Clash of the Titans 3D Blu-ray (2010) [Region Free]

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by ckenisell

Agreed. Did you hear that Michael Bay? I can't even tell who's fighting who and who's winning in those Autobot vs. Decepticon fights in Transformers 1 & 2.

Add District 9, Star Trek (2009), The Expendibles, Inception, Prince of Persia, The Kingdom, Taken, and the Bourne Trilogy to otherwise good movies ruined by the shacky cam menace.

At least 3D is always optional and can be turned off with the press of a button. Where is the button that turns off the shacky cam on the above movies. Whats really bizzare is people who argue against 3D because it makes it more difficult for filmmakers to get away with cheap lazy camera tricks. In reality this may be 3Ds greatest benefit yet.

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Smith

Add District 9, Star Trek (2009), The Expendibles, Inception, Prince of Persia, The Kingdom, Taken, and the Bourne Trilogy to otherwise good movies ruined by the shacky cam menace.

At least 3D is always optional and can be turned off with the press of a button. Where is the button that turns off the shacky cam on the above movies. Whats really bizzare is people who argue against 3D because it makes it more difficult for filmmakers to get away with cheap lazy camera tricks. In reality this may be 3Ds greatest benefit yet.

Jimmy, I haven't seen 3 of the movies you mentioned, but District 9 is supposed to be "Reality TV" based so shaky cam adds to the "realism". Other movies like Inception, Taken and The Bourne Trilogy all have shaky cam during the car chases or fight scenes. As long as the camera isn't severely zoomed in, I think it actually adds to the excitement. I mean, if a bunch of action is going down and the camera man is not affected, then it could be a really boring action sequence. I mean, it would be silly if the camera is completely still when the Starship Enterprise is bumped or jarred or hit with a missile, etc. Often times, these "bumps" are added in post-production too.

I see why director and DPs choose the shaky hand-held cam, but in the case of Transformers, it's done for a couple of reasons that I think is "cheating".

For one, it actually makes it easier in post production for compositing purposes because the 3D animated objects don't have to interact with the surrounding environment perfectly, like feet touching the ground (ground is part of the film plate, but characters are animated). Things can be cheated and still work.

Second, it's supposed to make us, as an audience, feel like we're in the action. Fine. But if we're too close, I'll get sick and not know what's going on. I like to be put into the action, but I AM watching the movie as an audience. I don't need to be right under Optimus Prime's crotch. And I don't mind being in the action as long as I can still tell what's going on.

A combination of shaky cam and short lenses equals cheap, cheap and, oh yeah, cheap.

I definitely don't think shaky cam + 3D is a very good idea. Especially if it's native 2D and not shot with 3D in mind. Directors are learning very quickly that shooting for 3D is a very different technique than shooting for 2D. Moreso than working with the various aspect ratios (including IMAX). They even have to consider how long they hold their shots and the transition between shots. This is why 3D animated (CG) films lend themselves well to 3D viewing. EVERYTHING can be controlled.

I'm definitely skipping Clash of the Titans in 3D. It's gonna be 2D BD rental for me.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by ckenisell

Jimmy, I haven't seen 3 of the movies you mentioned, but District 9 is supposed to be "Reality TV" based so shaky cam adds to the "realism". Other movies like Inception, Taken and The Bourne Trilogy all have shaky cam during the car chases or fight scenes. As long as the camera isn't severely zoomed in, I think it actually adds to the excitement. I mean, if a bunch of action is going down and the camera man is not affected, then it could be a really boring action sequence.

Shaky cam in those movies was awful awful awful. Shaky cam is always awful. It is a vicious cancer that has ruined otherwise great action sequences. In no way does it make you feel in the action. It just makes them a unwatchable nightmare where you don't know who is hitting who or what is going on. Its just a way for lazy filmmakers to save a buck. Coreographing a proper action sequence costs money. By shaking the camera its harder for the audience to spot mistakes. Its a great excuse for directers to not do there jobs. Avatar had some of the most exciting action sequences ever seen mostly because Cameron had the common sense to keep the ****ing camera steady. Im straped for cash but would gladdly spend the money to buy filmmakers some tripods. They are a great invention too bad they are out of style.

Shaky cam added nothing to District 9. Ive seen real videos shot on location with the camera still as can be. Shaky cam didn't make anything more realistic. All it did was ruin what was otherwise one of the most original science fiction movies in years. It turned an otherwise great movie into an unwatchable nightmare. That goes double for Inception. One of the most brilliant scripts for a movie Ive ever heard but the cinematography was absolutely horrid.

Its probably why I despite my increasing age I have gravitated towards 3D animated movies rather then live action action. It seems to me 3D animation is the one way to escape the shaky cam menace. Live action cinematography died in the 21st century. It was shook to death.

[ckenisell]

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Although, I don't think shaky shots should be everywhere, I think they have their place.

And Inception was a fantastic film shaky or not shaky.

[Lovemy3D]

I didn't really care for Inception. That's mostly due to the fact that lucid dreaming has been a hobby of mine since I was a teenage kid. Inception did a terrible job of portraying that kind of dreaming experience. Most of the dreaming sequences were not very dreamlike at all actually. lucid or not.

for those that don't know, a lucid dream is a dream in which the dreamer is fully aware that they are in a dream. And can then have an incredible amount of fun playing in a world of their own creation, with a mind as awake is if they were in the waking world.

[Jbug]

I have COTT on 3D BD and it looks good to me. There is depth in many scenes. A review of the disc states that Warner did some work on it before the foreign release.