2010: The end of 2D for kids

Well we just sat through yet another summer 3D kids movie – this one was Despicable Me with Steve Carrel.  My short review of this move is that it is pretty forgettable, and that they made it just because they could.  It wasn’t particularly funny or heartfelt, but it was cool to look at and had lots of funny side characters to keep you occupied.  And yes they had the obligatory dance scene at the end.

If you kids don’t have ADD yet – they will

And as we sat in the theater for the previews, it’s apparent that Hollywood is going to give us lots more nice to look at but otherwise loud and soulless 3D movies – again just because they can.  It’s as though they’ve become hooked on the extra $4 it cost to get me into the movies now.

The really sad part about this to me is that these movies look nice but they seem to rely on that instead of actually making a good movie.  At this risk of sounding older than I am…give me the first Toy Story or Cinderella where movie makers actually tell a compelling story and use subtle tactics to get the point across.  Now everything is just loud and flashy as though that was somehow interesting for 90 minutes.

Spinal Tap for 2010

Some friends of mine who will remain nameless think all this 3D stuff is just great.  And I’m reminded of the classic movie Spinal Tap when the guy says “Why didn’t you just make 10 louder” and the answer is “Because it goes to 11!”

So the Hollywood discussions must be going this same way – “Why don’t we make this one in 2D?”  The answer – “Because there’s 3D.”