The LEGO Movie: Everything is Awesome Edition (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

I agree the press release is a bit misleading, but looking at the packaging
above, it seems very clear that the included 3D Blu-ray is the movie.

By the way, I did preorder this. Got in later than most so it ended up costing
me just over $40 with tax.

I am not happy that I am essentially getting a box-o-junk for a 3D movie.

I am hoping the price comes down by release date.

I am also taking the chance that Warner won't be releasing a standalone
months down the road.

 

[Kevin EK]

And here we go with yet another studio trying to bilk the 3d fans, with yet another wrinkle on the bilking.I'm assuming that WB is simply competing with Disney over creative 3d bilking and with Paramount over general blu-ray package bilking.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I'm assuming that WB is simply competing with Disney over creative 3d bilking and with Paramount over general blu-ray package bilking.

I am just surprised that Warner is now yet another studio trying to either
"experiment" with or kill the 3D format altogether.

Is it really necessary to put these 3D titles out of reach of those of us that
want it at a fair price?

Is it necessary that I have to pay $40 just to throw away the junk that comes
packaged with my 3D disc?

Come on, Warner, I would have expected better from you guys.

 

[schan1269]

You mean like that cute stuffed animal that came with The Croods...???

At least there, you had a choice.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I don't mind the existence of the Box 'O Junk edition... I mind that it's being put out in the place of a standard 3D edition. I'd like The Lego Movie in 3D. I'd like to not pay an inflated price for it.

Personally, I think 3D movies should be priced the same as 2D movies, both theatrically and at home. We don't get charged extra for movies in color, movies in widescreen, movies in surround sound. (Perhaps that's why all of those particular innovations helped drive people to theaters instead of staying at home and watching TV, but why 3D hasn't had that same effect on viewing habits long term.) But I also am a realist and I accept that there are only a handful of theaters and a handful of Blu-ray releases that don't charge extra for the 3D component. So OK, I'm willing to pay $5 extra, which is about what they charge you in a theater, or the difference between most 2D and 3D discs on Amazon and other big box retailers around the initial release. "Gravity 3D" was $27.99 on its release day at Amazon and major retailers; the recent "Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug 3D" was $24.99. If this box set comes down to around that price, I'll grudgingly consider an order. But I have no use or need for the giant box of stuff, and shelf space is at a premium.

If Warner wants to continue to help push 3D into even more of a niche market than it already is, this is definitely a great way to accomplish that goal.

 

[TravisR]

Is it necessary that I have to pay $40 just to throw away the junk that comes
packaged with my 3D disc?

I don't know if you sell stuff on eBay but I'd definitely recommend trying to move the toy on there before just throwing it away. Seriously, there's a fairly large group of Lego collectors that will likely pay some money for it. I'm not saying that you'll get rich but getting $5 or $10 for the mini-figure will soften the cost of the set.

You could also give it to a kid but where's the financial upside in that?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

You could also give it to a kid but where's the financial upside in that?

OK, that just made me laugh out loud! Well played, sir.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Personally, I think 3D movies should be priced the same as 2D movies, both theatrically and at home. We don't get charged extra for movies in color, movies in widescreen, movies in surround sound. (Perhaps that's why all of those particular innovations helped drive people to theaters instead of staying at home and watching TV, but why 3D hasn't had that same effect on viewing habits long term.)

In a perfect world, I agree with you. However, if it weren't for the upcharge, 3D would never have come back in the first place. IMO the reason for its existence is as a premium that allows for ticket price upsells (similar to fancy screens, table service auditoriums, etc.).

 

[Chuck Anstey]

In a perfect world, I agree with you. However, if it weren't for the upcharge, 3D would never have come back in the first place. IMO the reason for its existence is as a premium that allows for ticket price upsells (similar to fancy screens, table service auditoriums, etc.).

I agree it would not have come back without the upcharge but it won't stay without evolving to the point of it no longer being used or a tiny upcharge of $0.50 to $1.00. Otherwise people will see it for nothing more than it is; a cash grab because at this time the novelty has worn off. This is especially true given how pathetic the 3D efforts have been and the self-imposed "rules" that 3D must be weak and only behind the screen. So in addition to the upcharge going away, the quality has to greatly improve.

For the home market, the studios apparently want to get a full family of 4 upcharge on the 3D Blu-ray instead of just a one person upcharge.

 

[larrdog]

I just noticed that at WBshop they have the Lego 3d combo pack listed at 59.99.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I just noticed that at WBshop they have the Lego 3d combo pack listed at 59.99.

Well, hells bells, I can put $20 in my pocket if I order right now from amazon. No wait, something wrong with that logic.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I agree it would not have come back without the upcharge but it won't stay without evolving to the point of it no longer being used or a tiny upcharge of $0.50 to $1.00. Otherwise people will see it for nothing more than it is; a cash grab because at this time the novelty has worn off. This is especially true given how pathetic the 3D efforts have been and the self-imposed "rules" that 3D must be weak and only behind the screen. So in addition to the upcharge going away, the quality has to greatly improve.

For the home market, the studios apparently want to get a full family of 4 upcharge on the 3D Blu-ray instead of just a one person upcharge.

It's especially worse because the RealD glasses you get for a RealD showing are actually being sold, not loaded, to you -- there's no requirement by RealD that you'll return them. If you do choose to recycle them at the theater, as most people do, the theater then sells them back to RealD, so they're profiting twice -- once on the 3D ticket upcharge which is more than the glasses themselves, and then again when they sell the glasses back.

I think at this point, for RealD showings (the most frequently used 3D technology in theaters today), admission should be the same as a 2D feature provided you bring your own glasses. I think it's reasonable for them to charge you extra if you haven't brought your own, provided they don't expect you to give them back. The projectors have already been installed, the silver screens put in place, etc., so there really isn't an extra charge the theater is incurring to show a film in 3D today.

The goal for studios shouldn't have been how to charge people more to see the same movie -- if they had been smart, the goal should have been to keep people coming to the theaters instead of turning away to home viewing. It should have been about adding artistic options for filmmakers to play with, and enticing people to continue coming to the movies. In the short-term, they got their premium prices, but long-term they sure have caused a lot of bad will and turned many people off to the format.

They're not doing much better on the home market -- I'm not really sure we should be charged extra for 3D at all (we don't get charged extra for, say, surround sound, and like 3D, it's there on the disc to be utilized or not depending on whether the consumer has the equipment and wants to enjoy it), but if we're going to be, $5 more seems plenty. Anything else seems absurd. I was willing to pay more when I first got my 3D TV and had zero 3D discs, but I'm no longer up for this little pricing dance every time there's a disc I want. Since "Lego Movie" is a 3D movie and I have the ability to play 3D at home, I'm not interested in the 2D version. If the 3D version is ridiculously priced, I'm sure somehow I will find a way to endure the rest of my existence without seeing it again. On the other hand, if Warner wants to rethink this and price it like their other recent 3D releases of Gravity, Man Of Steel, The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug, etc., then I'll be more than happy to rethink my decision and pick it up.

 

[BillPur]

What is so different in the European market for 3D that would predicate different offerings there? Or, perhaps, since that release date is about a month behind the US, they may still be in for changes.

Amazon UK

 

[larrdog]

I see that Walmart has the Lego 3d movie for 39.99 preorder now.

 

[Johnny Angell]

What is so different in the European market for 3D that would predicate different offerings there? Or, perhaps, since that release date is about a month behind the US, they may still be in for changes.

Amazon UK

This has been going on for years. For some reason, American studios have decided that the domestic audience should pay through the nose for their product, while overseas the same item is either much less or offers more or better features. This Lego movie is a good example, UK gets a 3D release, while here, we have to buy a Big Box o'Crap to get it.

When the Universal Monsters Set came out, the UK version was about half the price of the US version. There's a Spanish release of the entire Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes available, none in the US. The Spanish version costs $60 something. You know that if it were released in the US, it would be twice that. Both are region free and I bought both.

I'm not opposed to paying a fair price, I just don't want to be gouged.

I'm so tired of the 3D surcharge. The original Thor is $33+ and the latest Thor is $27. The Avengers 3D is out of print, I guess, because it's only available from 3rd party sellers on Amazon for $50. Why would you let one of the most popular movies of the year go out of print?

Every time I see this crap they are pulling, it just pisses me off more. My buying decisions used to be more casual, now I have to be really serious about wanting a movie before I buy it. What was the last movie I really wanted, Frozen 3D. Oh wait, that's not available in the US, but it is overseas.

The studios can just go to H-E-double toothpicks for all I care.

 

[larrdog]

Just found this as a preorder for 22.00 including shipping on EBay. 3d disc, case and artwork.

 

[Todd Erwin]

As another slap in the face, was perusing VUDU tonight, watched the 2-minute preview of The Lego Movie 3-D, and it was cropped to 1.78:1!! Yet, the 2D version was in its OAR of 2.40:1.

 

[Stephen Brooks]

As another slap in the face, was perusing VUDU tonight, watched the 2-minute preview of The Lego Movie 3-D, and it was cropped to 1.78:1!! Yet, the 2D version was in its OAR of 2.40:1.

That's at least the second time in a row, as they did the same thing to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Which, if I'm not mistaken, might be the first Warner movie to be available on Vudu in 3D. So they've decided to start supporting streaming 3D (but only in 16:9 full screen) while making it harder to get 3D on disc. Personally, I think that if a movie is released theatrically in 3D, there should just be 1 Blu-ray release, with both 2D and 3D as selectable options (2D playable in any standard player, obviously). Obviously this is technically possible, so why don't bigger studios like Warner and Disney do this? You'd think it would actually save them money on authoring and printing costs.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

At least for some titles, the reason for separate 2D and 3D discs in the set may have something to do with how they did the 3D in the first place. For some titles, especially conversions, the 2D version in theaters isn't simply the left eye or right eye. Sometimes for conversions they take the 2D and synthesize a brand new left and brand new right image, so you can't get the original 2D image from that 3D version. That's not the case for every title but for a few at least that may be the explanation.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Watching this in another hour. Will post a review Friday.