Yeah, it’s that time again! Here’s what we’ve got this week…
John Carter- As a fan of the original book series written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, I really, really loved this movie! Seriously, it was a dream I had waited a lifetime to see come true. So the way Disney marketed this movie was, in my opinion, just criminal. They never bothered to explain just who John Carter was, what his legacy and his importance was to Science Fiction in general (His stories pretty much invented the Space Opera subgenre. Without it, there would be no Star Wars), and not even a mention of Burroughs (a blurb of “From the creator Tarzan,” couldn’t have hurt). It was further compounded by a nondescript title (leaving out the “of Mars” because reportedly their earlier Mars Needs Moms bombed) that left moviegoers clueless, making them wonder, “Who the hell’s John Carter?”
So with all that, Disney shouldn’t have been so surprised that it didn’t do well. Although I wouldn’t consider it a bomb like some industry wonks have been. Battleship seems to have rightfully taken that title. Unfortunately, Taylor Kitsch starred in both movies, which is a shame as he was really good in John Carter. But being associated with two of the bigger failures this year might lead many to wrongfully assume his name equals box office poison. And that’s just not the case.
The rest of the cast was great too, with the standout being Lynn Collins (a True Blood alumni) as a positively radiant Dejah Thoris. Willem DaFoe really captured the character of Tars Tarkas, acting through CGI. And Woola just stole every scene he was in!
In short, this movie deserved a better fate than it got. And it’s a shame that now we’ll almost never likely see the other books in the series adapted to the screen. But try to prove Disney otherwise, support this movie and buy this Blu-Ray!
Act of Valor- This is an interesting little action movie that as it turns out, wasn’t meant to be seen by the general public. It originally started out a a sort of training film for Navy SEAL recruits, and it was so good that it was decided to show it as a major motion picture with some additional scenes shot for it to give it a better sense of narrative. And since this was made by the military, all the tactics and hardware you see in it are 100% authentic, which is more than what can be said for most action films that feature the military…including Michael Bay! From what I’ve heard it’s surprisingly well-done. So you might want to give it a look.
Falling Skies, Season 1- This was a Science Fiction drama series that premiered last summer on TNT. It deals with a band of freedom fighters battling aliens who have taken over Earth. One of the more interesting aspects is that unlike previous alien invasion shows, right off the bat it tells you that the Earthlings have lost already, and the show begins in medias res with the aliens well into their occupation.
The main character is Tom Mason (Noah Wyle), a former History professor who now finds himself having to adjust to his role as a guerrilla fighter. Much of the first season involves him trying to rescue his middle son, who had been taken earlier by the aliens (nicknamed “Skitters”), who have shown an odd interest in abducting young and pre-teens to be used as some sort of slave labor. As the series progresses, Mason gradually finds out more about the aliens while at the same time trying to raise the rest of his family in this new environment and butting heads with his superior officers.
To be fair, the premise isn’t exactly original, but it does manage to do some interesting things with it. The show’s limited episode run and expanded budget certainly help give it a sense of scale and scope that other similar shows have never been able to pull off. And that’s due in large part I think to having Steven Spielberg being the executive producer.
With the second season set to premiere sometime this month, now would be a good opportunity to check out this show and get caught up.
G.I. Joe: Renegades, Season 1, Vol. 1- It feels like a rough time to be a Joe fan right now. What with Paramount suddenly delaying G.I. Joe: Retaliation to next year, reportedly because Channing Tatum suddenly proved to be leading man material that they found themselves having to scuttle their plans for killing-off his Duke character. Ironically, it was because of the sequel that Hasbro cancelled this show, which was surprisingly well-done.
The basic premise takes several of the classic Joes (Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock and Tunnel Rat) and puts them in a sort of A-Team milieu as they try to expose Cobra, who in this series is depicted as a large, multinational conglomerate who is secretly bent on world domination, and who have framed the Joes for criminal actions, making them the “Renegades” of the title. Now effectively fugitives, the Joes must try to clear their names by exposing Cobra. Along the way, Cobra characters like Destro, Zartan, Major Bludd and Tomax and Xamot are introduced, as well as other Joes like Shipwreck, Barbecue, Snow Job, Heavy Duty and others.
The goal seemed to be to lay the foundation for a later series which would be closer to the '80s show that everyone knows and loves. But now those plans seem to be in limbo right now with the delaying of Retaliation.
Thundercats: Season 1, Vol. 2- 'Nuff said! Also, buying this might help to convince CN that this show is worth continuing.
The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (Blu-Ray)- You are traveling through another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind and shadow. Of things and ideas. Of unprecedented visual sharpness and crystal clear audio. At the signpost up ahead, your next stop, Blu-Ray! That’s right, it’s the whole show in one volume, all digitally remastered for Blu-Ray. Any fan of genre television owes it to themselves to get this!
