Top 10 Best 3D Movies

Script written by Jordan Ruimy.

Top 10 Best 3D Movies

3D is everywhere, but which movies truly got it right? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 best 3D movies.

For this list, we picked the best movies that were entirely released in or at least relied heavily upon 3D effects, and showed us what 3D filmmaking was capable of. However, we’ve excluded IMAX documentaries.

Disclaimer: we are actually presenting the 2D versions of the films for our countdown, so no need to bust out the polarized glasses!

#10: “Tron: Legacy” (2010)

A young man goes looking for his long-missing father but gets more than he bargained for when he gets trapped inside a digital world built by dear-old-dad. This 2010 sequel to 1982’s cult classic is all about the visuals, which include light-enhanced action sequences that were shot in 3D and a boldly created 3-dimensional world – all set to a pounding Daft Punk soundtrack. With treats for the ears and the eyes, this one is just as revolutionary as its predecessor and worth the extra cost of a ticket.

#9: “The Avengers” (2012)

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and all their equally badass friends team up for this mega-blockbuster directed by Joss Whedon – and thanks to some fancy post-production work, we get to see our Marvel heroes battle Loki in all of their 3D glory. Aided by the fact that this movie seemed destined for the medium, the conversion worked marvelously, capturing our heroes in full flight and a final battle that upped the ante in intensity.

#8: “Up” (2009)

A grumpy old man, a chubby kid and a house hoisted by helium balloons – but there’s so much more to this modern classic creation by Pixar. Using the 3D experience to enhance the colorful images and visually stunning computer-animated characters, this story amazes the eyes and tugs at the heartstrings. Becoming the first animated movie, as well as the first 3D film, to open the Cannes Film Festival, “Up” is an emotional and beautiful journey that lets its audience know that adventure is out there.

#7: “The Adventures of Tintin” (2011)

Steven Spielberg’s computer-animated, motion-capture, 3D wild ride takes its characters from the beloved cartoon series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé; but with its spectacular visuals and star-studded cast, it’s a success all its own. As Tintin and his dog Snowy trek the world on a treasure hunt to find a sunken ship, they encounter adventures that can only be appreciated in 3D. And the action scenes are pure Spielberg: with their perfect timing, solid camera angles and visual inventiveness only improved by the magnificent use of 3D.

#6: “Toy Story 3” (2010)

It’s difficult for the third movie in any franchise to succeed like its predecessors, but “Toy Story 3” and its effective use of 3D took us back to “infinity and beyond.” In glorious 3D, Woody, Buzz and the gang is back, this time trying to evade the evil bear Lotso and to find a way to move on. We expected to be entertained, but we didn’t predict we’d be moved to tears – and the movie’s 3D doesn’t distract from those quieter moments; it only adds more layers.

#5: “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010)

Directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois changed 3D animation with this one. Tying with James Cameron’s “Avatar” as the Most Creative 3D Film of 2009 at the Venice Film Festival, “How to Train Your Dragon” used its 3D to boost the already imaginative and artistic film to the next level. Both funny and moving, this story of a young dragon-hunting Viking who strikes up an unlikely friendship with the enemy was a surprise success, that featured rousing action, incredible visuals and – last but not least – plenty of dragons!

#4: “Life of Pi” (2012)

Director Ang Lee deservedly won a Best Director Oscar for his part-live-action, part-CGI, all-3D adaptation of Yann Martel’s apparently unfilmable novel. After a furious accident at sea, a boy is stranded in the middle of the ocean with nothing but a fierce tiger for company. Renowned for its visual beauty and impressive 3D sequences that literally jump out at you, Lee’s movie is a feast for the eyes that never lets up. A voyage filled with adventure and emotion, “Life of Pi” is 3D eye candy.

#3: “Hugo” (2011)

Though he’s usually known for his ultra-violent gangster films, Martin Scorsese tried his hand at both family-friendly fare and 3D with this film, about a boy who calls a Paris train station home. Though that doesn’t sound like a match made in heaven, it was: “Hugo” is a love letter to cinema done in the most fantastic way possible. Scorsese claimed the 3D allowed the actors to explore their emotions even further than in traditional productions, and the result is a movie that won five Oscars.

#2: “Gravity” (2013)

This film was destined to be both limited by and unrestricted by its setting, with its two astronauts stranded in the worst possible place – outer space. With an opening sequence that is dizzying, brilliant and unsuitable for claustrophobes, “Gravity” was not only praised for its performances, direction and screenplay, but also for its 3D. A tale of science and survival, this Alfonso Cuarón sci-fi masterpiece is a notch above the rest because it makes you believe that you are stuck in space along with them.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
- “Coraline” (2009)
- “Beowulf” (2007)
- “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013)
- “Jurassic Park 3D” (2013)
- “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (2009)

#1: “Avatar” (2009)

The movie that redefined 3D and sent filmmakers into the studio to see how the technology could work for them, “Avatar” is a piece of visual brilliance that has yet to be equaled. Released not only in 3D, but also in 4D in South Korea, this futuristic film about a lush, far-away planet was so highly anticipated, theaters installed extra 3D facilities just to show it. With visually arresting moments and mind-blowing, drool-worthy images, “Avatar” is an unforgettable 3D experience full of aliens, nature and all the wonders Pandora has to offer.

Do you agree with our list? Which 3D movies do you think were the best? For more multi-dimensional top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.