4entertainment
wingspan • march 19, 2010
Beast it Out Movie awards not surprising
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t is the most watched night in television, second only to the Super Bowl. The Academy Awards stand as an object of profound change in a single actor’s, director’s, filmmaker’s (etc.) career. Each year the academy is faced with the task of Katie Huntley picking from the best in cinematographic work and awarding them a high honor and a substantial pay raise. This year, the Best Film category grew from five to 10 films. The list included Avatar, which was the highest grossing film in history, and The Hurt Locker, which was one of the lowest grossing films. When the award was announced, the majority of people sat in a state of shock when the name read off the card wasn’t Avatar. The Hurt Locker won Best Film, along with the Best Director award for Kathryn Bigelow. She was the first woman to win an Academy Award in this category. Avatar is a film that rockets people into a fantasy world that easily persuads them to believe what they see is real. It has effects, editing, make-up and cinematography unlike any movie before. Although it has a storyline that rings true in this day and age, it is not an original plot. It has been explored numerous times. This is not necessarily a bad thing, since a story about conserving a beautiful planet is something we all need to hear, but it’s still not original. The Hurt Locker is set in modern-day Iraq, which yes, has been done before, but it has never been done with such depth. For the first time, the audience follows two young men under a commander who has the most dangerous job of the war in Iraq, disarming bombs in the heat of combat. It deals with a veiled indifference toward death and the utterly deep emotions, both terrifying and gut-wrenching, behind the faces of these members of the war’s bomb squad. Audience members awaiting the winner of Best Film thought the award would be based on popularity. When thought is put into it, the truth is, The Hurt Locker is a higher caliber film with both an original plot line and filmmaking techniques, so for me. . . there was no surprise.
Popularity of 3D technology leads to an expanding market Brandi Martin Junior Editor
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uguste Lumiere and his brother Louis watched with great anxiety as they saw a train swiftly approaching the spot where they stood. Paralyzed by fear and unable to breathe, these men knew that in a few seconds, history would be made. Fortunately, the train that had come inches away from their faces was only an illusion. The Lumiere brothers had successfully created the first 3D short film, L’Arrivée du train, in 1903 at the World Fair in Paris. 3D experimentation started as early as 1838, but has fluctuated in popularity since the early 20th century. There have been five main eras in 3D film, including the “Golden Age” (1950-1960) and the “Renaissance” (1973-1985). During the “Renaissance,” popular 3D films including Jaws 3D and Comin at Ya! w ere produced. During the current era, the “Second Golden Age,” the highest grossing film in history, which made more than $2 billion, has been created. Avatar, a 3D adventure written and directed by James Cameron, has even surpassed his own 1997 phenomenon, Titanic. In early March, Alice in Wonderland set the record for highest grossing 3D film in its opening weekend, taking in $116 million. According to freshman Thomas Knepp, Avatar is worth seeing in 3D. Knepp drove to Charlotte to see the movie at an IMAX theater with friends and family. “The first time I saw Avatar it was amazing because of the IMAX,” Knepp said. “The seats shook and people in the audience were screaming at the exciting parts of the movie.” A concern for some viewers is the fact that watching a 3D film can cause dizziness and headaches. 3D sickness is due to
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movies that should be in 3D 1. Superbad 2. Fight Club 3. Star Wars
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4. Willy Wonka 5. Space Jam 6. Transformers 7. Spiderman 8. X Men 9. Finding Nemo 10. James and the Giant Peach (compiled by the wingspan staff)
Over the past century, 3D has evolved through movies Jaws 3D, directed by Joe Alves, reflected a revived interest in 3D movies. It was a remake of the original Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975.
The Power of Love was the first 3D feature film. It was produced by Harry K. Fairfall and shown at the Ambassador Hotel Theater in Los Angeles.
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Bwana Devil was the first 3D film to be shown in all color. The plotline was about British railmen working in Kenya being attacked by lions.
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L’Arrivée du train was the first 3D film for public viewing at the World Fair in Paris. The film, showing a train pulling into a station, lasted less than 30 seconds.
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Avatar, directed by James Cameron, became the highest grossing film in history. It was shown in three different formats: 3D, IMAX and traditional 2D.
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a disconnection between what is seen and Las Vegas last year, Samsung Electronics, what the body feels. When senses are un- Sony, LG Electronics and Panasonic prematched with the brain, dizziness, nausea sented their new 3D technology by showand fatigue may occur. ing movie clippings from Journey to the “I didn’t get sick from the movie, but Center of the Earth and footage from the many people around me did,” Knepp said. 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing on a 3D “My friend David got sick and one person television. in the theater threw up in his popcorn. Some manufacturers started sellThe movie is still worth watching though.” ing their 3D TVs to the general public as Although the 3D early as last year, but technology, stereograthe top four leading If we could find phy, is not new, current competitors decided to techniques are groundpostpone their sales una new highbreaking. Fuji film intil this year. These TVs tech market troduced the first comwill begin selling from pact 3D digital cameras and corner it $1,000 to $2,800, similar in the summer of 2009. to the average price of in America, we Stacy Arminta, Best Buy HDTVs. could reach the camera specialist, said “If we could find a these new cameras are new high-tech market pinnacle of 3D a revolutionary achieveand corner it in Amertechnology for ment. ica, we could reach the “This camera has pinnacle of 3D techthe world. two sensors, and they nology for the world,” take the picture at the Knepp said. “I think it Thomas Knepp same time, then it laywould easily take the freshman ers the images together bite out of the recession. to create the 3D effect,” Arminta said. “It It would also probably open up new jobs.” will also have 3D video capability, which is However, junior Hoon Lee said that basically the same concept. It’s definitely a having 3D TVs in homes would be a waste step forward in technology.” of money. According to Arminta, 3D cameras “I think HDTVs are just fine. 3D will have no problem selling because of seems pointless to me,” Lee said. “If it the high interest in 3D technology brought (3D technology) is meant to make watchon by recent movies such as Avatar and ing something like real life, you could just Alice in Wonderland. watch whatever it is in real life and not on “I think these cameras are going to a TV. Having 3D cameras resembling hobe pretty popular,” Arminta said. “Every- lographs would be interesting, but not so one seems to be getting really into the 3D much in movies.” thing right now, especially with the new Whether or not the public is ready to movies that are coming out.” see a football game or an action movie in Camera manufacturers are not the 3D, it appears that this technology is swiftonly ones that have caught on to the de- ly approaching its peak. mand for a more sophisticated technique “I think that there will be a strong in technology. Because of the downturn support for this because instead of bein the economy, TV manufacturers have ing an on-looker, you will feel like you are been looking for a way to spark declining more part of the scene,” Arminta said. “It sales. will instantly become more real for the At the Consumer Electronics Show in viewer.”
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