3D or Not 3D

I have to take a moment and apologize for the lack of updates from myself as well. Work and housework for spring have taken up most of my time. There's not much bloggable about raking leaves.

Last weekend my wife and I had a Date Day and finally saw "Alice in Wonderland." We were so enamored of the 3D in the "Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Coraline" that we wanted to see this one in 3D as well. All in all, the film was a great immersion into the world that Tim Burton created, but watching it got me thinking. "Avatar" touted the technology as a major part of the film's appeal. While I haven't seen Avatar, I started thinking about all the films coming out in 3D and wondered "Why?".

Sure, some movies lend themselves to the gimmick (which is what it is at the root, something to put butts in the seats). But how much is too much? "Alice In Wonderland" and "Avatar" use the genre to bring the viewer into the sensory worlds. But why do "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" need to be in 3D? What is the tipping point that a film should have 3D elements to set it apart from its 2D counterpart?

The trailers before Alice were all films that were coming in 3D form. The ones that I was most impressed with were "Toy Story 3" (which is probably due to my attachment with the characters), and "Tron Legacy." As a kid I was blown away by "Tron". As a teenager I thought it was a joke. But, as an adult I am excited as hell about seeing a lightcycle race in 3D.

So True Believers, I want to hear from you. What elements do you think a film should have to warrant the extra ticket cost to see the film in 3D? If you'd like an idea about what's coming up in the format, click here to see a tentative list.