For many movies, 3-D is a needless gimmick

As much as I love "Up," the latest Disney-Pixar animated hit, there's no reason for that movie to be in 3-D.

The same goes for "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," a film I didn't enjoy nearly as much.

For both, 3-D is a needless gimmick. "Up" has enough story and characters to captivate audiences as it is. The film needs no further bells and whistles.

And even the "amusement park" action sequences aren't enough to cover up all of "Dawn of the Dinosaurs'" storytelling deficiencies.

If you ask me, 3-D has become a way for theaters and studios to make more money off moviegoers during these hard economic times. Most theaters charge a "convenience fee" — up to $2 — for glasses to see the 3-D imagery.

(To be fair, I should note that there were theaters that showed both those films in the regular, "cheaper" 2-D format as well.)

Besides, box-office results for 3-D attractions have been inconclusive. The "Best of Both Worlds" concert film starring Miley Cyrus, "Monsters vs. Aliens" and "Up" have been big hits. "Up" has now earned more than any 3-D movie in box-office history.

But the number of bombs that were shown in 3-D format is growing. Among them were the animated features "Battle for Terra" and "Fly Me to the Moon," as well as the live-action features "Call of the Wild" and "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience."

So, it's no wonder that some theater chains are already cutting back on 3-D expansion. The number of screens using the updated technology has hit its ceiling. And some chains are saying it's just not cost effective.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN a 3-D movie in several years, know this: You no longer have to wear those headache-inducing, red-and-blue lensed glasses to see the images.

Today's 3-D films are shown in either the Real 3D or Dolby Digital 3D format, which use slightly different processes to get a deeper "field of vision" for movie imagery.

And yes, that does mean that those who wear corrective lenses can finally see 3-D imagery (something that was nearly impossible with the older version).

However, today's bulky 3-D glasses don't fit well over most eyeglass frames. And even tilting them slightly makes the image blur or "shiver."

By the way, I have seen movies in both of the formats. To me, the Real 3D imagery doesn't appear to be as "deep" as the Dolby Digital version.

But the colors for the Dolby Digital version appear to be less bright and are more muted.

Keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who's not particularly big on 3-D in the first place, though.

e-mail: jeff@desnews.com