The 25 best 3D movies with hidden depths

10. Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) 

The film: Jim Cameron didn't just whip out his 3D vision fully formed as Avatar. Filmed for IMAX screens and narrated by Bill Paxton, this 2003 documentary about the wreck of the Titanic saw the director begin to hone his craft, bringing the famous old ship back to life in remarkable fashion. The soundtrack might be a bit naff, but this is still an extremely eye-opening experience. 

3D enhancement: Cameron takes the audience to the depths of the ocean for this unprecedented look at the Titanic, the combination of 3D and IMAX making for an overwhelmingly eerie experience. As close as you could get to the old wreck without strapping on flippers yourself. 

Most eye-popping scene: The first time the ship comes looming out of the darkness is a weirdly creepy moment. Ghost ship, dead ahead! 

Watch Ghosts of the Abyss now on Amazon Prime Video 

9. Kiss Me Kate (1953) 

The film: One of the finest 3D movies of the '50s, Kiss Me Kate tells the tale of a pair of divorced musical stars coaxed back together to perform a musical version of The Taming Of The Shrew. Cue a slew of romantic zingers and all manner of show-stopping song and dance routines.

3D enhancement: Just about the closest thing you could get to a theatrical experience without attending a real-life show, the stereoscopic effects stand up pretty well even today.

Most eye-popping scene: Ann Miller's rendition of Too Damn Hot is even more sizzling in three dimensions. Wowsers! 

Watch Kiss Me Kate now on Amazon Prime Video 

8. Dredd (2012) 

The film: 2000 AD's best-loved son had already been the subject of one film the dreadful 1995 Sylvester Stallone vehicle which took the name and the uniform but not much else. Dredd 3D, by contrast, was largely faithful and that meant violence. Lots and lots of violence. 

3D enhancement: Where Avatar aimed for expansiveness, Dredd is claustrophobic, so the 3D effect was used mainly to illustrate the psychotropic effects of the Slo-Mo drug used by future criminals. Time becomes sluggish, colours swirl around and inevitably blood is shed. It leads to some curiously beautiful moments of carnage. 

Most eye-popping scene: Dredd and Anderson bust into an apartment and shoot up a gang of Slo-Mo users. As Dredd shoots one bad guy in the face, his blood seems to splash out of the cinema screen. 

Watch Dredd now on Amazon Prime Video 

7. Prometheus (2012) 

The film: Ridley Scott's hugely anticipated sort-of-prequel to Alien divided viewers and critics. But look past the film's (many) daft ideas and messy continuity and there's a lot to enjoy. Michael Fassbender's David is a wonderfully-played and deeply sinister android and its alien worlds and derelict starships looked amazing.  

3D enhancement: As with Avatar, the 3D works to give a sense of scale and wonder to the movie's alien world. Okay, so LV-223 is more dank tunnels and space snakes than lush, verdant forest and alien Smurfs, but it looks fantastic.

Most eye-popping scene: The Engineer spaceship, after taking off, comes crashing back to the surface of LV-223 and rolls towards a fleeing Vickers who's obviously too scared to think about maybe running in a different direction to avoid it. 

Watch Prometheus now on Amazon Prime Video 

6. The Lego Movie (2014) 

The film: What looked like the ultimate in cynical cash-grab cinema turned out to be one of last year's smartest treats. Uproariously funny, full of heart and with a surprisingly subversive streak this ace animation was all the better in 3D.

3D enhancement: With its incredible attention to detail and simulated stop-motion animation (actually all done with CGI) the film was already a technical marvel. The 3D, however, made this blocky hand-built universe come vibrantly to life. Millions of Lego bricks seem to fly out of the screen, as well as shift and reform into crazy new structures. 

Most eye-popping scene: The gang Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman, Unikitty, Benny and Vitruvius build a train/submarine hybrid while being chased and plummet to the bottom of the ocean. 

Watch The Lego Movie now on Amazon Prime Video 

Gem Seddon

Gem Seddon is 12DOVE's west coast Entertainment News Reporter, working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.