After being absent for two years on the film market, Pixar is back with a vengeance as Inside Out is ready to get inside your head, and into your wallet. But should you give into the joy of 3D and shell out some extra ticket money? Or should you fear what lies beyond the window, as it may disgust or even anger you?
Never fear, To 3D Or Not To 3D is here to tell you just how worthy this film is of its 3D surcharge. If you want to know what we thought of the film, you should take a look at our review as this is strictly an evaluation of the film’s third dimensional qualities. So gather all of the voices in your head, and get emotional with us as we look at just how good the 3D in Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out truly is.
Fit Score
5/5
Inside Out should be a perfect fit for the 3D treatment! Hypercolorful landscapes, ultra imaginative set design and world building, and some pretty cool character attributes all would spell a fun time if the 3D is done right. Despite Disney Pixar’s track record of inferior 3D conversions, they still make movies that would pop beautifully in the correct usage of the format.
Planning & Effort Score
1/ 5
Since Inside Out is a CGI cartoon, it should be easy to create native 3D, right? Wrong. As stated before, Disney Pixar has a horrible track record of 3D conversions, starting with Up back in 2009. The same problems I remember with that conversion are present with the conversion of Inside Out. While Up could be forgiven for being born at the beginning of the 3D boom, Disney Pixar should be on their A game by now.
Before the Window Score
1/ 5
There’s not a lot that grabs the eye before the window in Inside Out. Considering the imagery that’s present at points in this movie, one would think the opportunity would be taken to throw some memories at the audience, or even to toss some characters at them. Even the sight gags of Anger abusing Fear could have been really interesting, but alas – there’s not a lot that sticks out here.
Beyond the Window Score
2/5
Beyond the window is slightly better for Inside Out, but not by much. Considering the depth we’ve seen in post converted films like Mad Max: Fury Road and Jupiter Ascending, it’s disheartening that a 3D CGI film couldn’t match, if not surpass, the beyond the window capabilities of real images. Still, there are some interesting things done with memories and character attributes. Joy’s face is especially nuanced, but the rest of the film doesn’t take the baton from its early moments, and that's a real shame.
Brightness Score
1/ 5
Inside Out has to be one of the darkest 3D conversions I’ve ever seen, and this is the year Avengers: Age Of Ultron decided that grey was its favorite color. The dark scenes are hard to make out, but even the light scenes look like they’ve been taped off of TV onto an already faded VHS. This is odd, considering Pixar created a new lighting system for the film. Please note that your results may vary, as some theaters may have their projectors better calibrated for 3D brightness than others. My presentation was lacking.
Glasses Off Score
3/ 5
There is an interesting amount of blur in Inside Out, but not a huge degree. For the most part, the background action of scenes is where the blur resides. Though there are whole scenes in this film that you could completely remove your glasses and not have a problem watching the action. The blur/no blur balance is pretty even, with a slight advantage going to the no-blur side of the house.
Audience Health Score
4/5
While you won’t be prone to motion sickness at 3D screenings of Inside Out, there are a couple of moments that will wonk out your eyes. They lie mostly in the action transitions between characters or places, but for the most part, you’re not going to have any stomach issues with this movie.
3D SCORES RECAP
3D Fit
5
P & E
1
Before The Window
1
Beyond The Window
2
Brightness
1
Glasses Off Test
3
Audience Health
4
Total Score
17/35
Final Verdict: If you’re taking your kids to see Inside Out this weekend, you’re already giving the theater enough money as it is with your ticket purchase. The 3D element to this film is lackluster, if not non-existent, and does not add anything to the film’s ultimate end game. Here’s hoping that Disney/Pixar learns their lesson before hitting "send" on The Good Dinosaur, because 3D dinosaurs are a lot of fun to watch when done right!
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