ParaNorman 3D Blu-ray (2012) [Region Free]

[Zivouhr]

For a stop motion animated film, Paranorman has probably the smoothest, most fluid animation I've ever seen in this style. Incredible. Stamped on the faces might refer to when then have a plug in and insert different interchangeable faces for different mouths, instead of having to reposition and move the mouths from scratch, to save a lot of time and hassle.

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

Thanks for the reviews, Paul and Zivouhr. I'm probably most disappointed hearing that Life of Pi has a weak 3D trailer. That is one I am really looking forward to. Hopefully, it gets uploaded to YouTube soon.

Originally Posted by Carboooon

I saw a Life of Pi preview a while ago and thought it was pretty good. The 3d seemed relatively strong to me with some nice depth and a fair amount of pop out.

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

Good to hear! Thanks. I'll have to see it for myself now.

Yes, always judge it with your own eyes. But if I compare it to Journey to the Center of the Earth's strong 3D, not to be intentionally harsh, but Life of Pi pales in comparison, and the movie looks like a good story about the bond between two enemies forced together.

Originally Posted by Gae

Thanks for the reviews guys.

With regards the 3D, I really wish studios would either do the 3D properly (and get a proper stereographer involved in the shoot) or else just shoot the film in 2D.

Gae

Yeah, I think it likely goes back to 3D storytelling, though in this case, I have no clue why the 3D actually got weaker as the movie became more dramatic. Cinemark has good 3D projects, so I don't know what happened.

Originally Posted by keb33509

Look up the process on how they shot ParaNorman. It was a long process. They used Canon DSLRs and they had a mount that would swivel back and forth between each shot to take the left and right eye captures. Stop animation is not easy to work with. I think their 3D in both Coraline and this is extraordinary for the technological boundaries they had to go around.

Was this filmed in 3D or post 3D converted? I agree, the process is very intricate even with computer animation, let alone the limits of real life figurines. The animation was amazing.

Originally Posted by joenostalgia23

I saw it yesterday and I really really liked the film.

As far as the 3D went, it was very subtle. But I think 3D is great for films like this and Coraline because they really help you appreciate the textures and sculpting that goes into the models.
It rarely has things stabbing into your eyes, but it's very natural.

As far as trailers went, Life of Pi had exceptional 3D!
IMO, the trailer for Life of Pi looked better than all of Paranorman and the rest of the trailers. The image was very bright and colorful, the shots and angles were very creative, especially for 3D. There's a lot of depth and dimensionality and a bit of pop-out as well... but none of the shots ever look gimmicky for 3D. I thought the trailer for Life of Pi looked even better than The Hobbit's.
I don't know what sort of theater Zivouhr went to, but I'm surprised that he wasn't impressed. Then again, we've disagreed about 3D in the past(I personally consider Coraline and Tron: Legacy to be two of the best 3D Blu-rays). no offence.

Life of Pi 3D trailer I've seen twice now, and even though I like the trailer itself, the 3D seems pretty flat to me compared to the strong 3D in Avatar, Hugo, Journey CE, My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry, etc. I expect it to be as strong as those movies, and when it's not, I'm usually disappointed.

The only defense I can give Life of Pi's 3D is I was also unimpressed with Prometheus' 3D trailers, but really enjoyed the theatrical 3D version when I saw it. (Speaking of which, Ridley Scott's brother Tony Scott (who also helped with Prometheus) was found deceased after he apparently jumped off a bridge this weekend I'm sorry to say... )

I loved the movie Tron Legacy, but was very disappointed in the weak 3D layers through most of it, wishing they went for Hugo's 3D strength instead.

So to each his own preference.

I'm mostly looking at the layers of 3D, and if they stand out from one another without mistake (as in Hugo 3D), I'm all for it in 3D. Otherwise, 3D gets a bad rap because stereographers are playing it safe with subtle 3D.

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by Paul H

If and when you see the movie, stay in your seat until the credits are finished and it will show you in a quick segment with time-laps photography how the mechanics are put together. Don't remember seeing replaceable features, but I wasn't looking for it. There was a lot to take in showing interesting pictures about physically making a character.

Paul

I saw it yesterday, but didn't stay for the credits. I think I may have already seen this as there are a few clips on Youtube about the movie. There is one where they make a small lamp from the library scene and one were they make and assemble Norman.

I found THIS. I am sure is what they were talking about when they said printed faces. Very cool.

[Jbug]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Thanks. It's this or Expendables 2 (though I wasn't a big fan of Expendables 1).

The 3D trailer in theaters might have been amped up and created separately from the movie.
EDIT: Yeah, that scene with the fence with Norman walking out of his house IS 2D. I hate when they do that. It's a 3D movie and we're paying to see it in 3D, but they present it in nearly flat 2D with other scenes in 3D. I think I might give this a try today even so, and hope for the best. They mention "Eye Popping" 3D so here's hoping when I saw the trailer in theaters, it'll look just as good compared to this flatter looking online 3D trailer.

One reviewer suggested this company also made "9" the movie (which should've been in 3D but isn't), which I liked. But yes, Coraline 3D was a let down for the 3D IMO. Just way too conservative.

I was going to see Paranorman but decided on Expendables 2. I too wasn't a big fan of the first one. E2 was just ok but it was great to see the aging action stars back on the big screen. Some are aging better than others but they all are reminders of the passage of time aren't they?

[Tns49]

Originally Posted by BD3Dfan

There's a trailer for ParaNorman on Sony's 3D Experience app on their BD players. I watched it and, while it did have good 3D, it seems to be going for the same route as Coraline IMO (i.e. less depth and volume when 'normal', more when 'strange').

During the Olympics, the 3d feed featured trailers in 3d for ParaNorman, Hotel Transylvania, Finding Nemo, Rise of the Guardians, and Frankenweenie.

ParaNorman, Hotel Transylvania, and Frankenweenie all looked pretty good. Finding Nemo looks like a good conversion, but of course was not originally planned for 3d. Didn't particular care for Rise of the Guardians trailer, but it could always be better than its trailer, and the others could be worse.

[armandxp]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

I was watching a short thing about this movie on FearNet, I think it was, and the director was saying they "printed" the characters. Does anyone have any idea of what he was talking about? He was particularly talking about the faces of them. I think they actually used replaceable faces, as in Nightmare before Christmas with Sally and Jack instead of mechanical heads with moveable features like the ones in Corpse Bride. It had something to do with the freckles and features on the faces and how everything was on the faces in the exact same spot on every replacement.
I know this has nothing to do with the 3D discussion, but I find stop motion animation interesting, much more so than CG animation, especially since they have to physically make everything.

I believe he was talking about using a 3d printer to make all the faces which made things a lot easier. With 3d printers it can be rendered on a computer and not hand sculpted. So, you can have lots of different faces for one character and not have to adjust the same one or two...Something like that

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by armandxp

I believe he was talking about using a 3d printer to make all the faces which made things a lot easier. With 3d printers it can be rendered on a computer and not hand sculpted. So, you can have lots of different faces for one character and not have to adjust the same one or two...Something like that

Exactly. See my post above. It was a color 3D printer too.

[joenostalgia23]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

For a stop motion animated film, Paranorman has probably the smoothest, most fluid animation I've ever seen in this style. Incredible. Stamped on the faces might refer to when then have a plug in and insert different interchangeable faces for different mouths, instead of having to reposition and move the mouths from scratch, to save a lot of time and hassle.







Yes, always judge it with your own eyes. But if I compare it to Journey to the Center of the Earth's strong 3D, not to be intentionally harsh, but Life of Pi pales in comparison, and the movie looks like a good story about the bond between two enemies forced together.



Yeah, I think it likely goes back to 3D storytelling, though in this case, I have no clue why the 3D actually got weaker as the movie became more dramatic. Cinemark has good 3D projects, so I don't know what happened.



Was this filmed in 3D or post 3D converted? I agree, the process is very intricate even with computer animation, let alone the limits of real life figurines. The animation was amazing.



Life of Pi 3D trailer I've seen twice now, and even though I like the trailer itself, the 3D seems pretty flat to me compared to the strong 3D in Avatar, Hugo, Journey CE, My Bloody Valentine, Drive Angry, etc. I expect it to be as strong as those movies, and when it's not, I'm usually disappointed.

The only defense I can give Life of Pi's 3D is I was also unimpressed with Prometheus' 3D trailers, but really enjoyed the theatrical 3D version when I saw it. (Speaking of which, Ridley Scott's brother Tony Scott (who also helped with Prometheus) was found deceased after he apparently jumped off a bridge this weekend I'm sorry to say... )

I loved the movie Tron Legacy, but was very disappointed in the weak 3D layers through most of it, wishing they went for Hugo's 3D strength instead.

So to each his own preference.

I'm mostly looking at the layers of 3D, and if they stand out from one another without mistake (as in Hugo 3D), I'm all for it in 3D. Otherwise, 3D gets a bad rap because stereographers are playing it safe with subtle 3D.

Where did you see Life of Pi's trailer? Sometimes, I think it might be the theaters that make 3D look good or bad.
Like you, I wasn't that impressed with Prometheus in trailers, but the 3D in IMAX was really good. My local theater's 3D for The Amazing Spider-Man was very weak, but I didn't see it in RealD(though I did see it in IMAX and it looked very strong).

I saw Life of Pi in a RealD theater and it was very very impressive and there was a lot of layers and depth, especially the one scene where he throws that bottle/can towards the edge of the screen. I really felt like I was floating in the water and it was right in front of me.
What was weird was that the Despicable Me and The Hobbit trailers weren't nearly as impressive as it was when I saw it at my local theater.

So I think it might be based on the theaters.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Jbug

I was going to see Paranorman but decided on Expendables 2. I too wasn't a big fan of the first one. E2 was just ok but it was great to see the aging action stars back on the big screen. Some are aging better than others but they all are reminders of the passage of time aren't they?

Thanks for the quick review on Expendables 2.
Yeah, I'll probably see it to see how Van Damme is holding up along with the other big action stars. It'd be nice if Jackie Chan appears in the next one, considering these stars are international anyway and he's one of the best martial artists of all time based on his stunts and insane kung fu in his films.

Originally Posted by armandxp

I believe he was talking about using a 3d printer to make all the faces which made things a lot easier. With 3d printers it can be rendered on a computer and not hand sculpted. So, you can have lots of different faces for one character and not have to adjust the same one or two...Something like that

That's a good, time saving idea on a computer. Thanks for the info.

Originally Posted by joenostalgia23

Where did you see Life of Pi's trailer? Sometimes, I think it might be the theaters that make 3D look good or bad.
Like you, I wasn't that impressed with Prometheus in trailers, but the 3D in IMAX was really good. My local theater's 3D for The Amazing Spider-Man was very weak, but I didn't see it in RealD(though I did see it in IMAX and it looked very strong).

I saw Life of Pi in a RealD theater and it was very very impressive and there was a lot of layers and depth, especially the one scene where he throws that bottle/can towards the edge of the screen. I really felt like I was floating in the water and it was right in front of me.
What was weird was that the Despicable Me and The Hobbit trailers weren't nearly as impressive as it was when I saw it at my local theater.

So I think it might be based on the theaters.

Both times at Cinemark Real D 3D theaters, which played Hugo and it looked amazing in 3D, along with plenty of other 3D films, like Prometheus 3D.

I want Life of Pi to do well, so I don't say "weak 3D" lightly. I always sit in the same row at the theaters, but maybe they had the 3D on that trailer somehow set to a weaker setting for the projector if that's possible, and then when the other trailers in 3D came on, they switched up the 3D projector strength. I honestly don't know enough about 3D projectors and their settings to be sure though, but I'd imagine they play in default setting, and let the film's 3D do the talking.

[DavidGQ]

Questions -

Do you guys collect 3D glasses? And do you have an extra Paranorman Glass? I collect these for my kids and they love them. Unfortunately, by the time we catch it this weekend I don't think there will be any left. I can trade my extra if you collect them. Have only Lorax and Lion King for now.

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by DavidGQ

Questions -

Do you guys collect 3D glasses? And do you have an extra Paranorman Glass? I collect these for my kids and they love them. Unfortunately, by the time we catch it this weekend I don't think there will be any left. I can trade my extra if you collect them. Have only Lorax and Lion King for now.

There wasn't anything special about the glasses where we saw it and that was opening day. They were just the standard black plastic glasses. I have never seen any kind of special glasses at any 3D movie. They have all been the same.

[DavidGQ]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

There wasn't anything special about the glasses where we saw it and that was opening day. They were just the standard black plastic glasses. I have never seen any kind of special glasses at any 3D movie. They have all been the same.

I guess it depends on the theater but mine(AMC) do offer them. For this movie, it's a green glass with ParaNorman on the right "leg". Over the summer, other movies offered the same.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by DavidGQ

Questions -

Do you guys collect 3D glasses? And do you have an extra Paranorman Glass? I collect these for my kids and they love them. Unfortunately, by the time we catch it this weekend I don't think there will be any left. I can trade my extra if you collect them. Have only Lorax and Lion King for now.

The lady in front of me on line asked the clerk if they had any left, and they said "Sorry, we don't have the green glasses, just the black at the moment".

I don't know how, because I saw it opening weekend, which means they didn't get enough of them, or they are VERY collectible and sealed, would probably increase the value.

Star Wars I 3D had collectibles at select theaters. Trinkets or 3D glasses of Anakin's pod racer.

[Paul H]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

they are VERY collectible and sealed, would probably increase the value.

This would be my guess. NEW = Not recycled = pristine and unique.
It's interesting that the plastic case only has "ParaNorman - You Don't Become A Hero By Being Normal" printed on it this time and does not have the words "Collectible Keepsake" like the plastic packaging had on the Star Wars Episode I Real-D 3D glasses. Then again all the Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 glasses had printed was: "Please Retain All Packaging Information."

Paul

[StoogeFan1118]

I have yet to see Paranorman but I plan to this weekend I love Fall/Halloween themed movies plus I am an animation junkie and stop motion is one of my favorite types of animation. I wish I learned hoe to create it in college. Anyway the 3D in the Trailer looked decent but if I cant make it to a 3D showing I dount I am missing much to just wait for the 3D blu-ray and pick it up when released. I must see the movie in theaters though 2d or 3D I dont care

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by StoogeFan1118

I have yet to see Paranorman but I plan to this weekend I love Fall/Halloween themed movies plus I am an animation junkie and stop motion is one of my favorite types of animation. I wish I learned hoe to create it in college. Anyway the 3D in the Trailer looked decent but if I cant make it to a 3D showing I dount I am missing much to just wait for the 3D blu-ray and pick it up when released. I must see the movie in theaters though 2d or 3D I dont care

On a second view, I'd probably like it better, having gotten over my disappointment for the 3D in the 2nd half.

ParaNorman is a worthwhile Halloween movie even so.
The stop motion was so smooth, I was wondering if it was actually computer animation at one point.

[DavidGQ]

Went and saw this yesterday with my daughter. Surprisingly, they still have the special glasses. The movie itself is very enjoyable. But the 3D is so so for me. Not the best 3D for animation. I wasn't wow by it. The Life of PI trailer is pretty good. Looking forward to catch this one and the Hobbits this holiday season.

[atomik kinder]

Strange. I have always seen movies the day they come out or a day or so after. I have never seen a theater that has had special glasses. I wonder if I am just going to the wrong theaters or they just don't get them. Do they usually go to particular chains like AMC? I don't typically go to that one since it is much more expensive and too far away.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by DavidGQ

Went and saw this yesterday with my daughter. Surprisingly, they still have the special glasses. The movie itself is very enjoyable. But the 3D is so so for me. Not the best 3D for animation. I wasn't wow by it. The Life of PI trailer is pretty good. Looking forward to catch this one and the Hobbits this holiday season.

Yeah, the 3D was playing it waaaaaayyyy too safe in the 2nd half. I actually thought it was decent to good in the first half and then it seemed to shut off for many shots later on, but not all.

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

Strange. I have always seen movies the day they come out or a day or so after. I have never seen a theater that has had special glasses. I wonder if I am just going to the wrong theaters or they just don't get them. Do they usually go to particular chains like AMC? I don't typically go to that one since it is much more expensive and too far away.

Limited edition glasses go fast, my theater didn't even mention them, as they sold out quickly.

[DavidGQ]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

Strange. I have always seen movies the day they come out or a day or so after. I have never seen a theater that has had special glasses. I wonder if I am just going to the wrong theaters or they just don't get them. Do they usually go to particular chains like AMC? I don't typically go to that one since it is much more expensive and too far away.

I am not sure about other chains since AMC is nearest to me. Most special glass are available in the first showing. After that, it's matter of demand and supply. The only time I will miss them if they have a midnight showing. I used to be able to go to those but now with kids and work, no can do Disney normally offer special glass for their 3D. So looking for one in Nemo 3D. The Hobbit will have an Awesome 3D Glasses.

[Zivouhr]

This is a great year for Halloween movies, with Paranorman 3D, Hotel Transylvania 3D and Frankenweenie 3D in theaters.

Paranorman 3D is still playing in limited time slots.