"Monsters vs. Aliens" = viewers win

For the first time in more than a year, I watched a 3-D movie — other than numerous 3-D flicks at Disney parks, including 8 days ago at Disneyland — and I've got one word: Wow!

The build-up to "Monsters vs. Aliens" was great — I had seen previews for months — and it was all worth it. From the quality of the CG animation to the 3-D technology, which didn't contain any of those cheesy effects most earlier 3-D films contain, it was well worth the wait and the top spot in weekend box ticket sales. Having recently read USA Today story about upcoming 3-D fare headed to a theater near you this year, the genre couldn't ask for a better film to lead the way into the summer movie season.

First, the animation was top-notch. Three minutes into it, you forget you're watching a cartoon, albeit a state-of-the-art cartoon. While targeted mostly to kids, the film is just as much for grown-ups as the little tykes; there's humor for everyone in this one.
Another great part: You don't have to wear those old red-and-blue cellophane 3-D glasses like you had to wear when you watched, say, 1983's "Jaws 3-D" or that one time a year WPIX would show a 3-D movie on TV when I was a kid. Instead, the extra $3 per ticket gets you the 3-D glasses on the left, which are much more attractive than the ones you get at Disney parks (right).

The story was cute. The acting was good: Reese Witherspoon is even adorable in 3-D, and Seth Rogan was hilarious. The 3-D effects just bring out an even better movie-going experience.

And, if you're an old fogey (like this guy) and you don't like this new-fangled three-dimensional technology, fear not: The movie is also available in the old-school 2-D form — and if you opt for that, you don't have to pay the higher price that those of us who enjoyed the 3-D experience had to pay; I paid, for example, $10.50 for a matinée.

If this is the opening act of the 3-D summer to come, it'll be fun to see what's up next!