3D Blu-ray Films: What’s Out And What’s Yet To Come.

2010 has been the year of 3D cinema and it is now possible to enjoy the latest big-screen 3D releases in the comfort of your own living room with the launch of Blu-ray 3D.

If you’re lucky enough to have a 3D TV, there’s a good chance you’ve been enjoying television from Sky TV’s new 3D channel, or Virgin Media’s new 3D offerings. But for those with Blu-ray 3D players, there’s sadly still only a relatively small number of Blu-ray 3D films available to buy - though you can expect plenty more in the run up to Christmas and in the New Year. 

That might have some of you confused - after all, search the internet and you’ll find an array of so-called ‘3D’ movies available to buy on DVD. But many of these are published on standard Blu-ray, and are the old-fashioned stereoscopic type of 3D titles that require ‘passive’ red-and-green specs, or polarising glasses like the ones you get in the cinema.

What we’re talking about is the new generation of hyper-realistic 3D movies designed especially for the latest Blu-ray 3D player technology. 

These require active shutter glasses, which rapidly ‘open’ and ‘shut’ the left and right liquid crystal lenses alternately, in sync with the 3D TV, to send separate images to the left and right eye in sequence. You’ll find a helpful demonstration of how it all works from funny man and self-confessed geek Stephen Fry here. 

For those who want to find out what Blu-ray 3D has to offer, here’s a round-up of the titles currently available - or soon to hit - Blu-ray 3D:

Avatar (12)

The seminal 3D movie, Avatar is the Blu-ray 3D film that should be at the top of everyone’s wish list. The Blu-ray 3D version is available now - but only as part of a Blu-ray 3D starter pack bundled with Panasonic Viera 3D TV and Blu-ray 3D player packages. So if you really must get your hands on this movie before Christmas, it’s the only way! 

Blu-ray 3D disc, 170 mins, filmed in 3D. Extras TBA.