Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the movies...or why you need to see Jaws and Avatar in 3D

It wasn’t so long ago that Hollywood decided 3D was going to be a “thing”—not simply a gimmick or a fun addition to moviegoing, but a defining format for all films, regardless of their suitability for it. One of the biggest reasons was James Cameron (who’s proven repeatedly that you should never bet against him), whose Avatar became the top grossing film ever to that point. Cameron not only shot Avatar in 3D, but he utilized new technology (which he pioneered, of course) that minimized eye strain. This inspired a lot of filmmakers and studios to shoot or convert films into 3D, leading to higher ticket costs and a lot of lousy experiences for moviegoers, which may explain why those versions of films are less frequently produced, and certainly no longer promoted as aggressively as their 2D counterparts.

Thirteen years later, as Cameron finally prepares to release the Avatar follow-up The Way Of Water, his original film is scheduled to return to theaters on September 23 to rekindle the magic of Pandora—and remind audiences that 3D is going to keep being a thing, whether or not they want it. That follows the September 2 re-release Steven Spielberg’s remarkable Jaws in 3D—not to be confused with the 1983 sequel Jaws 3-D—which brings one of the most entertaining movies ever made (in any format) back to the screen.

The good news is that both of the new versions look terrific. Exhibition technology has only improved since the original release of Avatar, and so have the tools for conversion. Jaws is likely the bigger attraction, and Spielberg’s muscular, effortless direction translates perfectly to 3D presentation: from the opening beach party to Chief Brody’s (Roy Scheider) final showdown with the great white, the depth enhances the frame without becoming obtrusive. In fact, the subdued approach to the film’s conversion makes the 3D almost unnoticeable, which is good for people who may not be interested in the format but haven’t seen the film on the big screen. The picture and sound quality are vibrant and beautiful, and old Bruce the shark seems more alive than ever.

Avatar, meanwhile, will be shown in 4K high dynamic range, a change that reflects the current state of digital projection. The website Collider hosted a screening of Tron: Legacy back in 2017, and director Joe Kosinski spoke afterward about the fact that, when the movie was first released in theaters in 2010, the light levels of projectors could barely meet the needs of the film. He explained that the screening room in which the new version was being shown exhibited the film at a light level two and a half times brighter than its original theatrical run. Digital projection has continued to improve in the five years since, and the arrival of 4K on streaming services has further acclimated viewers to its level of brightness and detail.

It seems unlikely that either the re-released Jaws or Avatar will substantially increase demand for 3D moviegoing. Even Marvel, which has released most or all of the MCU films over the last decade in 3D, hasn’t been able to gain much traction with the format. Cameron has further refined his high frame rate camera technology to create more lifelike and believable images on screen and will be releasing The Way Of Water in 3D, and there’s no doubt that it will look even brighter and more beautiful than the first film. But he remains more an outlier than a proponent of 3D as an essential part of the moviegoing process; even filmmakers who have released films in 3D (including Denis Villeneuve, with Dune) have largely deprioritized the format.

And yet there is question to ask in an era when movies released on streaming services can be just as expensive and star-studded as those in theaters: What makes the moviegoing experience special anymore? There are more films released on a weekly basis than ever before—and they’re competing with channel after channel after streamer after network of television shows—but only a few can seize or define a cultural moment. So how does a moviegoer, much less a filmmaker or studio, make a movie an event? No one, except for Cameron and maybe Tom Cruise, seems to know the answer. But for better or worse, 3D can make going to a theater feel unique—or, at the very least, something most people cannot experience at home.

Of course, that isn’t even true for the few people who still own 3D TVs, although few if any manufacturers have made them in several years. But films like Dune, or this summer’s Top Gun: Maverick, exemplify moviegoing experiences that feel more magical in a communal experience in front of the biggest screen possible. That still can’t be replicated in anyone’s living room. Jaws in 3D is not just entertainment; it recaptures a moment when movies were cultural rallying points rather than routine exercises in distraction. And Avatar is the same kind of touchstone for one generation of moviegoers that Jaws was for another. The days of Friday The 13^th Part III and Jaws 3-D, when 3D simply meant images leaping off the screen, are long gone. But now, when that sense of experience and sensation—not just immersion, but true escapism—is in short supply it feels only feels fair, not to mention fun, to meet them halfway.