Personal bias: I’m not a huge fan of this 3D movie fad. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer three-dimensional characters over some dragon swinging in front of my face, breathing fire into my personal bubble. My wife is the only person allowed to get within three inches of my face, and even then, her breath better be minty.

I’ve seen a 3D movie here and there, and I can certainly see the appeal, especially for kids. The extra dimension provides a completely different visual experience, and teamed with the right material (think the otherwise forgettable “Polar Express”) it can be an entertaining way to spend 90 minutes. Anything longer than that (I’m looking at you, “Avatar”), and my eyes need a 48-hour spa retreat.

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Mere hours after the “Lost” series finale, Los Angeles Times television critic Mary McNamara wrote about the episode as if she had never seen the show before. She criticized the final 10 minutes even though she obviously wasn’t paying attention to what actually happened.

In a nutshell, McNamara dismissed the six-year story as a tropical “purgatory,” where the fated passengers of Oceanic Flight 815 never survived the plane crash in the first place. She came to this conclusion despite three specific moments in the finale that explicitly refuted this theory.

McNamara wasn’t the only viewer to make the mistake. Message boards were flooded with similar confusion, and some viewers (not the die-hards, obviously) hooted and hollered about being “confused” and “cheated.”

Such misinterpretations are bound to happen with a show as dense as “Lost.” And who knows? Perhaps even us hardcore Losties missed some profound bit of evidence that proves the whole Island-As-Purgatory theory (doubtful).

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Just when it feels like the superhero genre needs a breather, along comes Robert Downey Jr. again as billionaire motor mouth Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. Like the 2008 original film, “Iron Man 2” flourishes when Downey banters with equally entertaining talents of Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and franchise newcomers Don Cheadle and Sam Rockwell.

And yes, kids, there are also a couple of cool action sequences.

Unfortunately, “Iron Man 2” has too much plot and not enough of the fun stuff. The film’s midsection sags with meandering subplots, and the story sometimes feels like a roadmap into another sequel.

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Thanks to the recent resurgence of a certain third dimension, going to the movies this summer will be costlier than ever. Ticket prices are up, and 3D presentations will take a few extra dollars out of your wallet.

Say hello to the Budget-Friendly 2010 Summer Movie Preview, featuring a quick rundown of the season’s biggest movies. After scouring early reviews and watching a whole lot of previews, each film has been awarded a Must See Score (MSS) out of 10.

Release dates are always subject to change, and previews can be deceiving. Check your local listings and read a few reviews before heading out to the theater. And be sure to stuff your pockets with snacks.

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