Making movies in 3D is nothing new, although it certainly seems to have had a resurgence in the last several years. Initially, I thought that this resurgence, like those of the past, was solely a gimmick, something to make the move seem closer to a ride at Disney World (Captain EO, anyone?). However, while I've only seen a few movies in 3D (Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Brave (2012), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)) before yesterday, I now see that 3D as a filmmaker's stylistic tool may actually have some staying power. Sure, you can still show a sword being thrown at the audience, but it now seems that filmmakers are actually using 3D to create depth in a scene, making it appear more epic and "immersive" (I'll save my frustration with the term "immersive" for another day).

Which brings me to The Great Gatsby. The story is not new; most of us read the 1925 book by F. Scott Fitzgerald it in high school. Therefore, for this review, I'm not going to focus on the story itself; this review is about the movies style. Or rather, the filmmaker's style. I think that you'll find going forward that many of my reviews will be similar. Most films don't tell unique stories. But some films have unique styles, and consequently, deliver unique experiences. That's a major part of why I love movies.

The movie is directed by Baz Luhrmann, of Romeo and Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge! (2001) fame. Luhrmann has only directed five movies since 1992, but his visual style is already well known to many film fans. The best way that I can describe his style is that he makes everything and everyone in his films look bold and glamorous. Just as an example, the title character, played terrifically by Leonardo Dicaprio, at one point wears a pink suit. The interesting part about it, though, is that in this film, in the world Luhrmann has created, it doesn't seem out of place. It totally fits.

And the use of 3D in this film is just as fitting. Luhrmann creates the world of 1920's New York City, it's outskirts, and Long Island, and transports the audience back and forth between those areas as if we were on a rocket, giving a sense of geography and orientation that I think only 3D can truly provide. The most important of the "sets", the mansion of Gatsby on one side of the bay and the mansion of Tom and Daisy Buchanan (Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and Carey Mulligan (Drive, 2011))) on the other, emphasize this even more. The two mansions play such an important role in the telling of the story, and the use of the 3D creates a "world" made up of the mansions and the space between that we are then transported around, between, and every other which way. It's really amazing. Further, within the scenes of Gatsby's parties at his mansion, the 3D amplifies everything, from the architectural spaces to the costumes of the partygoers. Everything is more lavish, more intense, more well... bold and glamorous.

Certainly it's not a style that will be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Further, it gave me at pause as to whether 3D is just a temporary gimmick as before or something destined to stay. I have to admit, I'm not sure. But if filmmakers continue to use it in as enjoyable of a way as Baz Luhrmann did in "The Great Gatsby", I think it has a chance.