For this list, I tried to judge based on the strength of the 3D in addition to the film itself. For example, my favorite movie on the list is probably Toy Story 3, which as far as I’m concerned is pretty much a perfect film. However, I didn’t put it at number one because I think there are other films that use 3D technology to greater effect. The flight scenes in this film are so unbelievably exhilarating in 3D I’m pretty sure they’re still the best thing that’s been done in the format to date. Yes, the best scenes in this film are better than the best scenes in Avatar. Throw in a wonderful, heartfelt, unpredictable story, and you’ve got yourself one of the best 3D films of all time. The world of Hugo is teeming with the glorious visual cacophony of everyday life in a Paris train station, and director Martin Scorcese’s vision literally jumps off the screen and draws you into the film’s universe. Hugo is packed with steam and clockwork and an exaggerated aesthetic that makes Gare Montparnasse one of the most distinctive and immersive film settings I’ve ever spent time in. The film might’ve been a bit too saccharine for some critics’ tastes, but I thought it was excellent. I think Dragon and Hugo are both better films, but you can’t deny that Cameron’s mega-blockbuster has the visual trump card. Pandora is one of the most fully realized movie settings ever to grace the silver screen. Not since The Lord of the Rings have we seen a director go to such incredible lengths to ensure everything about his film’s backdrop was pitch-perfect, from the geology to the lush bio-luminescent forests, to the unforgettable array of creatures, characters, vehicles, and set-pieces. After all that, Cameron’s groundbreaking use of stereoscopic 3D was simply the icing on the cake. It took something exceptional, elevated it, and made it legendary. But I don’t think anyone expected a modern classic. Years after its release, I don’t think any animation studio, not even Pixar, has released a film that matches the level of technical polish and visual sophistication that Disney gave us in Tangled. And the lanterns … oh the lanterns! While Toy Story 3 and Brave both used 3D competently as a depth of field mechanism, the lofty panoramas in Up lent themselves to the format exceptionally well. The scene atop the airship at the film’s climax is a showstopper. I’m fairly sure this was my first stereoscopic 3D experience (aside from theme park rides), and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
