, 2013

I heavily favor 2.35 3d presentations as they are much more immersive with my scope setup. Having said that, Flying Swords of Dragonsgate is definitely the best example of live action 3d I have seen yet. Avatar is by far the most overrated 3d movie at this point as there are much better examples of both depth and pop out 3d on many discs. Avatar was impressive over 2 years ago when I first watched it on blu, but every time I revisit it now it just reveals how conservative the actual 3d is and is nothing special IMHO vs titles like FSoD, Hugo, etc.....

Underworld Awakening had very good 3d on my setup. Not the best out there, but above average I would say.

Best overall 3d blu ray to date IMO is Sammys Adventure followed closely by Madagascar 3 I would have to say. I have not seen SA2 yet though which most people seem to think is as good or better than the original, so I am excited to check it out.

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nyc3dwd60738

· #12 · Mar 5, 2013

+1

jwalz1

· #13 · Mar 6, 2013

Softdome,

If you said you bought Tangled then you have one title that has extremely good 3d effects. That is one of the best.

I don't know how many I bought but for the effects at least I like most of the underwater titles, Under the Sea and Dolphins and Whales are good.

FOr live action movies Avatar is of course the standard, but Avengers and Dredd are also pretty good.

Hugo and the lasrt Pirate of the Carribean movies have decent effects but I thought they were dreadful movies.

Have not seen it yet, but Life of Pi is supposed to be one where the 3d effect really adds to the viewing experience. It is on my shopping list.

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blastermaster

· #14 · Mar 6, 2013

Of the 3D movies I own, the standouts are:

Live:

1. Hugo

2. Transformers 3

3. The Final Destination

4. Captain America (Conversion, and I find that movie hard on my eyes because of the extreme separation)

CGI/Cartoon:

1. Guardians of Gahoole

2. A Christmas Carol

3. Tin Tin

Some of my movies have more subtle 3D, but I really like them as well (Prometheus, Tron: Legacy).

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FARAD

· #15 · Mar 6, 2013

I really have to wonder how much this varys person to person. (3d effect or how we see it I guess)

I really like journey to the center of the earth. I love my 3d set up. I cant stand to watch it in 3d. I'm constantly checking my settings, and nothings wrong but it just doesnt look right to me. Even gives me a head ache after awhile. No other movies do this, I game in 3d all day long with no problems. It sucks cus I love the flick, and it makes me leary of watching Journey 2.

blastermaster

· #16 · Mar 6, 2013

Quote:
I really have to wonder how much this varys person to person

I think you're right. Some people really like the subtle 3D like in Prometheus and Tron: Legacy. I like them also, but I do appreciate the greater separation of depth as in Transformers 3 or Final Destination. Many of the popout moments I find don't work so well for me. I have a minor astigmatism that may be the culprit, but I find that if it's too quick, my eyes can't resolve it (flying tire that quickly goes through the screen, for example). However, the potato cod in Imax: Undersea Adventure and the penicillin snake from Final Destination were just awesome!

What I find with 3D is that in fast moving scenes, my eyes can't resolve the 3D well and it makes me nauseous. This is especially evident in Captain America. The fix for this is to max out your frame interpolation settings on your tv or, in my case, projector. It will give the movie a soap opera kind of feeling, but since when does 3D look overly real, anyway? I'd rather spare the headache.

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Johemlee

· #17 · Mar 6, 2013

I have the Grand Canyon in 3D, it isn't bad, but nothing great either.

I guess we all have a different opinion of what we expect in 3D. I think that the best 3D I have seen is Avatar, followed by Journey to The Center Of The Earth.

I have been thinking about getting Underworld: The Awakening and I would still like to see it, who knows...I may like it.

blastermaster

· #18 · Mar 6, 2013

Even Kate Beckinsale in tight black leather couldn't keep me watching any of those films for longer than 1/2 hour. They're just terrible.

dfergie

· #19 · Mar 6, 2013

I loved Underworld The Awakening... thought it had some good 3D also.

Toe

· #20 · Mar 6, 2013

Quote:
Originally Posted by blastermaster /t/1417337/is-the-average-3d-movie-quality-about-on-par-with-underworld-the-awakening#post_23048544

Even Kate Beckinsale in tight black leather couldn't keep me watching any of those films for longer than 1/2 hour. They're just terrible.

I think all 4 are great. Kate is just an added bonus.

All 4 have great audio as well, especially Awakening.

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