The Columbia Pictures release Monster House has been generating good reviews (it is 70% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and delivering on its promise to elicit goosebumps for the whole family. Even though the animation is outdated by a few years and the kids appear like freaky wax figures, it seems to be a surprisingly effective CGI crowd-pleaser.

After the big-money success of Chicken Little in 3-D last fall, it makes sense that the eye-popping technology is a new craze taking on a life of its own. According to Yahoo Movies, Monster House, which hit theaters on Friday July 21, is appearing on more than 215 3-D screens. Unlike those antiquated cardboard throwaway glasses that induce nausea, the renovated glasses are made of a sturdy plastic material with clear or slightly tinted lenses. No more sea-sick double vision of the red-and-green variety.

Several other movies are slated for a 3-D release this year, including The Ant Bully, Open Season, and Disney’s re-release of The Nightmare Before Christmas in October. So why is this craze picking up now? Says Disney head of distribution Chuck Viane, ”This industry is crying out, ‘Make it special.’ (3D) is the greatest delineation between us and home entertainment.”