Toy Story 5 3D Movie Review

June 19, 2026 by Jacob Scarberry in 3-D Cinema, 3-D Films, 3-D Movies, 3D or 2D, Toy Story 5, Toy Story 5 3D, Toy Story 5 3-D, animated movies, Toy Story 5 3D Review, Toy Story 5 3-D Review, Toy Story 5 movie review, Toy Story 5 film review

Toy Story 5

3D Movie Review

Written By: Jacob Scarberry

3D

Ladies and gentlemen, Toy Story 5 is another Pixar 3D presentation, so it’s typically nothing special—pretty good, but not great. Depth is the real star here, as it usually is with Pixar films, with beautifully rendered shots of forests, endless fields, tunnels, streets, and the occasional water scene. It’s all stunning, clean, and impressively photorealistic.

Pop-outs are rare, but given the nature of the plot, they aren’t really missed. The standout moment is a POV shot involving Buzz Lightyear and a deer, with its head and antlers reaching toward the viewer. Another notable sequence takes place on a foggy dock, where the 3D creates a genuinely enveloping atmosphere. I do wish there had been more pop-out moments—especially during the climax—but overall I was pleased with the presentation, even if it’s not Pixar’s strongest 3D outing.

Final 3D Score: 7/10

Movie

”…a tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme: technology and antiques.” Toy Story is back, and this time it has its sights set on the digital age.

The age of the digital screen has been upon us for quite some time now, with today’s children increasingly enamored with tablets, phones, and smart devices rather than simple toys like dolls, teddy bears, or slinkies—many of which now sit untouched on store shelves. Even classic imaginative toys like LEGO have begun incorporating technology into their sets.

Don’t get me wrong—technology is, for the most part, fantastic. A smartphone puts the entire world at our fingertips. But is it doing more harm than good for the youngest generation? That question sits at the heart of Toy Story 5.

Jessie and the gang are living with Bonnie and are being lovingly played with, but Bonnie is struggling to make friends. Her parents notice her difficulties while the neighborhood kids are increasingly absorbed in their screens. Despite their hesitation, they buy Bonnie the hottest new “toy” on the market: the Lilypad (basically a kid’s iPad).

Almost immediately, the toys grow uneasy as the Lilypad helps Bonnie connect with kids from her dance class. They fear they’re being replaced—and potentially shelved for good. Jessie manages to contact Woody, and a miscommunication over the walkie-talkie leads Woody to return to Bonnie to help sort things out.

When Bonnie attends a sleepover, Jessie and the gang find themselves caught up in an unexpected adventure that challenges what it means to be a “toy” in the digital age.

I was honestly dreading this film. Toy Story 3 felt like such a perfect emotional conclusion back in 2010 for those of us who grew up with the original trilogy. We watched Andy grow from childhood into young adulthood, and it felt like closure. Then Toy Story 4 arrived—while still very good, it felt like a cash grab to extend a franchise that had already said its goodbye.

So, going into a fifth film in what is now a seven-feature franchise (yes—Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins counts in my eyes), I expected to dislike it, even with Andrew Stanton involved as writer/director.

I’m glad to say this is a return to form for the Toy Story series. The film is funny, emotional, and even managed to make me happy cry—not full tears streaming down my face, but enough to genuinely win me over. The voice acting is excellent, especially Joan Cusack as Jessie, alongside a strong mix of returning and new talent including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, John Ratzenberger, Conan O’Brien, and others.

The screenplay is strong, the direction from Andrew Stanton and co-director McKenna Harris is solid, and Pixar’s technical work is, as always, top-tier. This would almost be a perfect film, but a side plot involving a shipwrecked Buzz Lightyear “Star Command” storyline and a Taylor Swift song pulled me out slightly—though that part is subjective, and your mileage may vary.

Overall, Toy Story 5 is a winner. It’s easily the best film of Summer 2026, if not the year. I highly recommend it for fans both old and new. Sit in the theater, enjoy the adventure, and maybe have a good cry—I know I did.

Final Movie Score: 9/10

Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/

Official Website:

https://movies.disney.com/toy-story-5

Read our Review for Toy Story 4 via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/reviews/Toy-Story-4-3D-3-D-Movie-Review

Hoppers 3D Movie Review

March 08, 2026 by adolph vega in 3-D Cinema, 3-D Films, 3-D Movies, 3D or 2D, Hoppers, Disney Hoppers, Pixar Hoppers, 2026, animated movies, Disney

Hoppers

3D Movie Review

Written By: Adolph Vega

3D

Hoppers delivers solid 3D overall, even if it once again feels like Disney is holding back from fully embracing the format.

The movie features several sequences that make good use of 3-D depth, particularly when showing large environments or distant landscapes. These moments create a convincing sense of scale and space that helps immerse the viewer in the world.

There are also a handful of 3D pop-out effects scattered throughout the film. Various sticks, hands, and other objects occasionally extend slightly off the screen, adding some fun moments of dimensional interaction without becoming overly aggressive.

A few scenes stand out as the most notable uses of the 3-D aspect. An early sequence involving a turtle looks especially good in 3D, with the depth and staging helping sell the environment around the character. Two different dam sequences make effective use of the camera as it moves around the action, creating some nice spatial movement that benefits from the stereoscopic presentation.

There is also a car chase sequence that looks particularly strong in 3D. The movement of vehicles combined with the shifting camera angles creates a convincing sense of speed and depth that works very well with the format.

The film also includes occasional floating effects, where small elements drift through the 3D space. Butterflies and similar objects appear at different depths, adding subtle layers to the scenes.

Water is another area where the 3-D works particularly well. Bubbles have convincing dimensionality, and one scene near the end features water rushing toward the screen in a way that feels exciting and clearly benefits from being presented in 3D. The 3D pulls you into the scene and makes the water look genuinely scary, which works well for that moment.

Not everything works perfectly, however. One darker scene suffers from noticeable ghosting, which becomes distracting and briefly breaks the immersion. The movie also has a few darkly lit moments where the 3-D effect feels somewhat limited.

Overall, the 3D presentation is very good, but it still feels like Disney is playing it safe with the 3-D aspect of Hoppers. The film shows that the format can enhance the experience, yet it rarely pushes the effects as far as it could.

Final 3D Score: 7/10

Movie

Hoppers feels like a blend of old and new Pixar. On one hand, the studio’s classic creativity is present with a strange and imaginative premise. On the other hand, the final product feels closer to some of Pixar’s more recent, less-than-stellar output—interesting ideas that don’t quite come together in a satisfying way.

The story centers on Mabel, a girl who loves animals and eventually finds herself able to exist inside a robotic animal body. Through experimental “Hopper” technology, she talks to and gains the trust of the animals and tries to persuade them to help her mission. Mabel wants to stop the construction of a beltway through land she feels emotionally connected to.

Mabel herself ends up being one of the weaker aspects of the film. She is portrayed as passionate and determined, but her behavior often crosses into reckless, headstrong, and annoyingly arrogant territory. Throughout the movie she makes extremely questionable decisions and often acts without thinking through the consequences. The story occasionally hints that there may be repercussions for her actions, but those consequences feel more like teases than anything of substance. Instead, she largely gets away with everything she does (even the bad stuff), which makes her harder to root for and ultimately makes her a bit annoying as the central character.

We never learn why Mabel has such a strong connection with animals. As an audience we understand why a specific grove has emotional importance for her, but the movie never explains why animals resonate so strongly with her in the first place. This is a critical aspect of her character that is ignored.

It’s an intriguing setup with plenty of potential, but the film moves at such a fast pace that it often feels like 10–30 minutes of story may have been cut, leaving several ideas introduced but never fully explored. Scenes move by so quickly that the movie rarely slows down long enough for moments to breathe. Ironically, this rushed pacing clashes with one of the film’s core themes about slowing down and appreciating the moment. By the time the story reaches its conclusion, the resolution feels a little too convenient and the emotional payoff never fully lands, leaving the ending feeling less earned than it should.

The movie also struggles with some of its story logic. Several elements of the plot feel underdeveloped or inconsistent. For example, at one point the film mentions how dangerous it is to remain inside the robotic animal body for extended periods of time, yet that idea is never fully paid off. It’s introduced as if it will become an important plot point, but the story ultimately moves past it. The robotic bodies themselves are also very inconsistent. At times they appear fragile and vulnerable, while in other moments they seem incredibly durable and capable of withstanding far more punishment. The movie seems to shift their limitations depending on what the scene requires, which further contributes to the sense that the rules of this world were never fully thought through.

Another aspect that raised questions is the way animals communicate in the movie’s world. The film suggests that all animals understand each other regardless of species. Mammals, birds, fish, and insects all appear to communicate seamlessly. While it’s easy enough to accept animals of the same species understanding each other, the idea that every creature shares the same language stretches the logic quite a bit. Shouldn’t the animals have their own grammar and naming conventions for things? The robotic animal body also seems capable of instantly translating and speaking with all of them, which raises even more questions about how the system works. The animals even use human-style naming conventions like “deer dens” or “beaver kits”, which is an interesting detail but further highlights how loosely defined the rules of the world really are.

Of course, this is still an animated movie (aimed for kids) and some suspension of disbelief is expected. However, the film leaves behind enough unanswered questions that it becomes difficult not to notice the inconsistencies (and be bothered by them). The rules of this world are never fully explained, and several aspects of how things work simply don’t make complete sense. It ultimately feels like Pixar had a strong concept but didn’t fully think through how all the pieces of the world should function together. There’s enough plot for an interesting and engaging movie, but it still feels like the story and world should have been deeper. The lore isn’t fully developed—which leads to several potential plot holes and missing details about how this world actually works.

The animation in Hoppers is excellent, with detailed environments and expressive characters that continue Pixar’s high technical standard. The fur on the animals looks especially beautiful and realistic, adding a lot of texture and personality to the characters. Water effects also look fantastic throughout the film, and the forest environments are particularly gorgeous, with lush locations that make the setting feel vibrant and alive. I especially liked how the characters’ eyes transform for different purposes in certain scenes. Visually, Hoppers is a top notch animated film.

The humor also leans slightly darker and more twisted than typical Pixar comedy, which adds some personality and works surprisingly well. Kids will likely enjoy the frantic energy and the emoji-style jokes scattered throughout the film. The movie flows well and I do like the vast majority of the characters (not Mabel). I appreciated the sincerity of some characters, and despite my complaints in this review, I still found the film entertaining and enjoyable.

The music choices in the film are decent but not particularly memorable. The film includes some new original songs, which is appreciated, but they don’t always feel like a perfect match for the tone of the movie. Some older songs are intermixed with the plot elements as well. Overall the music and score are weak enough to slightly hurt my enjoyment of the film.

The film carries themes about nature, empathy, unity, and understanding the world beyond our own perspective, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. The film doesn’t feel preachy in any way, but it does feel like they couldn’t decide on a theme to stick to. The resolution feels a little too convenient and the emotional payoff never fully lands, leaving the ending feeling less earned than it should. The movie clearly wants the audience to cry at multiple points, but it comes across more like blatant emotional manipulation rather than something truly earned. The various plot inconsistencies and unanswered questions also muddy the themes and morals the film tries to portray.

In the end, Hoppers has an interesting premise with flawed execution. The film has strong animation and several entertaining moments, but the rushed pacing, uneven storytelling, and underdeveloped ideas hold it back from reaching its full potential. Ultimately, as I walked out of the theater, Hoppers left me feeling a bit cold and unsatisfied.

Final Movie Score: 7/10

Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/

Official Website:

https://movies.disney.com/hoppers

The SpongeBob Movie Search for Square Pants 3D Movie Review

December 21, 2025 by adolph vega in 3-D Cinema, 3-D Films, 3-D Movies, 3D or 2D, Spongebob, Spongebob Squarepants, Spongebob 2025, animated movies, 3D films, 2025, 3D Movies

The SpongeBob Movie Search for Square Pants

3D Movie Review

Written By: Jacob Scarberry

SpongeBob search for squarepants movie 2025 poster

3D

Ahoy, yer mateys! Welcome aboard the SOS 3D, where the depth is everything and the pop-outs don’t matter.

From the get-go, we’re treated to a beautiful 3D conversion — from the clever, SpongeBob-ified Paramount logo all the way to the end credits — and it’s clear we’re in for a visual treat for fans new and old alike. Depth is the (Patrick) star here, beautifully displaying tremendous use of layers, with backgrounds that feel seemingly endless and foregrounds perpetually right within reach of your hands.

The underground scenes are the best examples of this, showing off the depth in a way that makes it feel genuinely dimensional. Even simple shots in and around Bikini Bottom feel properly extended and natural to the human eye.

Pop-outs do happen on occasion, with faces coming toward the viewer without really breaking the barrier — with the exception of a nose poking out here or the unnaturally pointed hair of the live-action Flying Dutchman sticking out toward the audience. Most of these moments are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, though. Even scenes of the Dutchman’s ship charging toward the camera chicken out, with the bow always turning away at the exact moment things were about to get good.

The best example of pop-out perfection comes during a transition involving a skull head. Later, when SpongeBob and Patrick enter the air ducts, you get a nice effect of SpongeBob’s body (which is also his face) coming toward the viewer, along with Patrick’s belly poking out of the vents as well.

The movie has some live action footage. Most of the live-action scenes are unimpressive and feel like an afterthought, with the climactic roller-coaster finale being the best of the bunch. Overall, this is an impressive 3D movie for the most part, but with pop-outs kept to a minimum, it never quite reaches its full swashbuckling potential.

Final 3D Score: 8/10

Movie

Are ya ready, millennials?

Nay, nay, Captain!

I can’t hear you?!

Nay, nay, Captain!

I still can’t hear you! I’m an aging millennial!

SpongeBob SquarePants has been in my life since its debut in May of 1999 — a mere 26 (!) years ago — and is still airing brand-new episodes to this very day. With three theatrical feature films, two spin-off shows, a glut of video games, and enough merchandise to last until the end of time, it’s safe to say SpongeBob is one of the most recognizable and popular characters ever created. Now, five years after the COVID-affected release of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, we arrive at the latest entry in the series.

It’s another day in Bikini Bottom, and SpongeBob is excited that he’s grown another half-clam in height — finally tall enough to ride the scariest roller coaster in town. Alas, he chickens out at the last minute when Patrick joins him and concocts a story that he promised Mr. Krabs he’d ride it with him, but now has to work instead. Mr. Krabs plays along… while also belittling SpongeBob, boasting that he would never be afraid of such a ride, having once been a certified swashbuckler who served with the infamous Flying Dutchman.

The cursed ghost sets his sights on SpongeBob, whose pure heart can release him from his curse, and plans to use him for his own nefarious deeds. With SpongeBob and Patrick tricked into completing dangerous trials to become swashbucklers, Mr. Krabs, Gary, and Squidward set sail on an adventure deep into the Underworld to save them from eternal doom.

SpongeBob SquarePants has undeniably gone downhill over the years — after more than a quarter century, that’s bound to happen. However, the movies tend to maintain a higher level of quality, with stronger writing and ideas that help them feel fresher than the show’s modern episodes. Thankfully, that trend mostly holds true here. This is the best SpongeBob has been in quite some time (though, having not seen the third film as of this writing, I can’t say how it compares to Sponge on the Run).

There are fun visual gags and jokes that feel reminiscent of older episodes — maybe a weaker post-2004 episode — not great, but better than most current installments of the TV series.

The classic voice cast — Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Roger Bumpass — are all at their usual best. Mark Hamill does a solid job replacing Brian Doyle-Murray as the Flying Dutchman, though he can’t quite match Doyle-Murray’s classic performance. I also missed the inclusion of more supporting characters, as we mostly get minor voice cameos at best. This makes the whole endeavor feel smaller in scope — like it should’ve been a direct-to-Paramount+ release, which it originally was meant to be.

It feels more substantial than a typical episode and definitely beefier than the SpongeBob TV specials of old, but as a larger-than-life, big-screen adventure, it falls short. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — but it could’ve used a rewrite to make things feel more epic, or at least included more familiar characters.

The animation style is a major departure from the hand-drawn 2D look fans are used to, but it manages to retain the show’s charm with an added dimension. Still, if we ever get a SpongeBob 5, I’d love to see a return to a fully hand-drawn look — or at least a SpongeBob 2-style hybrid of 2D and 3D. That said, it’s a good-looking movie with some creative animation and designs.

Another major complaint is the live-action sequences, which are clearly shot on sets with heavy green-screen use, making them look as cheap as a typical Nickelodeon live-action TV series. Flat, artificial, and seemingly produced on Mr. Krabs’ commercial budget, they feel shoehorned in simply because the previous films had live-action elements — and those movies did them better. The climax absolutely could (and should) have remained animated for a more satisfying finale.

All things considered, the film is pretty decent — not offensive, but also not daring. There are solid gags, faithful animation, and strong vocal performances, but it lacks scope and wastes its live-action potential. Still, it’ll entertain the Generation Alpha whipper-snappers, and parents and grandparents will likely stay awake. Here’s hoping SpongeBob SquarePants: The Today Sponge does even better next time.

Final Movie Score: 6/10

Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/

Official Website :

https://www.spongebobmovie.com