3D Dinosaur Certified Excellent Movies of 2022

The 3D Dinosaur first came to fruition in about August of 2022. And since then, I have done an ample amount of 3D movie reviews. With the new year starting, I feel it to be appropriate to offer a recap of those reviews. But with 27 films to go over, I figured why not just go over the films that have received an excellent rating and that are most well worth people's time to check out? So anyway, with 2023 beginning, let's look back over the 3D film reviews from 2022 that have snagged from me the rating of "3D Dinosaur Certified Excellent."

P.S. These are in the order of first reviewed to latest reviewed and not in terms of worst to best 3D. I will also not be reviewing the stories of the films as you can find my thoughts on them in the reviews for the films themselves.

#13: Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D

What a huge surprise! Not only did Star Wars 7 3D not only prove that the Star Wars universe could look good in 3D, but that in the right hands, it could blow all other 3D films out of the water. From the director's chair to the conversion team, the 3D aspect of the film was never slacked on. With ample amount of depth in space, on the ground, or in the Star Wars-esque corridors of buildings and spaceships to the pop outs during the fight scenes involving lightsabers, fighter jets, explosions, and more, Star Wars: The Force Awakens proves just how incredible George Lucas's world could shine in 3D. Now if only we had 3D conversions available of all the remaining previous Star Wars films.

#12: Kong: Skull Island 3D

Kong: Skull Island was an absolute blast in 3D. The film itself is already a bit of theme-park style thrill ride to Skull Island. But the 3D not only adds an extra layer of fun to the whole ordeal, but is also the only way to experience this film. With the extra depth added, not only do you get a high amount of fun stick outs and intense action, but you also feel the enormous scale of Skull Island and the great beasts that live upon it, including none other than King Kong himself. If you have not yet taken this wild 3D adventure yet, do yourself a favor and do so.

#11: IMAX: Born to be Wild 3D

IMAX has ever so rarely released a movie that doesn't well-utilize its 3D. And Born to be Wild is no exception. Along with being one of the cutest and most emotional documentaries we've seen from the company, it's also a 3D treat. The third dimension here not only puts you in the midst of foreign jungles and rainforests, but it also brings you much closer to the elephants and monkeys the rescue aids are taking care of. It's a short but sweet experience that creates a documentary that not only works as a film in its own right, but is also a must-watch in 3D.

#10: Oz the Great and Powerful 3D

While people are a bit divided on whether or not Oz the Great and Powerful is a good movie, one thing that's undeniable is that the 3D is top notch. One of the most notable things about it is it's one of the few 3D films that unapologetically throw things at the audience in a way most modern filmmakers would deem "gimmicky," and I for one really love it. But even beyond that, the land of Oz simply works well in 3D, with surreal landscapes, depth galore, and loads of fun 3D creatures. Even if you're not a big fan of the film itself, the 3D Blu-ray is a must-purchase for anyone with a 3D display.

#9: Avatar 3D

I've reviewed this movie twice, both on 3D Blu-ray and in IMAX 3D. And while the IMAX 3D version of the film is clearly better, that doesn't change the fact that no matter which version of the film you watch, seeing it in 2D is clearly doing it wrong. There's nothing more I can say about the 3D and how excellent it is that no one else already has. While I personally think that 3D has been done slightly better in other films since Avatar's release, including the most recent Avatar: The Way of Water (which I'll get to more on in a minute), it's still one of the great 3D pioneers of the 21st century and to this day, still holds up as being one of the best 3D films of all time. If you happened to miss it when it first came out, or missed it twice by skipping the 3D re-release from September of last year, definitely buy the 3D Blu-ray and take the trip to Pandora with the third dimension intact, the way it was intended to be seen.

#8: Jaws (1975) 3D

Two of the biggest surprises of 2022: #1: Jaws (1975) got a 3D conversion and #2 it looks absolutely amazing in 3D. Yep, you wouldn't think it, but a movie about a shark in the ocean from 47 years ago can not only look good in 3D, but can also uses it to create an experience that's much more engaging than the original 2D version. Like Spielberg's Jurassic Park's 3D conversion, this is a film where the third dimension is actually utilized in some fantastic ways despite not being filmed with 3D in mind. One of the most notable examples of this is the way the camera is placed right on the water, allowing the ocean to stick out of the screen a good ways and give you the feeling of actually being out on the water. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The bad news is if you didn't catch it during its theatrical 3D release, you might not be able to see it in 3D at all. And that's a shame because if this one ever did find its way on a 3D Blu-ray, I would absolutely buy it, and I would recommend you do it too.

#7: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 3D

Marvel movies have usually been a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to 3D, not because the 3D conversion most of the films have are bad, but because whether or not the director plans to actually use the extra dimension is often a pretty wild guess. However, the Guardians of the Galaxy films have always been the cream of the crop in terms of 3D movies from Marvel, offering everything from wide views of space to surreal alien worlds to wild action sequences. And Guardians 2 manages to take everything great the first one accomplished and drastically improve on it. The result, not just one of the best 3D films from the MCU, but also one of the most memorable 3D experiences you'll possibly ever have. What does the 3D Dinosaur have to say about it: buy it and watch it as soon as possible.

#6: IMAX: Galapagos 3D (part of the Samsung 3D Triple Feature)

Like I said before, any documentary created by IMAX is almost guaranteed to be a 3D masterpiece. And even back in 1999 with the production of the relatively obscure IMAX: Galapagos, this was always the case. This is a bit of a weird film to review as the only way it's viewable in 3D at home is by purchasing the Samsung 3D Triple Feature which isn't too hard to find, but is a bit obscure. But for those who do purchase it, Galapagos is a simply a must-watch, offering top-notch 3D that places you on all these different places on the Galapagos island from the oceans to the beach to caves. And sometimes, it places you as low as some of the surreal creatures that roam the island, which at times can leave the screen. It's a shame this 3D documentary doesn't receive more attention than it has. And while true, films like Hubble and Under the Sea utilize 3D in better ways than this film, that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve to be seen by 3D enthusiasts everywhere.

#5: IMAX: Into the Deep 3D (part of the Samsung 3D Triple Feature)

Just like Galapagos, Into the Deep is another obscure IMAX 3D documentary that needs more credit for its usage of its 3D. And it doesn't just deserve it for being being insanely good, but also because of how it helped to pioneer some of the later and more memorable IMAX documentaries about ocean life such as Under the Sea and Deep Sea. If you have already seen those films and are hungry for more 3D oceanic content, Into the Deep is a must-see. And also just like Galapagos, it's only available to watch in 3D via the Samsung Triple Feature I referred to earlier. What more can I say, purchase the triple feature and give this one a watch. It definitely deserves it.

#4: Creature from the Black Lagoon 3D

I have a feeling that if it weren't for the 3D, most of us would have probably forgotten about this little monster flick titled Creature of the Black Lagoon. But not only is this 50s film a surprisingly good movie in its own right, but its usage of 3D is something that must be seen to be believed. It manages to balance the 3D from being gimmicky with fun stick-outs to using its depth to draw you into the world of the film, making for an experience that's thoroughly engaging and plenty of fun for anyone looking for a decent creature flick. Creature from the Black Lagoon is a film I recommend you see if you're interested. But while you're at it, certainly pursue the 3D version.

#3: A Christmas Carol (2009) 3D

There have been countless film adaptations of Charles Dicken's story A Christmas Carol. Robert Zemeckis's might not be everyone's favorite, but there's no denying the way it uses its 3D is virtually legendary. It barely gets credit nowadays, but this mo-cap movies shows how with the right vision, something as small-scale as the story of A Christmas Carol can take you on an engaging thrill ride that might either delight you or freak the living daylights out of you, or maybe both. Christmastime might be over right about now. But maybe this December, if you haven't checked it out already, do yourself a favor and give this version of A Christmas Carol a shot. While there's no guarantee you'll love the film itself, the 3D will certainly leave you speechless.

#2: The Polar Express 3D

The Polar Express is an experience to behold in IMAX 3D. With the ginormous screen and immersive sound system that comes with the IMAX experience, this film certainly soars. But of course, all that works hand in hand with its 3D, which while might not be perfect, is still the definitive way to watch the film. The way it works with the direction of the film makes virtually every aspect of it shine, from the snow falling to the roller coasters sequences to the surreal landscapes you're taken through. The Polar Express is one heck of an adventure in 3D, and it must be seen to be believed. If you have not checked it out at your nearby IMAX theater this holiday season, maybe try and do so this November or December.

#1: Avatar: The Way of Water 3D

While Top Gun: Maverick might have been the motion picture event of the year, Avatar: The Way of Water is the 3D motion picture event of the year. There are many-a things I could say about just how fantastic Avatar 2 does in the third dimension, but there's nothing I could say that no one else already has. All I can say is that if you liked the 3D in the first Avatar, which chances you do, Avatar 2 takes that 3D and ramps it up even further, allowing for some breathtaking views, underwater sequences, frenetic action, and more. The product, probably the greatest 3D experience you'll ever have from a movie. If you can catch it, do see the film in theatrical 3D while you can, because chances are we won't be seeing a 3D Blu-ray from this film anytime soon, with Disney being as 3D Blu-ray-phobic as it is right now. And if you can see it in 3D 4DX (which I talked more on in my review of the film), all the better.

Those are all the 3D films that have snagged a 3D Excellent rating from the 3D Dinosaur. If you haven't seen any of these films in 3D yet and have the opportunity to, the 3D Dinosaur says you must take it. 2022 was a fun year in which I discovered many-a great 3D flicks, and I can't wait to see what 3D movies 2023 has in store, and what ones will receive the rating of 3D must-watch. Stay tuned for more 3D reviews in the coming future. Are there any 3D reviews you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading and have a great day.