Popcorn: $5.75. Drink: $6.25. Movie: $15. Wearing one-size-fits-all glasses for 2 hours: Priceless?
There is no doubt, with every passing year costs to go to the movies get a little more expensive. But throw in a 3-D movie, and audiences may begin asking themselves a techno-aged question: to 3-D or not to 3-D.
"I don't think 3-D movies are worth the experience now, but in the near future, I think they will be," said Blake Digiacomo, senior in accounting.
This past month alone, Hollywood has released two made-for-3-D movies, "Kung Fu Panda 2" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," both of which are also available in 2-D.
With two options available, moviegoers have been purchasing tickets to 2-D screenings at a ratio of 55/45 with 3-D screening sales making up just 45 percent of the total box office, according to the Huffington Post.
"It's expensive, and the goggles can get annoying," said Sarah Keel, junior in rehab services.
While some 3-D movies have under-whelming box-office results, the animated genre continues to dominate the box office.
"Avatar," "Shrek Forever After," "Up," "Monsters vs. Aliens," "How to Train Your Dragon," "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" and "Chicken Little" make up seven of the top-10 highest-grossing 3-D movies of all time, according to the "Entertainment Beacon."
What seems to be worth the increase in ticket price is movies that are generally made for kids. With the addition of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," nine of the top 10 highest-grossing 3-D movies have a parental rating of PG.
If audiences don't like paying the extra costs that come with driving to the local movie theater to watch a 3-D movie and eat overpriced popcorn, modern technology has given an alternative, but at a steep price.
Now moviegoers can have that immersing experience in their living room with the 3-D television and possibly enjoy it more.
"You gain depth perception and a different perspective with 3-D movies and televisions instead of on a flat screen," said Carl Jernigan, home theater specialist from Best Buy.
Jernigan said he believes 3-D movies shown in theaters are not worth the money.
"In the theater, they use passive 3-D that can make you get sick and dizzy, but (when you're watching a movie) they use an active shutter, a technology that redirects your eyes."
Watching 3-D movies at home sounds like an appealing alternative for people who believe it enhances their movie experience, but the price can be unappealing.
"The televisions actually came down in price," Jernigan said. "They're at a (more) affordable price right now."
The advances in technology have been instrumental in the way some people enjoy their favorite movies.
"I really like the graphics and the special effects," Keel said. "It's so much more exciting than seeing a regular movie."
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