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Topic: Monsters v Aliens - 3D

Kyle Anderson
Film Handler

Posts: 86
From: Tyler, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 04-05-2009 02:19 PM

We didn't let the Christie guys leave until they had both form factors done correctly. Course, after they had installed the newish Real-3D frontend thing (the one with the asymmetrical dual outlet ports) which are clearly formatted for SCOPE, they had better.

On the target note; we had multiple complications with the scope 3d on CP2000's with the zoomable Kinoton lenses not having enough magnification in that format (on the short throw screens). Having to bring in a new lens could have caused that silliness.

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004

posted 04-05-2009 05:21 PM

quote: Brad Miller
Sounds like the Warren screwed up and ran it in "flat".

Exactly. I should know that by now.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 04-07-2009 03:39 PM

quote: Jack Ondracek
It's got very good depth, but the screen surface seems to be an invisible 'glass wall', and everything seemed to be behind it.

I've noticed this in every Real-D 3D presentation I've seen, so I've been thinking it's just how the digital 3D systems work. However, this film in IMAX 3D has plenty of in-your-face stuff. The paddleball thing makes you flinch, every time, even when you know it's coming. I imagine that the left and right versions rendered for the feature are the same, no matter which 3D system is used to project it, so it has to be in the manner of projection used. Or screen size. [Razz]

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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 04-09-2009 10:35 PM

I had the opportunity to see MONSTERS VS ALIENS in IMAX 3-D at the Dole Cannery 18 today and felt it was a typical animated film with a simple story that probably appeals to children and young people but I was kind of bored and dozed off a couple of times. I only made an effort to see the film because I wanted to check out the IMAX 3-D at the Dole and I was not disappointed. Digital IMAX 3-D is awesome! Now that I have seen the difference between it and the two other digital formats- Real D and Dolby 3-D, I hope more quality live action movies are released in IMAX 3-D. Does anyone know if James Cameron's AVATAR will be in IMAX 3-D? I know he had prodiced a 3-D IMAX underwater documentary movie before and it was very well received. Because MONSTERS VS ALIENS had used a dual projection system, the picture was nice and very bright and for the very first time, the glasses I wore to view the movie was very comfortable. The lenses were very wide and I did not feel like I was wearing a 2nd pair of glasses over my prescription glasses to view the movie in 3-D.

-Claude

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Scott Ribbens
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 118
From: Los Angeles
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 04-11-2009 06:42 AM

quote:
Very strange considering that Warren has alot of stacked 3-D systems and is a top notch presenter. Being the first scope 3-D release I fear that not enough techs got the scope 3-d target in time for setting up the projectors. One can still set up scope 3-D without the target but they obviously did not. I'd be willing to bet that a number of places ended up running it in flat.

Mark

Correction, "Monster House" was Scope 3D.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 04-11-2009 11:18 AM

Beowulf was in 'scope and 3D as well.

However, I think they may be talking about newer lens systems for D-cinema projectors like the Christie CP2000 series. Originally, the system would just crop into the 2048 x 1080 pixel area for a 'scope image (2048 X 852). New anamorphic accessories will allow the full 1080 pixel height of the chips to be used for sharper images.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-13-2009 09:44 AM

We watched this yesterday afternoon with a bunch of kids. The kids were riveted through the whole thing, so that's a good sign.

I thought it was very good. Lots of grown-up jokes that went over the kids' heads. There were a few "obvious" 3-D effect bits (like the paddleball scene) but I think those could have been trimmed or changed and the film would have done just as well in 2-D.

The "B.O.B." character was my favorite. It tops Disney's gopher-in-a-ball from "Bolt" for imagination.

The story? Maybe not quite as predictable as some.....if this had been a Disney movie, they would have had a sad, sentimental but happy-ever-after ending where the girl returns to normal size, marries the guy (who is not such a clod after all) and they adopt the monsters as pets.

Over all, 3.75 out of 5 stars from me. If it had been a pure 2-D movie without the 3-D distractions, I would have given it 4 stars.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 04-13-2009 01:15 PM

quote: Mike Blakesley
(like the paddleball scene) but I think those could have been trimmed or changed and the film would have done just as well in 2-D.

Yep, wife really jerked her head back when she thought the 'ball' was coming right at her...

quote: Mike Blakesley
movie without the 3-D distractions

kinda reminds us of gadgetry added .. like a Cadillac - loaded with tons of gadgets that is not necessary to operate a vehicle...

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-19-2009 08:29 PM

I'm surprised that nobody here (including me) brought up the way-cool treatment of the Dreamworks logo. It brought me to full alert, that's for sure.

Not quite as well done as the phony film-break in Gremlins, but probably the best one since then.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 04-19-2009 08:51 PM

I assume you're talking about the Gremlins 2: The New Batch thing where the film breaks and melts into the projector.

That's probably the only thing that made me appreciate seeing a 70mm Dolby SR mag version of the movie (back when I lived in NYC in 1990). The evil gremlins are making hand puppet shadows over a white movie theater screen. You hear their voices through the rear speakers in the auditorium. It was pretty funny. Outside of that, the sequel pretty much sucked ass.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-21-2009 11:12 AM

You're right, it was Gremlins 2. I still remember it: I was sitting in the office just casually watching the screen (we can see the middle 15 feet or so from the office) when I saw that "film break" happen. I raced up the stairs and had just grabbed the booth door handle when I heard the Gremlins start laughing and saw the shadow puppets. It was a great gag.

Also agreed that it was the only decent gag in the film.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 05-02-2009 08:00 AM

quote: Bobby Henderson
New anamorphic accessories will allow the full 1080 pixel height of the chips to be used for sharper images.

They're not new. The problem has been that no one is buying the anamorphic lenses. In fact, I know of a theatre circuit that is getting rid of the ones they did have, in favor of the one-lens approach.

IMHO, the industry screwed up by offering this "letterboxed" scope in the first place. Scope has always been brighter and higher resolution than flat - with film. Not so in Digital Cinema - it's just the opposite now.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 10-27-2009 09:40 PM

Finally got around to seeing this movie on Blu-ray Disc™.

I had a lot of fun watching a rented copy of this movie. I may even buy a copy of it. For me it's a solid three star effort, if not another half-star more.

Technically and visually speaking, I think this is by far PDI/Dreamworks' best effort (in terms of story, I still think Shrek is superior). There's a lot of really tasty visuals in this one. I'm not sure if it equals the work of Pixar, but I have a difficult time trying to find any fault in it. One area where I think PDI/Dreamworks has one up on Pixar is their more edgy sense of humor. Yeah, some of the humor will be over the heads of kids. But, seriously, screw those kids! Us adults need animated movies geared more for us once in awhile!

As far as the story goes, yeah, it's pretty pedestrian. But the plot is little more than a framework for all the nostaligic jokes. This movie definitely doesn't take itself seriously at all. The one sort of serious aspect I really like: a very strong, capable female character. "Susan" isn't Ripley from Aliens or Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs, but it's still thrilling to see her kick ass and save the day in the end.

Image and sound notes: nothing to complain about. The video quality looked awesome. The sound mix was nicely aggressive. Lots of surround channel use.

Some random observations:

If others don't see it, I at least do. I think the folks at PDI/Dreamworks were looking at some Mort Drucker cartoons from MAD magazine for inspiration when they drew up their caricatures for this movie.

I don't seem to remember Tom Brokaw ever having a moustache. But fear the 'stache! Boomer Sooner, mofo! (shaking the jello to inspire shame.)

Is it an accident that Galaxar looks strikingly similar to Jeffrey Katenberg? I guess "I'll never eat lunch" in Hollywood again for that remark!

I really loved the abstract looking alpha channel footage during the end credits. That stuff just seemed perfect against the B-52's classic song Planet Claire. Maybe very few people would appreciate that footage. I was strangely fascinated by it. I could watch that stuff over and over again. Actually I have. This BD rental lasts 7 days. The Purple People Eater tune during the end credits underscored the retro flavor of this movie.

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