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JOHN CARTER (OF MARS!) |OT| (dir. Andrew Stanton)

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JGS

Banned
I'm having a hard time coming up with a reason why this is a bad thing.
It's not at all.

Unfortunately, the problem has always been how to incorporate the Martian aspects and the sneak peek does nothing to address it. As it stands it would have been an interesting movie on the planet Earth.

However, if they can keep that vibe going throughout the movie, it will be great whether it's a blockbuster or not.
 
I'm having a hard time coming up with a reason why this is a bad thing.

Its usually not a good sign when a movie has to piggyback on bigger movies. I'm not saying the director sat down and said "I want this to look like Spielberg's movie." but I got the feeling I had seen this movie before already. Thats not usually something I want to feel in a teaser. But my bigger complaint about the teaser was that I was told I'd be seeing a movie about John Carter of mars and all I saw was John Carter of the late 19th century.
 

Mifune

Mehmber
Its usually not a good sign when a movie has to piggyback on bigger movies. I'm not saying the director sat down and said "I want this to look like Spielberg's movie." but I got the feeling I had seen this movie before already. Thats not usually something I want to feel in a teaser. But my bigger complaint about the teaser was that I was told I'd be seeing a movie about John Carter of mars and all I saw was John Carter of the late 19th century.

Okay, I hear you on the piggybacking thing.

But really, we need to see Mars within the first ten minutes of the movie? Are we so impatient that we can't let a story unfold anymore?
 

Nesotenso

Member
Its usually not a good sign when a movie has to piggyback on bigger movies. I'm not saying the director sat down and said "I want this to look like Spielberg's movie." but I got the feeling I had seen this movie before already. Thats not usually something I want to feel in a teaser. But my bigger complaint about the teaser was that I was told I'd be seeing a movie about John Carter of mars and all I saw was John Carter of the late 19th century.

The 10 minute snippet is taken from the beginning. For people not familiar with the source material, I think it's meant to be left intrigued after seeing the back story/ framing device.
 

JGS

Banned
To be clear on my view, the sneak does not mimic an Indy movie. it has the same feel as an Indy movie which all action adventure movies should have imo.

The film takes a few cues from Stanton's directing style. It's definitely a Stanton film (So far) that blends grand vistas with personal close-ups.
 

raphier

Banned
How is it amateurish? Does it look cheap?

I ask because I have no interest in watching the beginning of a lavish sci-fi movie on my laptop.
Well, two ways I can describe it are the seventies or eighties westerns and the Lord of the Rings. In places it comes of cheap looking and sometimes it's nice when it pans around the scenery, just like with Lotr I think.
 
When I first saw the title, I thought that this movie was about Jimmy Carter (OF MARS!)

A malaise has settled over Mars. Only one man can give the planet a kick in the pants it needs to survive...

STARRING

CHARLIZE THERON as ROSALYN CARTER

AND LEONARDO DICAPRIO as JIMMY CARTER
 

kruis

Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
Surprised everyone is so down on this. Reviews I've read have largely been glowing.

JCoM has garnered so much publicity about its cost and its marketing troubles, that now it's only known for those aspects. It's a bit sad it's become a movie lots of people want to fail just for the lulz, because I'd love to see more movies based on Edgar Rice Burroughs pulp stories. And why couldn't this movie be actually good with Andrew Stanton directing? I'm afraid any good reviews will be snowed under the number of snide remarks by people who haven't seen it but simply want the movie to bomb.
 

jett

D-Member
That clip was just awful, really awful. I'm already dreading having to watch that again if I catch this movie in a theater. The little trailer at the end of the "white apes" thing was pretty cool and made me want to pay for a ticket, but this is just bad.
 

shira

Member

Yikes, if that is 1/12 the movie they are in trouble. It is laughably bad.
I don't know if this is the original story but the intellectual level is for dude-bro 8 year olds.

John Carter's a bad-azz ex-elite colonial soldier-turned prospector doing the Batman voice.
He's so bad-azz he's got his own bail-out scene @ 4:29.
Why would you bail-out when there are 4 guys guarding you and you are wearing handcuffs?

I don't even know how they transition to him doing space/time travel, alien garfield, hippo riding, and superhuman strength.
What a mess: actors, story, director, dialogue.
 
So work just gave me some free IMAX passes to the preview screening this Wendesday night (ZOMG A WHOLE DAY EARLY). The downside is obviously that I have to watch it in 3D, which I did not want to do for this film.
 

Epcott

Member
Why do I keep hearing "and Earth is next" (gasp) in these recent commercials?

I don't even recall Earth being anyway involved in the books.
I suspect major story changes and shenanigans.
 
All I know about this movie is that they ruined Dejah Thoris' outfit. If shes wearing anything more than metal pasties and a g-string, then screw it.
 

Scarecrow

Member
All I know about this movie is that they ruined Dejah Thoris' outfit. If shes wearing anything more than metal pasties and a g-string, then screw it.

disney.jpg
 
well I'm on board and will be taking my 8 year old to see it

Still trying to hype him up about it though by showing latest trailer and such ...yeah excellent marketing there Disney
 

cakefoo

Member
So work just gave me some free IMAX passes to the preview screening this Wendesday night (ZOMG A WHOLE DAY EARLY). The downside is obviously that I have to watch it in 3D, which I did not want to do for this film.
Based on 3D trailers, and in regards to the conversion and cinematography, JC looks like they put about as little thought into this as the makers of Thor.
 
Based on 3D trailers, and in regards to the conversion and cinematography, JC looks like they put about as little thought into this as the makers of Thor.

Yeah, they decided to convert it into 3D when they were already halfway through shooting. So to call it a rush job is an understatement.
 

Tookay

Member
That was terrible. Why would they write in such an uninteresting escape only for it to be followed up loud upbeat adventurous music? To use that score so unashamedly to build up some excitement without even trying to make script suit the musical beats is so obnoxious.

This stood out to me too, actually. Ripped me right out of it. The direction was so bland and unexciting that the score tried to overcompensate. Plus, it didn't even fit the tone of the scenes.

This film feels overproduced and undercooked.
 

JGS

Banned
So does anyone know why the aliens speak english in this movie?
They don't. They are likely doing an insta-translation once Carter learns the language (Which I don't think takes long & they hint at in the movies with his ability to speak Native American.). They do this occasionally in movies.
 

And Stanton scores highly where you may have imagined he’d most obviously falter: with the (so to speak) humans. Taylor Kitsch has much to prove this year, and he’s passed his first test in the multiplex arena. He displays a chiselled charisma that serves him well, especially in his exchanges with Lynn Collins. Her polymath princess is both scientist and warrior as well as space-bikini-wearing hottie, and Collins convinces on all counts (even when uttering such doozies as, “This entire structure runs on ninth-ray isolates!”), while inevitably going weak-kneed over the nipple-baring alien dude who, through the empowering nature of the Barsoomian atmosphere, is capable of some truly astounding thrusts.

I can't tell if this is just innuendo in the review, or that there is a sex scene?
 

raphier

Banned
Oh wow, not only is the advertising bad, but the cinemas here in my country are daring to increase the ticket prices from 11e to 15e in the opening weekend.

We only watch, by tradition and due scheduling, on opening weekends. And again it makes me spit in frustration that the movie is exclusively in 3D. This pure bullshit ripoff is only wishing for my wallet. Disney just lost themselves two customers. And I am going to quit cinemas if they keep increasing ticket costs this way.
 
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-john-carter-20120306,0,1328056.story

Pre-release surveys of potential moviegoers, however, prompted Hollywood's biggest tracking company to revise its domestic opening weekend ticket sales estimates downward, from $30 million to $25 million. Typically projections rise as marketing campaigns reach a crescendo before a movie opens. Tracking numbers indicate that, as awareness of "John Carter" has risen, desire to see it has remained flat.

The film is struggling to find its footing in foreign countries as well. "John Carter" has strong interest in Russia, South Korea and Mexico but is tracking poorly throughout Europe and in other key markets such as Brazil and Australia, according to preliminary surveys.

Just as troubling, media analysts at Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital and Davenport & Co. all predict Disney will lose money on the film, which will need to reach an estimated $700 million in worldwide ticket sales to break even, according to several people familiar with the film's economics who requested anonymity because of the confidentiality of the matter.

Yikes.
 

Carbonox

Member
Just as troubling, media analysts at Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital and Davenport & Co. all predict Disney will lose money on the film, which will need to reach an estimated $700 million in worldwide ticket sales to break even, according to several people familiar with the film's economics who requested anonymity because of the confidentiality of the matter.

Oh my. :lol

I was aware that the film would have massive troubles financially but didn't know this...
 
Screening I got into on Wednesday hasn't filled up yet. That almost never happens. This thing is going to tank so hard.

Maybe it'll be decent quality-wise but even if that gets some good word of mouth going it'll be shot down by Hunger Games in a couple weeks.
 

Meier

Member
Harry was doing a screening here in Austin and I missed the post apparently. I imagine it'll be pretty great since he is so obsessed with the source material and tried to make the movie before with Rodriguez.
 

JGS

Banned
Remain hyped. I'm actually excited now. It's like my own little personal must see film. It makes it feel more special.
 

Busty

Banned
Said it before and I'll say it again as most people are still reporting the numbers that Disney are desperately spinning to the press.

I heard from two 'people' that after spending $250m for the initial shoot/production and then doing as much as another THIRTY DAYS of reshoots (which included rebuilding previous struck sets) John Carter is the
second most expensive film ever made
.

Just let that rattle around your head for a moment.
 

JGS

Banned
I honestly don't buy the budget.

Has there ever been a most expensive movie ever made released in March?

This could have easily been a summer blockbuster that flopped so I'm not grasping the importance of the March release to begin with. That said, I don't care about the box office except in regards to Stanton's career. He'll always be welcome back to PIXAR anyway.
 

-Plasma Reus-

Service guarantees member status
I really don't see what they have done to justify that budget. The CG looks unremarkable. The Martians look cartoonish, in a bad way. The Na'vi were cartoon-like, but that was handled well. There's nothing interesting about the Martians here. People can't sympathise with creatures like that. The Na'vi's image is forever burned into our collective memory. And heck, a lot of people even felt sympathy towards them as a race near the end of that film. This looks like it tried to be too much like Avatar, without really having planned enough for it to warrant such an ambition.

But I hope the film is good. I don't really care how much money it makes.
 
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