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Don't Like 3D? You Shall Be Punished

Mar 25, 2012#1

Tress

CEO of Spotlight Theaters announces that cinemas will begin to eliminate the premium charges on 3D movies and raise the prices of 2D movies to make up the difference.

As Roger Ebert points out, this is essentially punishing people who avoid 3D. I truly hope there is a wide backlash to convince these idiots how terrible an idea this is.

Mar 25, 2012#2

Hailey Knight

I will begin boycotting Spotlight Theaters immediately.

...as I've been doing my whole life. Never been to one. The backlash will hopefully be that people choose other theaters to go to for their 2D movies and thus this fucking fails like it should. What a fucking twit.

Mar 25, 2012#3

Dave

Yet another reason to not see movies on the big screen.

Mar 25, 2012#4

Hailey Knight

Dave said:
Yet another reason to not see movies on the big screen.

Yeah, exactly. Like theaters need another reason to kill their business. (Which I don't think is actually dying; really they just like to ignore inflation.)

Mar 25, 2012#5

Tress

Quotemander Prime said:
I will begin boycotting Spotlight Theaters immediately.

...as I've been doing my whole life. Never been to one. The backlash will hopefully be that people choose other theaters to go to for their 2D movies and thus this fucking fails like it should. What a fucking twit.

As far as I can tell Spotlight is a relatively small chain located in Georgia. The problem is that the author is not announcing that his theaters are raising 2D prices, but rather he's suggesting that all theaters will begin to do this.

Mar 25, 2012#6

Jay

I want 3D movies to be an option that can be enjoyed by choice rather than enforced to the masses. For example, a Pirates or Tron flick can use this tech pretty easily.... but I do NOT want to watch this crap when I'm watching the new Batman movie or whatnot.

One thing is for sure though.... I'd be totally for complete AVX theatres that also allow online ticket seating reservations. Not having to go to the movie theatre an hour beforehand waiting in line to buy tickets then waiting in another line to go inside the hall? Yes plz.

The fact I can only do this with only 1 possible movie out of 21 is insane... especially since I can book from home in a matter of minutes, whenever I feel like it, then show up 5 minutes before the movie starts and go directly to my assigned seat.

THIS IS EVOLUTION.

Mar 25, 2012#7

ThatNickGuy

Does Hollywood just want people to pirate more?

Mar 25, 2012#8

Charlie Don't Surf

I support the movie industry continuing to make the theater experience unique and worth every dollar. Also, 3D owns.

Mar 25, 2012#9

ThatNickGuy

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I support the movie industry continuing to make the theater experience unique and worth every dollar. Also, 3D owns.

Mar 25, 2012#10

Charlie Don't Surf

That's my honest opinion :tina:

Mar 25, 2012#11

Hailey Knight

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I support the movie industry continuing to make the theater experience unique and worth every dollar. Also, 3D owns.

Mar 25, 2012#12

ThatNickGuy

Hey Charlie, I found a great new avatar for you that'd be much more appropriate:

No, wait! Even better!

Mar 25, 2012#13

ElJuski

I will say this: if the industry is moving towards a great divide between streaming at home and watching at a theater, well, at least the theater is doing something interesting enough to merit going and paying for the experience.

As it stands, I don't go to the movies that much anyway because I can get just as good of a setup at home. The only reason I would go to a theater nowadays would be to see something for the experience of seeing it when it's fresh--and the water cooler talk surrounding it--or if there actually is a pull in the theater to do so. I don't like 3D. I actually kind of hate it. But I can see the reasoning behind it, and the reasoning behind what Charlie thinks, too.

Mar 25, 2012#14

Tress

I don't hate 3D out of hand. I enjoy it when it's done well. I do recognize that many people don't enjoy it, and many people physically can't enjoy it, and therefore I am loathe to embrace a future where 3D is the only option or where everyone must pay for and support 3D. This move to normalize prices would fall under the latter category.

Mar 25, 2012#15

Charlie Don't Surf

ElJuski said:
because I can get just as good of a setup at home. .

no. no you can't. you can say "I don't care about the obvious and huge advantages a theater provides in audio and video quality", or "I am 80% blind and deaf" but you cannot get just as good of a setup at home

Mar 25, 2012#16

ElJuski

I mean, for me. And I'm sure plenty of other people.

Mar 25, 2012#17

ElJuski

I don't need Jonah Hill on a jumbo screen talking about dicks. My TV works just fine.

Mar 25, 2012#18

Charlie Don't Surf

I don't know shit about cars. but I wouldn't say "oh, my Yaris can get just the same driving experience as a lambourgini"*

*(I don't even know how to spell lambourghini? Porsche. Should have said Porsche, I think that's right)

Mar 25, 2012#19

Hailey Knight

Charlie Don't Surf said:
no. no you can't. you can say "I don't care about the obvious and huge advantages a theater provides in audio and video quality", or "I am 80% blind and deaf" but you cannot get just as good of a setup at home

Theater is only presenting superior audio quality when the sound of one movie isn't spilling over into the theater next door.
Theater is only presenting superior video quality when it's in digital presentation so as not to show scratches and blips everywhere, and when not using a 3D lens that muddles the colors.

Mar 25, 2012#20

Charlie Don't Surf

Film is of a higher resolution than every digital presentation in existence

Proper bulb usage with a 3D projector doesn't fuck up the colors

also yes, even if all that stuff you just said is happening, it's still better than your 50" TV and blu-ray player unless you've spent literally every dollar you've ever earned on a theater room

Mar 25, 2012#21

ThatNickGuy

Fun fact: 3-D makes the film's resolution darker.

Mar 25, 2012#22

ElJuski

sorry, didn't mean to break your heart, man.

Mar 25, 2012#23

Charlie Don't Surf

Fun fact- it doesn't have to

http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/agreeing_and_disagreeing_with_roger_ebert_on_dim_projection

Mar 25, 2012#24

Tress

ThatNickGuy said:
Fun fact: 3-D makes the film's resolution darker.

Actually, that's the theater's fault. The film itself is not darker, but the projector needs to be adjusted when showing a 3D film. Most theaters are too lazy/ignorant to set it up properly and the audience suffers as a result.

EDIT: Ninja'd by Charlie.

Mar 25, 2012#25

ThatNickGuy

The other problem with 3-D is that I can probably count on one hand the number of times that the 3-D was even worth it for the movie. Avatar, of course. Maybe some of the Disney ones, like Toy Story or Lion King (I haven't seen them, so I can't say for sure; just going by what I heard). The majority of them? Rushed production on the 3-D part of it, shoehorning it in because of studio demands, usually done within a few weeks. Clash of the Titans is probably the best example of this.

Basically, there is absolutely no need for 3-D unless it actually adds to the film experience and/or is made specifically with the 3-D in mind (Tron, Avatar).

Mar 25, 2012#26

Charlie Don't Surf

if a shitty movie is in 3D, it's still a shitty movie. If everything about a movie is shitty (oh hey clash of the titans), the 3D is gonna be shitty too!!!!!

SPOILER: the 3D is going to be shitty in Wrath of the Titans, feel free to see it and say 3D is bad always though

Mar 25, 2012#27

Hailey Knight

ThatNickGuy said:
The other problem with 3-D is that I can probably count on one hand the number of times that the 3-D was even worth it for the movie.

I can't; both my hands have fingers.

Mar 25, 2012#28

Hailey Knight

Charlie Don't Surf said:
If the 3D is shitty, the movie is shitty.

Next step?

Mar 25, 2012#29

ThatNickGuy

Quotemander Prime said:
I can't; both my hands have fingers.

I don't get it.

Mar 25, 2012#30

ThatNickGuy

And my point is, Charlie, that 3-D is just an unnecessary gimmick that people are sick of being shoe-horned into getting. I didn't see Coraline in theatres because the only way I could see it was 3-D. Fuck that. I don't want to be forced to see 3-D and I don't want to have to pay the price of a 3-D movie, especially if it's not in 3-D.

Christ, we could turn a drinking game into the number of times 3-D is said here.

Mar 25, 2012#31

Hailey Knight

ThatNickGuy said:
I don't get it.

I can't count to zero.

STOP RUINING THINGS, NICKJUSKI.

Mar 25, 2012#32

ThatNickGuy

u mad, bro? :troll:

Mar 25, 2012#33

Charlie Don't Surf

Coraline was amazing in 3D, fyi

Mar 25, 2012#34

ElJuski

It really boils down to this: if something to me is worth it, I'll pay the money to see it. If it doesn't, I won't. I've become much less of a movie-goer in recent years, which is coincidentally the recent years that 3D has become a "thing". If enough people still want to see 3D, though, it'll continue to be a thing. If they don't, it might not. Who knows.

Capitalism--it does stuff.

Kind of sounds like everyone is just either going "YEAHHUH" or "NUHHUH" at this point. I trust Charlie to know his shit, and I respect that. I think it just boils down to the fact I just don't care about the theater experience all that much.

Mar 25, 2012#35

ThatNickGuy

Doesn't matter and it's not my point. My point is that I didn't want to see it in 3-D and I didn't have another option.

Mar 25, 2012#36

Hailey Knight

Charlie Don't Surf said:
Coraline was amazing in 3D, fyi

Coraline was amazing.

And it also had 3D.

I've seen Coraline a few times since seeing it in 3D in the theater. It lost nothing. Balls being thrust at your face does not make a movie better.

Mar 25, 2012#37

DarkAudit

Charlie Don't Surf said:
Film is of a higher resolution than every digital presentation in existence

Too bad theaters are getting rid of the old projectors.

Mar 25, 2012#38

ThatNickGuy

Quotemander Prime said:
Balls being thrust at your face does not make a movie better.

Sounds like my...wait, no, never mind.

Juski: The problem, however, is that - with this price change - suppose that they decide to stop using 3-D? You think they're gonna stop charging us that upped price? Shyeah, not likely.

Mar 25, 2012#39

Hailey Knight

ElJuski said:
It really boils down to this: if something to me is worth it, I'll pay the money to see it. If it doesn't, I won't. I've become much less of a movie-goer in recent years, which is coincidentally the recent years that 3D has become a "thing". If enough people still want to see 3D, though, it'll continue to be a thing. If they don't, it might not. Who knows.

Capitalism--it does stuff.

Kind of sounds like everyone is just either going "YEAHHUH" or "NUHHUH" at this point. I trust Charlie to know his shit, and I respect that. I think it just boils down to the fact I just don't care about the theater experience all that much.

I'm actually kind of surprised Charlie is backing 3D so hard. I've taken him as someone who pays attention to acting, writing, directing, cinematography, use of color and sound, etc. Things that actually matter for a film, even if he doesn't bother watching some of the classic examples of solid movie-making. 3D is not among these. It's an amusement park trait thrown onto movies.

Also, an article from late last year showed that the majority people were avoiding 3D (not a huge majority; I believe it was 65%). The stuff in the OP is likely basing it on the fact that 3D is more expensive and people want to avoid paying more. Because the 3D is entirely unnecessary for enjoying the movie. So now they're going to recoup costs by putting 2D and 3D on even financial footing and seeing for certain where people put their money.

Mar 25, 2012#40

Hailey Knight

ThatNickGuy said:
Juski: The problem, however, is that - with this price change - suppose that they decide to stop using 3-D? You think they're gonna stop charging us that upped price? Shyeah, not likely.

While this is a good point, movie theater prices have been rising anyway over the years. This is an excuse for a jump.

Mar 25, 2012#41

ElJuski

I don't think that 3D is inherently worthless. It's just overused. I'm sure there are plenty of examples of 3D transcending the form, I just can't think of any offhand. But I'm sure that a talented artist can do amazing things with it. It doesn't always have to reach into your soul, either: a movie like Coraline was eye-candy with how 3D was used, and that's awesome that they did that.

Mar 25, 2012#42

ElJuski

Quotemander Prime said:
While this is a good point, movie theater prices have been rising anyway over the years. This is an excuse for a jump.

And I don't care. I hardly go to the theaters anyway. You have to be reasonable about this, and 3D is not the boogie man that requires some sort of kneejerk hate reaction. It's just a thing. And if theaters got so inflated that they weren't worth it anymore, I'm sure something else just as good would take its place. Yay capitalism!

EDIT: Why it quoted QP and not Nick I don't knowwwww prolly bc I'm dumb

Mar 25, 2012#43

Hailey Knight

I thought Coraline looked amazing in my home. You said our homes were superior, Juski. Back me up, Broseidon.

I don't know; maybe I was too invested in the story and the visuals present in the film to care about the needle popping out at my face or the swirling paper rats that existed in front of the screen where the film took place. When I do notice, it's distracting. There's a movie going on, but I keep getting pulled out of it because the Na'Vi are flinging arrows at the theater seats and getting in my way. It's like when some asshole comes in with a laser pointer.

Worse, when you see the Coraline stuff at home that's obviously to make use of the 3D, it comes off as gaudy.

Mar 25, 2012#44

Hailey Knight

ElJuski said:
And I don't care. I hardly go to the theaters anyway. You have to be reasonable about this, and 3D is not the boogie man that requires some sort of kneejerk hate reaction. It's just a thing. And if theaters got so inflated that they weren't worth it anymore, I'm sure something else just as good would take its place. Yay capitalism!

EDIT: Why it quoted QP and not Nick I don't knowwwww prolly bc I'm dumb

How dare you attack me for things Nick says!!!

Mar 25, 2012#45

Charlie Don't Surf

Quotemander Prime said:
. Balls being thrust at your face does not make a movie better.

now you just sound like my ex-girlfriend

I'm not "backing" 3D, just seeing it like any technological advancement. If sound was thrust on Sunrise, that movie would have suffered. Color for the sake of color wouldn't have made The Third Man any better of a movie. I'm glad 3D exists for instances like Avatar, Hugo, and Coraline.

Mar 25, 2012#46

Shegokigo

My home theater experience is superior to the big screen Charlie Don't Surf and I didn't have to spend "every dollar I've ever earned" I made the difference of the cost up by not spending it on inflated ticket/3D glasses/concession prices.

Mar 25, 2012#47

Charlie Don't Surf

and now you're just disputing facts.

Mar 25, 2012#48

Shegokigo

You misspelled "stating".

Mar 25, 2012#49

Charlie Don't Surf

Mar 25, 2012#50

Hailey Knight

Charlie Don't Surf said:

That's not the mockingjay tune from Hunger Games.

Mar 25, 2012#51

Bowielee

ElJuski said:
I don't think that 3D is inherently worthless. It's just overused. I'm sure there are plenty of examples of 3D transcending the form, I just can't think of any offhand. But I'm sure that a talented artist can do amazing things with it. It doesn't always have to reach into your soul, either: a movie like Coraline was eye-candy with how 3D was used, and that's awesome that they did that.

I tried to make this point and was promptly shit on by 90% of the board. I know you're used to it, me not so much.

Mar 26, 2012#52

bhamv3

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I don't know shit about cars. but I wouldn't say "oh, my Yaris can get just the same driving experience as a lambourgini"*

*(I don't even know how to spell lambourghini? Porsche. Should have said Porsche, I think that's right)

If you only care about being able to get to work and back, then a Yaris fulfills the same function as a ~~Lambor... Lam... Pors...~~ sports car, and offers largely the same experience.

Similarly, a gourmet lobster dinner in a 3 star restaurant in Paris would be the same as a quick lobster meal at a diner in a New England fishery town, if all you care about is putting some dead crustacean in your mouth.

If I can find a suit that fits me well enough off the rack, then I don't need to pay the extra expense of a top-class tailor making a custom-made suit for me.

For some people, watching a Let's Play on Youtube is close enough to playing a game themselves.

My point is, I'm sure the movie-going experience is special for some people, where the differences between theater and a home setup is significant enough to justify it. For people like me, though, I'm happy with my ordinary car, ordinary lobster dinner, ordinary suit, and ordinary gaming experience. And my ordinary movie-watching experience at home.

Mar 26, 2012#53

Frank

Well, count me out of theaters if this happens. 3D causes me physical discomfort and movie ticket prices here are already fucking insane. I've never seen a movie in 3D where it added ANYTHING to the experience. I would have enjoyed any of these movies just as much without it (and that's not even counting the tears and headaches).

I like my AVX theater. It allows me to book my favorite spot in the theater (second row from the top that has 3 times the leg room of the rest of the rows). It has the super wide seats so even if a 400 pound dude sits next to me, he isn't spilling into my seat, which is super nice and when you pull up the armrest between the seats it becomes basically a comfy loveseat when I see the movie with someone I like to cuddle with.

I will pay 16 dollars a seat for this theater to see movies in 2D (and occasionally 3D if I don't have a choice) but I will not pay 20 for everything. That's my line. I know this is some podunk Georgian theater chain and I doubt Cineplex would follow suit but if they did, they would lose me and others like me.

Mar 26, 2012#54

Jay

When I watch a movie : (in that 1 theatre where I can book my seat online)

1. Movie on my watch list? Make decision.
2. Evaluate watching it o Tuesday for half-price or Saturday night late showing for minimum of people. Make decision.
3. Check seat availability.. Seat available? Proceed.
4. Check Scene points, can I watch this for free?
5. Book online.
6. Bring snacks and drink within woman's biggest handbag. Total cost, 4$.
7. Show up at movies just in time, go to out seats. When the light go off. Take out the snacks, enjoy cheap movie and cheap snacks.

Nothing less than this.

Woman and I can watch a movie in an AVX(sp) theatre with reserved seating and bring our own snacks usually for less than $20.

Mar 26, 2012#55

Jay

Yes really.

Because obviously, I pay for 2 people instead of you know.... :foreveralone:

Mar 26, 2012#56

Azurephoenix

I rarley bother seeing anything in the theatres anymore now unless it's something particularly action packed and in the IMAX theatres.

Contrary to Charlie's assertation about home theatres... I do happen to have an awesome home theatre setup (purpose built room, high quality television, blu-ray player and a very nicely calibrated and balanced sound system) and that's where I go to enjoy movies nowadays. Hell, for the cost of my wife and I going to a movie in the theatres we can buy the blu-ray and watch it as much as we want in our own cozy little home theatre.

And as for 3D? If a movie is shot natively in 3D then it tends to turn out significantly better than if it's a 2D to 3D hackjob (compare the 3D work in Avatar to Clash of the Titans). Honestly... if it's not done well it looks like trash and greatly detracts from my enjoyment of the movie.

Personally I'd rather the producer and director concentrate on actually making a good movie than worrying about 3D bullshit. Call me when holographic movies come out... 3D as we see it today isn't all that great.

Mar 26, 2012#57

Charlie Don't Surf

I didn't want to derail the thread, but the "really" was directed at the whole "woman" thing

Mar 26, 2012#58

HCGLNS

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I didn't want to derail the thread, but the "really" was directed at the whole "woman" thing

"Woman" is the anglized version of his fiancées proper Quebecois name.

Mar 26, 2012#59

Jay

I didn't know Bianca's name was of paramount importance to you Charlie.

What do you call your significant other Charlie?

Jill?

Mar 26, 2012#60

Charlie Don't Surf

I'm not in high school any more so it doesn't hurt my feelings to be single

"woman" just seems hella disrepectful and treating her like an object and is part of the larger systemic sexism that hurts everyone bla bla bla but who cares I'm overly sensitive, let's get back to what's really important - I'm gonna try to see John Carter in IMAX 3D this weekend.

I also left out earlier by accident that Transformers 3 looked really cool in 3D as well, and I WOULD EVEN ARGUE the use of 3D vastly improved Michael Bay's visual style and panache

Mar 26, 2012#61

ElJuski

Bowielee said:
I tried to make this point and was promptly shit on by 90% of the board. I know you're used to it, me not so much.

I'm only used to it because I'm used to this forum having knee-jerk reactions to everything. That and how they love to write off a forum user pretty immediately.

Mar 26, 2012#62

Hailey Knight

Bowielee said:
I tried to make this point and was promptly shit on by 90% of the board. I know you're used to it, me not so much.

If you're referring to the whining thread and that was the point you were trying to make, then that is not at all how you came across. Here is how you came across:

"Hey guys, why everybody hating on 3D?"
"(Reasons)"
"You just don't get 3D; haters gonna hate, lulz"

Must have been a translation error.

Mar 26, 2012#63

fade

I have never seen a 3D movie where the 3D added to the experience. I continue to contend that you already see a movie in 3D, because that's the way the human brain works. In Avatar, for example, I completely forgot the movie was in 3D after a while because it had ceased to be any different to my mind than the 2D version, which was already interpreted as 3D by my mental software.

Mar 26, 2012#64

Shegokigo

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I'm not in high school any more so it doesn't hurt my feelings to be single

Of course not, only high schoolers can feel bad about being single and everyone knows you're a grown adult.

Mar 26, 2012#65

Charlie Don't Surf

I'm a grown ass man

Mar 26, 2012#66

Jay

Charlie Don't Surf said:
I'm a grown ass man

Mar 26, 2012#67

Bowielee

Quotemander Prime said:
If you're referring to the whining thread and that was the point you were trying to make, then that is not at all how you came across. Here is how you came across:

"Hey guys, why everybody hating on 3D?"
"(Reasons)"
"You just don't get 3D; haters gonna hate, lulz"

Must have been a translation error.

Hm... If only I had acknowledged that people had made valid points, but the majority of responses were simply kneejerk hating on 3d.

Oh, wait, that's exactly what I did.

Mar 26, 2012#68