my Real D glasses
Over the weekend I saw Coraline in 3D. I thought it might have been my first chance to see the digital projector at The Tulsa by Cinemark but I ended up going to AMC Southroads. I have seen a few movies there but this was the first 3D movie I have seen there. It was really amazing and uses a different system from the IMAX where I see most of my 3D movies. Because this was the first digital 3D movie I have seen it also was the first Real D movie I have seen and it really was just about right.
Coraline is based on a book by an author I have always liked, Neil Gaiman. He writes mostly adult science fiction but occasionally will write a children’s book that is always well received. He is also kind of a creepy guy as you can see form his video on Koumpounophobia. What could be creepier than just dumping buttons on the ground?
I knew going into the movie that it would be creepy and maybe scary. I was really surprised that there were so many children there. It was almost all parents with their children. Children in the 5-9 range were probably most of the audience. This move is really amazing. The animation is incredible and so is the 3D but that doesn’t really matter because the story was so fantastic. It is wonderful looking and the world feels wonderful but then it gets really creepy and then it freaks out hard, too hard for little kids. I am not sure who would think that giant spiders stealing children’s eyes would be alright to watch but I guess it worked out. There wasn’t any crying so I guess it all worked out just fine. They theater did get completely silent when the ghost children showed up.
With this newer 3D technology it makes me really look forward to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and really really look forward to James Cameron’s Avatar along with TR2N coming next year. Avatar will be the first of the big 3D movies in December but 2010 will really be the year filled with ultra budget 3D movies. Aliens vs Monsters and the Toy Story rereleases will have to help me get by until then.
Update: I forgot. There is a great song by They Might Be Giants that plays a key role in Coraline’s alternate world with her Other family. It is really nice treat and if John Hodgman did sing well he would probably sound like They Might Be Giants.
That movie looks great! I can’t imagine anyone seeing the previews for that and thinking that it would be appropriate for their 5-9 year olds. I wonder how long it will take for most people to realized that “Animation” does not always equal “Kid Safe”
Probably around when they realize most of the popular video games are really for grownups. That doesn’t include the Wii games.