As many of you know I have a bit a picky outlook to 3D movies. I like 3D but it needs to be done correctly and can't be done as an after thought. My point was proven with Sammy's Adventure, which in my mind, has just surpassed Avatar as the BEST 3D movie ever. I got to see this movie as one of the screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and man am I glad I went to see it. I went in not expecting much, except an enjoyable animated movie and left totally floored. The 3D in this movie was totally immersive, transporting the viewer into the world of Sammy as he grows from a baby sea turtle to adulthood. What was cool was that because this was a TIFF event, following the movie there was a QA session with the film's director/producer. Ben Stassen has been making 3D and IMAX movies for the last 20 years. His company leads the world in IMAX movies, having produced 9 of the currently available films. So he has a boat load of experience with the 3D medium. What was interesting was to learn that there are actually two techniques to producing a 3D film. The more common (especially today) method is to use a special camera (convergent camera) to film the 3D action. The other method, used by this movie, is the dual camera method. In essence filming the action with 2 cameras shot from different perspectives, like the human eye works. Stassen states that this latter method is superior BUT harder to do correctly, without experience. Without experience a 3D film shot with the dual camera method can become unwatcheable.. (making the audience motion sick) so most directors opt for the convergent camera method. Let me tell you... though.. you can DEFINITELY tell the difference.. the quality of the 3D in Sammy's Adventures was SUPERIOR to anything I have seen to date. I would recommend anyone who can get to see the final showings (Sat, Sun) at TIFF should do so. It's definitely worth the price of admission. The sad thing is that the distribution of this film is somewhat in doubt.. the chances of it going mainstream are small, which is a shame.
As for the other aspects of the film, they too are extremely good. The voice acting, plot line, and likeability of the film were high. I left the theater with that feeling I so love when watching movies. Leaving with the.. WOW.. that was AWESOME, feeling. You can always tell a GREAT film from a GOOD film when that feeling still persists days after, and that is true with this movie for me. (6.0/6.0)
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