Movie Reviews
I liked it, but… Yes, I know that’s how most reviews of this movie begin, and now I understand why. Some spoilers, but they won’t ruin the film and certainly can’t add to the confusion.
Basic storyline is a group travels to a distant planet to find our creators.
First, it is a stunning looking film. Scott can deliver visuals like noboby’s business. Just massive in scope.
Now, this movie raises far more questions than it answers. It begins with grand ideas (think 2001) but somewhere along the way it returns to earth, bogged down by scenes that made no sense. We pieced together some of the story (check out Cinema Blend) but some of it remained a mystery due to gaps. Some scenes made sense, but the characters were not fleshed out enough to make their actions believable. Either there are many missing scenes or a lot of plot holes left open. (Inception was a complicated puzzle but it could be put together - with this movie, there are pieces missing and extra pieces, resulting in an incomplete puzzle.)
I found the film intriguing and enjoyable – it was quite a spectacle to behold. Ultimately though, it felt like a missed opportunity and was a very frustrating film to watch.
Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman, and the gang are back and still trying to get home to New York. The big box office winner of the weekend, this film returns to the silliness of the first one. Placing the characters in a traveling circus is the perfect setting. The animation and settings are lush, and the movie is a splash of colors. With animals leaping, spinning, and shooting out of cannons, the 3D really pops. We meet many new characters, the best of which is Stefano the sea lion and a group of grumpy little dogs.
The story is simple. This isn’t Oscar material, folks! It won’t change your life. However, it is very funny. Yes, I enjoyed this one. Take the family!
I caught this in the theater back in March and reviewed it HERE. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ book, Princess of Mars, this movie is a throwback to classic science fiction-fantasy. Visually stunning, epic in scope, and coupled with a great story, this film should’ve done far better at the box office. (Thank you Disney for screwing up the marketing!) A second viewing in 3D confirmed my first impression – this movie is awesome. It’s the kind of story I wish I could write. If you haven’t seen John Carter, rent it now!
Ninja News!
Thanks to everyone who commented on Michael Pierce’s guest post last Friday and downloaded his book, Provex City!
Talli Roland has a new book out this week – Construct a Couple. Congratulations, Talli!!
Carol Kilgore at Under the Tiki Hut is holding a contest this week and giving away early copies of her upcoming release, In Name Only. Check her site for details.
In the world of sports, the Miami Heat face the Oklahoma City Thunder, pitting Lebron against Durant in basketball. And the LA Kings lead the series against the New Jersey Devils in hockey. Then it will be a long five-six weeks until preseason football begins...
And despite all of my movie-watching, I did knock out a good chunk of CassaStorm this weekend!
Did you see Prometheus this weekend? Agree with the “It was good, but…” reviews? What about Madagascar? Anyone else pick up John Carter in 3D? What team are your pulling for? How’s your June writing progress? I think I’ll scale back the movies next weekend and write more…
You're the first reasonably positive review of Prometheus I've read, it has changed my mind a bit!
ReplyDeletePrometheus is one I'll have to check out. John Carter was awesome, I loved it. It is a shame it didn't do better a the box office, Disney scraped plans of a sequel because of the low box office income.
ReplyDeleteVery excited about Talli's book! I can't wait until I have some time to sit down and devour it!
ReplyDeleteI missed out on seeing Prometheus this weekend. I have 4 work days and then I'm on vacation, so I'll be able to go soon. Do you think your expectations were too high? That may sound silly, but I've sometimes built a movie up so high (from all the hype) that there is no way it can make me happy.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Prometheus a lot more than you did. I thought it was well-conceived and brilliantly-executed. Yes, it left many questions unanswered, but I prefer those BIG questions to remain unanswered rather than some 'clever' explanations. Otherwise, it would have seemed like the film is trying too hard.
ReplyDeleteStill haven't seen Madagascar 3, but I loved the trailers and I can't wait to check it out.
John Carter was decent, but far from incredible.
Awesome reviews!
Thanks for the movie reviews. I'm using them to help decide what movies to see because I don't go to the movies hardly at all.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some writing done. I did too.
I LOVED John Carter and yes, it is an epic story on which Disney really screwed up the marketing. Arrgh! I wanted more films in this world.
ReplyDeleteAm looking forward to Prometheus just because I do love Ridley Scott and have been dying for him to return to sci fi. It almost sounds like Prometheus is a bit like Blade runner in the philosophy department.
Thanks for the links. Checking them all out. :)
Good movie reviews Alex, and thanks for the news of the new books that are out or about to be released.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day,
Yvonne.
Lurker, there's been a mixture.
ReplyDeleteKane, and they only have themselves to blame.
Brinda, no, I'd read enough reviews that said there were issues, so my expectations weren't too high.
George, it wasn't so much the unanswered questions as the gaping plot holes.
Melissa, I wanted more as well!! Just have to read the books instead. Not sure what I'd compare Prometheus to, but Blade Runner was a better film.
No movies for me. Too much writing/editing to do. I watch movies vicariously through you. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks loads of the shout-out, Alex! :)
ReplyDeleteMadagascar looks really cute.
I think John Carter was in the theatre for, like, two days? Sheesh. We wanted to see that one at the theatre. Prometheus is also on the list.
ReplyDeleteUGH! I despise whiny LeBron James & the Heat, but being from Seattle, I'm still very bitter about the sneaky & manipulative way Clay Bennett & David Stearn stole our Sonics & relocated to OKC, so I hope the Heat humiliate the Thunder. But since we now know the NBA is corrupt, we no longer watch basketball in our home. So maybe I'll go watch a movie instead!!
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the type of movie I'd usually go and see on my own (but might be dragged to with the hubs:) I liked your honest review of it though. And congrats Talli!
ReplyDeleteI've heard 'odd' about Prometheus so far - I think I'll wait to see it :)
ReplyDeleteI watched John Carter this weekend too, and had the same thought - I should have done better
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Madagascar 3 fared better at the box office than Prometheus, though I suspect the latter's R rating was to blame. I look forward to seeing Prometheus soon. I still haven't seen Madagascar 2; I wasn't particularly keen on the first one (in fact, I think I remember being greatly disappointed by it.)
ReplyDeleteSounds like Prometheus might be worth waiting for the director's cut.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like Prometheus and walked away very disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for your movie reviews. Don't see many here in Mexico as I hate reading subtitles. Each time I go to the States though, I catch a few.
ReplyDeleteRooting for the NJ Devils to make a stunning comeback. Hate to see the season end...
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the news and notes!
I've been undecided whether I should go see Prometheus. The advertisements have been cool for the film, but it's not like they're going to put out the boring parts of the film or those that don't add up. I'll probably just wait for it to come out on DVD.
ReplyDeleteIt's just occurred to me how much my kids rule my life, because although I'd like to see Prometheus, it'll be Madagascar first!
ReplyDeleteI've seen some Twitter activity on Prometheus...much th same. It was like, 'Huh?'
ReplyDeleteI didn't make it to the movies this weekend. Hopefully soon so I can watch Snow White!
Keep at the writing, my friend!!!
Laura, that made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteTalli, you're welcome.
Liz, that movie got shafted.
Nancy, you should probably just watch a movie.
Baygirl, exactly!
Michael, an R-rated science fiction film is a hard sell, especially with mixed reviews, over the only kid film out there right now.
Moody, haven't heard he was disappointed with it, but hoping there is a director's cut as well.
Karen, it might happen!
Annalisa, you will enjoy it, so let your kids drag you to Madagascar.
Lynn, I'm writing!
it's going to be a wait on the movie... thank you for the words. i am still intrigued about john carter... it needs a looky-loo.
ReplyDeletewe watched x-men: first class... i liked it better than the first time... i am confused on the timelines of this, i will have to break it down.
Congrats on the progress of CassaStorm. I skipped the review of Prometheus because I don't like to know anything about a movie before I see it, and I'm still hoping for a date night soon with Mr. Knight. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's terrific you're making progress on the next Cassa book. you watch way more movies than i do. I'll watch Madagascar with my good when it comes to video. They're dying to see the Avengers in the theaters.
ReplyDeleteWhen this book is out on agent submissions, I too am planning to spend an entire weekend doing NOTHING but watch movies. :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the gaps are edits--you know lying on the floor somewhere. And if they'd kept them, those gaps might make sense?
ReplyDeleteI think Madagascar is in my future with little people.
Teresa
There's a Madagascar 3?!? Hooorah!!!
ReplyDeletePrometheus - hopefully this weekend (sorry Capn - I skipped your review of this cos I so want to see it for myself so am ignoring all reviews! Yay!).
Hoorah for Talli! Take care
x
Yeah i gave Prometheus lik a B. I really enjoyed it, and i thought Fassbender was excellent, but there were definite flaws, the biggest of which, imop, were the scientists not acting like scientists when they're doing science. Which is a huge pet peeve of mine.
ReplyDeleteOh well that is disappointing about Prometheus, but also expected. Anyway, if it's visually stunning I can live with a poorly developed story. Hey you're on a roll with your writing! Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I heard Prometheus was really good.
ReplyDeleteJeremy, you need to watch John Carter!
ReplyDeleteJulie, that sounds like fun.
Teresa, maybe we'll get a director's cut.
Sarah, very true! The characters were not well done.
Karen, I'll take any ideas I can get!
I had planned on taking myself to Prometheus this weekend, but I didn't make it. I've been reading a lot of lukewarm reviews today, but I still plan on catching it in the theater.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised by your review of Prometheus, even though I haven't read any other reviews. It just looked like it would have those problems. I will see it - eventually because it does look like fun.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I just saw John Carter and wish it had done better in the box office. Thought the princess's character was a little flat but I loved the aliens. Nice about knocking out some CassaStorm!
ReplyDeleteI'm torn about going to see Prometheus. On the one hand, it will satisfy my nerdy mind, but on the other hand, the commercials give me nightmares.
ReplyDeleteYay for CassaStorm, Alex!
ReplyDeleteAnnnnnnd my June writing progress needs to pick up, that's for sure. Perhaps I should've done one of the gazillion NaNo options :P
That's a shame about Prometheus. it looked so good in all of the trailers.
ReplyDeleteGo Kings!!
If Disney had called the movie, A PRINCESS OF MARS, like Burroughs entitled his book, it would have had more of an allure, especially with the actress they had playing Theja Thoris.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed PROMETHEUS. There were difficulties but then it ended with the promise (spoiler alert) a sequel.
I believe the sequel will dove-tail with some of the difficulties you had, Alex, making the pair of movies a coherent whole.
Have a great new week, Roland
Alex, I heard an interview with writer Damon Lindenhoff that says he likes to leave unanswered questions out of humility. He says he doesn't feel like he should answer all the questions a film can raise. Sounds like a confusing film though, but the CinemaBlend article helps.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's so frustrating when a what could have been a perfect movie gets bogged down by nonsensical stuff.
ReplyDeleteI can always count on your reviews. I heard the same thing about Prometheus. Watch it cause its visually stunning but don't expect to understand anything.
ReplyDeleteWe will be skipping the movie theater for a while, but I do want to see John Carter because of your review.
I'm glad you're still writing!
Heather
No I haven't seen Promethius and I don't think I will. I don't actually see movies in theaters all that often. (Usually not even once a month, which says something about my having seen the avengers 3 times.) I have, however, seen Sherlock Season 2 this past week, and highly recommend it. Masterpiece Theater has done a fantastic job updating the Sherlock stories for modern day.
ReplyDeleteMy June writing progress is satisfactory. I got part of my working thesis sent off for a workshop in July, and I'm looking forward to getting some really great feedback I can use to improve it.
Thanks for the shout-out, Alex :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of these movies. But I do want to see John Carter. I saw Inception over the week-end... wow.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing to hear that about Prometheus. I hate it when the movie trailers are better than the actual movie!
ReplyDeleteJune writing progress is slow, but steady. Glad to hear you're at work.
Madagascar tonight. Bought John Carter (not 3-D of course) watched it twice. Love it. Prometheus didn't open here yet.
ReplyDeleteAlex - I just had a feeling Prometheus wouldn't be that great. Even the trailers looked visually stunning, but something about the story didn't do it for me. I'll probably RedBox it.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see Mad3D with the kids.
Thanks!
Matthew, it's worth it for the visuals.
ReplyDeleteLC, a shame it didn't do better.
Cassie, then the whole movie will give you nightmares!
Roland, they should've stuck with the book's title. And a sequel to Prometheus would help, but there were still plot holes that nothing can explain.
Maurice, and I can appreciate that, like in Inception. This one just had too many ideas going in too many directions.
Heather, watch John Carter! You won't be disappointed.
Carol, you're welcome!
Faraway, it's a great movie. Enjoy Madagascar!
I had really high hopes for Prometheus. Oh well, maybe I'll go watch the 3D instead. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your writing progress!!! I didn't see any movies this weekend, but I did see a ballet production of 12 Dancing Princesses - my daughters were two of the princesses, my husband ran video for the performance and I was given the job of making sure the lighting was right on the secondary stationary camera up in the lighting booth - one of the best seats in the house for watching the ballet!
ReplyDeleteRented John Carter and going to see it tonight :) So looking forward to it now! Still have not seen Prometheus, guess I will wait for that one to come out on DVD.
ReplyDeleteI loved Prometheus and am probably going to see it again. I don't think that it was as frustrating as many films as I've seen. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy left me scratching my head many a time as to what was going on. As far as John Carter goes, I was shocked that it was already on dvd the other day. Man that's got to be the fastest I have ever seen a movie hit the pavement.
ReplyDeleteI will see John Carter on pay per view this week. I'm reading a graphic novelization of the story now, which is enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI'd wanted to catch it in the theater, but I'm feeling a bit ambivalent now.
ReplyDeleteCheering for LA Kings. We usually go for the underdogs :)
ReplyDeleteGreat news about CassaStorm Alex! Congrats to Carol and Talli! Julie
ReplyDeleteToo bad about Prometheus. I know Scott likes a little ambiguity, but too much makes me impatient, too. And thanks for the heads up on author friend stuff! I've had my head in the clouds and would have missed it all!
ReplyDeleteI heard Madagascar 3 was funny. Now I have to choose between seeing it and Brave this weekend. So excited for Brave!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Prometheus review.
ReplyDeleteDespite your critisism I would like to see Prometheus.
I hope and wish the German synchronization will not ruin the movie. I did not like the German trailer.
Aww I was really hoping Prometheus was going to be really good! The preview made it look really awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
ReplyDeleteSee, everyone keeps blaming John Carter's failure on marketing. I just don't think anyone was near prepared to care about John Carter. The only reason why I went to see it (and ended up LOVING it) was because of the marketing. It was exactly like Battleship in that maybe it was incredibly awesome, but what makes it relevant? There was no hook for modern audiences. The Hunger Games and The Avengers can do bonzo box office because they have a kewl factor. All the marketing in the world does not help movies without that gain it. The real failure was the lack of fan support.
ReplyDeleteTyrean, that sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteSiv, John Carter will not disappoint.
Michael, Disney's probably trying to recoup their losses. Of course, I can think of a lot of movies now that hit the theater and DVD at the same time.
Charles, it' a great story.
Andrew, it's worth it for the visuals, just be prepared.
Hart, this went beyond the usual ambiguity.
Emily, big hopes for Brave!
Edi, hope it doesn't. Be curious what you think of the movie.
I can't read your post because I'm avoiding Prometheus spoilers, which is tough to do, but I managed to avoid hearing the ending of "Lost" and I didn't watch the ending for two years after that show went off the air, so I'm like a pro at this.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I popped by 'cause I saw your comment on Andrew Leon's blog about not paying more than $10 for an ebook. I totally agree with that. Anything over $10 is a ripoff no matter who the author is.
Well I definitely want to rent John Carter, now. I missed it in theaters, and didn't hear much about it after that.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Prometheus yet, but I will. I've lowered my expectations, and I'm hoping that will mean I will be pleasantly surprised. I was shocked when I saw Ebert gave it 4 stars, given the buzz almost everywhere else is so mixed (much along the same lines as your take on it...great visuals, but thin characters and inexplicable actions).
ReplyDeleteMy kids want to see Madagascar 3, and I enjoyed the others, so we'll chalk that up for a summer break activity.
I plan to take my kids to see Madagascar. I'm sure they'll love it!
ReplyDeletecan always count on your solid reviews! will rent john carter, or buy asap =) and wait on prometh...
ReplyDeletemight see mad 3 in theater, depends on the boys' behavior!
yay for your progress & the news!
Ack! I'm so far behind in my movie viewing. Seeing Men in Black III this afternoon (grandson's choice) but I really want to see Mad 3.
ReplyDeleteMy 7 year old LOVED Madagascar. My 49 year old, not so much. But he was a good sport about it so he got lots of good husband and daddy points.
ReplyDeleteTony, it was a tough sell for today's audience, as it's a throwback in style. Still, they should've at least kept the word Mars in the title.
ReplyDeleteBriane, good to avoid my review because I did list spoilers. I've only once paid for an eBook over ten bucks and that was because it was a blogger buddy. Outside of that, I'll wait for the price to drop.
Allison, rent it!
Rick, take the kids! You'll enjoy. And you might enjoy Prometheus as well.
Tara, I try to be fair in my reviews!
Johanna, I liked it more than I expected.
I might go see Prometheus tomorrow if the timing works out okay. Then I might do an Alien marathon over the next week. Sounds like a plan :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't get to see it in 3D, but I finally got to see John Carter. Beautiful film. I got to see the finale of Game of Thrones and premiere of True Blood. So lots of TV watching for me and not enough writing done. At least my short story for the month is done.
ReplyDeletePrometheus looks like one of those movies where I end up being confused! May have to pass. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteProbably there's a better way to communicate than reciprocal commenting, but since I'm the guy who uses the Internet to teach people how to peel hardboiled eggs, this will work as well as any:
ReplyDeleteYou can certainly donate your points from commenting on the blogathon to Andrew.
So you liked Prometheus? I've heard a lot of bad talk about it. I wanted to see it and changed my mind. Now I think I'll change mind back. Even if it was a missed opportunity, it still sounds great! We LOVE Madagascar III! It's hilarious, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteGo Miami! Woot woot!
I hope you get lots of writing done this weekend, Alex. I'm in revisions. *sigh*
Prometheus has scenes that don't make sense? Sounds like my kind of movie.
ReplyDeleteI was watching the previews from John Carter and thinking that it doesn't look like a film I'd enjoy so much, but I'll probably watch the DVD eventually anyway.
Lee
What do you think?
Blogging from A to Z
Yes, Prometheus is one of the movies that I have interest to see.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Detroit Red Wings fan, so I'm not rooting for the Kings or the Devils.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen John Carter yet but I know my son really wants to see it.
Not sure about Prometheus, and still trying to figure out Inception, which I loved, but which I know will need a few more watchings for me to catch all the nuances enough to understand the ending which my son and I have debated endlessly as to it's meaning. I just want a longer shot of that last symbol...trying not to be spoilerish here.
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-Host of the A-Z Challenge
I'd heard bad things about John Carter, but we saw it in the $ flick and enjoyed it. Obviously not as good as the books, but it was a fun watch.
ReplyDeleteYou already know how I feel about Prometheus, so I won't bother weighing in. Haven't seen the kiddie movie and I did like John Carter also.
ReplyDeleteJamie, sounds like a good plan.
ReplyDeleteChristine, glad you liked John Carter!
Briane, that made me laugh! There's always email and Twitter if we're desperate. Will donate points to Andrew.
Robyn, I liked it although it had a lot of issues. Madagascar was very funny.
Lee, watch John Carter!
Donna, it was fun.
I would still like to see Prometheus and John Carter. We just don't get to the movies often. That's great news about CassaStorm. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Prometheus yet, but I'm hoping to soon. It looks really good, but I like your review. Now I'm even more interested in checking it out. I'm finally getting some writing done so I'm happy about that. Hopefully I can get it finished! We'll see.
ReplyDeleteI'd take Madagascar over Prometheus most days anyway, so your reviews confirmed my thoughts. I'll watch Madagascar when it comes out on DVD though...Happy Monday Alex.
ReplyDeleteDidn't see Prometheus but I'm going to rent John Carter. June writing is going pretty good.
ReplyDeleteCatching up on commenting and gosh that was definitely a movie weekend. My weekend is still a blur. I am waiting on Tyler Perry's Witness Protection to come out. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention Disney screwing up the marketing on John Carter -- I couldn't agree more. For me it was a fun movie with a solid lead character AND a great female one. Recently I read about the brilliant marketing the producers arranged for The Hunger Games and how it was one of the reasons that movie skyrocketed. Disney should hire those same folks.
ReplyDeleteI saw the preview for Prometheus and had no idea what it was about so I know I would get lost in the movie. I do want to see Madagascar, it looks very funny. Also John Carter. The only reason I even know about this movie is I have a friend who lives in France. Now that it is out I plan on renting it. I missed it in theature, sadly.
ReplyDeleteOh! Thanks for the vote!
Leigh, writing first!
ReplyDeleteGossip Girl, that made me laugh!
Helena, they should! And they made the princess even stronger in the movie than she was in the books.
I want to see Prometheus but also wanted to avoid the crowds. This weekend was a long weekend here and it was so wet and miserable, I figured EVERYone would have gone to the cinema, so I skipped it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reviews!
ReplyDeleteMy writing progress is good. I'm writing more than I thought I would, at least!
Totally agree with your Prometheus review. Opportunity missed. Maybe Spiderman will make up for it :)
ReplyDelete'It’s [Burroughs] the kind of story I wish I could write.'
ReplyDeleteI can totally appreciate that, Al.
Lynda, I'd really be curious to hear your thoughts on the theme of the movie.
ReplyDeleteGolden, that's good!
DL, that or Dark Knight Rises.
Thank you, Suze.
I can tell you didn't really like Prometheus. At the beginning you say "I liked it..." and the end you say it was "a very frustrating film to watch."
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like they took on too big of a subject. It reminds me of a Star Trek movie that was similiar and it didn't go too well either.
I didn't see anything this weekend... not planning on seeing Prometheus. Do want to see M3 and John Carter.
ReplyDeleteI'm supposed to go see Prometheus Thursday. Bummer about it's flaws. Looking forward to adding John Carter to the dvd collection.
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to see Madagascar 3, but I wasn't very interested in Prometheus. I can't wait to see the characters in the circus! :)
ReplyDeleteGood job getting another chunk of CassaStorm out!
Thanks for the movie reviews~
ReplyDeleteCongrats 33%! Well Done~
Off to visit Carol...sounds exciting!
That's too bad about Prometheus. I did look like it was going to be amazing. Exciting progress on CassaStorm! Thank you again for hosting me. :)
ReplyDeletePersonally I enjoyed the popcorn and candy I had at Prometheus far better than the candy and popcorn I had at John Carter!!! The butter flavoring was far superior!
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
The movie theater snack reviewer
Haven't seen Prometheus yet, I am saddened that the trailers are better than the actual movie, as they were awesome.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to see Snow White and the Huntsman this weekend.
Cindy, Star Trek V? And despite its shortcomings, I would watch Prometheus again.
ReplyDeleteMary, let me know what you think.
Krista, the movie is just fun. You'll enjoy.
Michael, you're welcome!
CM, the settings are still awesome though.
That makes sense about Prometheus. Too bad. I'll have to tell my hubby. I saw Madegascar too. Totally cute. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that I'll like Madagascar III single colors.
ReplyDeletePlanning to see John Carter and who knows I may just indulge my inner child and hit Magadascar, but first I must see the Avengers. I'm curious, are you going to review Magic Mike (snicker) Ciao Darlin'
ReplyDeleteYay for Madagascar. Were it not for kids' movies, seems we'd have almost no options for good quality cinema these days.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
Pretty sure I've decided to go see JOHN CARTER at the second run theatre on Sunday. A Father's Day gift to myself. And while I'm certain Disney did screw up the marketing, I wonder if this movie was too — for lack of a better term — genre to be mass-marketable.
ReplyDeletePrometheus kind of disappointed me too. I have to admit John Carter looked terrible when I saw the trailer, but maybe it's a worth a shot after all...
ReplyDeleteIn typical RS fashion, I expect the director's cut Blue Ray of Prometheus to be a much better film. The most recent Robin Hood (featuring Russell Crowe) is a perfect example, as is Gladiator. Both movies were far superior in the longer cuts. (Though Gladiator was great in the theatrical version as well.) Just think Scott struggles with time/story constraints and choices.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely have to check out Carter. I dodged it in the theater because of a few tepid reviews and the advertising made it seem weird. Thanks for the tip!
Mina, it was! I was surprised.
ReplyDeleteHilde, probably not!
Robyn, think that one is up your alley.
Joshua, it's definitely a unique genre with the blend of science fiction and fantasy. Glad you've decided to see it then.
Sangu, John Carter is the better film - go see it!
I loved the Madagascar. the first more than the second which was just "okish". I'll definitely have to check out this one though. Marty's my fave :)
ReplyDeleteNo movies for me this weekend (come to think of it, I don't recall the last movie I saw in the theaters... Hunger Games, maybe?). However, I did get a lot of rewrites/edits done on my story, so I feel good about it!
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on the new book, Talli!
I'm looking forward to watching Madagascar III! I really enjoyed the other ones :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of the big blockbusters, and like TL the last movie I saw was The Hunger Games (I think I've ben to three movies in two years.) But Prometheus sounds intriguing despite its plot/character issues.
ReplyDeleteI was sooo hoping for the Devils to win the Cup but alas, it was not meant to be. Also hoped the Celtics would stop LeBron and Miami, because I don't think OKC will. It's been a lousy sports summer for me so far--and I haven't even mentioned the last place Red Sox.
We just watched John Carter, and I couldn't believe how good it was. I couldn't believe it didn't do better and everyone wasn't talking about it. (I had never heard of it, except in passing.)
ReplyDeleteSo yeah. Totally agree on that one.
Good job for knocking out your next book! Way to be productive and all that.
You are the first person that I have heard to actually Like John Carter. I'm a little behind on movies so I haven't seen any of these yet :(
ReplyDeleteHowever I am reading Talli's book. Very good!
Thanks for the reviews! I'll have to check out John Carter for sure.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done much other than writing and revising and running around with the kids. I am hoping to get to take them to see Madagascar though.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I can say about this post is-YAY for mentioning the THUNDER! :D It's very exciting that our team has made it so far. Go Thunder!
And YAY to you for making great progress in CassaStorm!
Hope you have a fantastic day :)
Dafeenah, this one is much better than the second!
ReplyDeleteTL, that's also good.
Insomniac, I'm sorry. Yeah, tough to come back from three to one, but it has been done before.
Elana - see? It should've done SO much better. And working hard on CassaStorm.
Kela, hope the Thunder keeps rolling! (Oh look - bad pun.)
I haven't seen Prometheus yet. Heck, we don't even have a phone signal where we are for the next two weeks. I'm bogarding somebody elses wifi right now to try to catch on some blog reading. Anywho, I do want to see Prometheus and hope to do so soon. Madagascar, not so much. I will see it when and if, one of my grandkids brings it over to the house with them.
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS, Talli!! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteDespite my travels to Colorado and back, I actually revised 3 picture book ms texts. I'm hoping to get my Stanley Hotel blog post done tonight. :)
No movies for me.
I need to write more, too, but it's hard when this big wildfire is burning 15 miles away. Way too much drama way too close.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm having a blast visiting newer IWSG members, 25 so far. This list has gotten huge!!
ReplyDeleteEven the previews of Prometheus are confusing!
ReplyDeleteJohn Carter just didn't appeal to me. I don't know why...maybe it was the whole Disney movie thing...
Hmmm...I'm a baseball fan so basketball doesn't really hold any meaning for me. Hockey I like, but I haven't had a chance to watch any this year! Yikes!
As for June writing...I have a MacBeth paper coming up! Does that count?
Cheers,
Jen
I think part of the problem with John Carter is that Disney was trying to make it super family friendly, but also had some violent scenes and a half naked woman--it's hard to market that, and harder still for parents and kids to know what to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI probably won't see Prometheus. I just don't do well with scary movies.
Pat, at that point you'll have no choice but to watch Madagascar!
ReplyDeleteCandilynn, thank you for visiting others! I just can't keep up anymore. Wish I could.
Patricia, I'm sorry! Stay safe.
Jen, that counts!
Carolina it was definitely teens and above. So were the books!
No movie watching for me last weekend. Working on BuNo as well - you and I are about even on word count. Just keep plugging away:)
ReplyDeleteAlex, you do a fabulous job! No worries. I just hit another 15. :))
ReplyDeleteAwesome movie reviews! I have yet to see Prometheus or Madagascar, but they sound awesome! I especially have been meaning to watch Prometheus... the last movie I saw was The Avengers - which was AWESOME. Like, Avenger-Awesome! :P
ReplyDeleteJune writing is going great! I'm doing JuNoWriMo and the word sprints are so helpful!
~Wendy Lu
The Red Angel Blog
Hey Alex,
ReplyDeleteI am taking my son to see Prometheus. Even if the movie does not live up to the hype we have encountered in Britain, at least I've had a day out with my son who needs some time out and maybe buy some overpriced popcorn.
I note, as of this comment, you are one third complete with your novel. There you go and continued happy, fulfilling writing.
Gary
My June writing's going great guns. Camp NaNoWriMo asks for 50k, and I have 90k so far. My overall goal of 250k looks a little far off, and unachievable, but I'll still end with a lot of words!
ReplyDeleteI heard M3 was surreal, but haven't seen it.
ReplyDeleteDUDE! I LOVED PROMETHEUS!! (I didn't really mean to YELL there, lol)
ReplyDeleteTotally brought me back to my teen years when I was a huge Alien fan. Yeah, it raised questions, but I LOVED seeing the roots of the Alien franchise and speculating about the android and the trip to the Engineer's homeworld.
It was exactly the kind of movie we were in the mood for that night, though. And we went in with low expectations so . . . maybe that influenced my love for it?
I saw Prometheus yesterday. Honestly, it was almost as disappointing as The Last Airbender. I wanted it to be really good.
ReplyDeleteI liked the beginning, but it really lost me when the crew woke up and met each other for the first time. I mean, only 17 people (not a big crew) on a trillion dollar mission to meet God, and there wasn't even a general crew briefing before they left? McDonald's has better team orientation than Weyland Co.
The characters simply didn't fit the premise. The rag-tag group of roughnecks worked in Alien because they were essentially truck drivers, and in Aliens because they were Marines; in Avatar the scientists acted like scientists (not idiots) and the corporate people were properly motivated by greed, not hidden daddy issues and lack of faith; in LOST the random group of disparate characters were on a commercial airline flight, not a diplomatic / scientific mission to the edge of the galaxy to meet the engineers behind life on earth.
There were some good moments, sure, but the story still had deep flaws. Pretty but really dumb; it's the blonde joke of cinema.
I think helmets deliver more protection than just oxygen (like warmth when it's 12 below, and protection from falling stuff in an ancient decrepit environment).
I think spacesuits would be a little bit flame retardant.
I think abdominal muscles, once severed, will not provide the tensile strength required for locomotion for several days, no matter how many staples are applied and how many pain pills one downs.
And after watching LOST, and after watching this movie, I have no faith that a sequel will answer anything. I expect it to raise a new set of questions.
All three of these movies are ony list to watch soon :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been hidden in my writing cave for several days, but now I am happy to report that my novel is finally FINISHED! My CPs got their copies yesterday to critique. I'm booking a professional editor and my cover designer is starting this week to work on the cover :-) So these are my June writing news.
Great ... I plan to see Prometheus tonight with my husband (his pick of course). Hope we're not wasting $$$ ?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reviewing John Carter, Alex. My hub and I usually wait for movies to come out on paper view and I was excited to see it there a few nights ago. My hub nixed it, however, stating that it tanked in the box office and so much not be good. I argued that box office ratings didn't necessarily mean that, but he was adamant. I'll now be showing him this rating and watching this movie tonight!!! You are fab as always!
ReplyDeleteWell I have a four year old so we'll definitely see Madagascar, we loved the first 2. I feel like Prometheus has been made a few times before, like once with James Spader and once with Dennis Quaid.
ReplyDeleteOh magnificent master ninja, I bow to your awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteI am so excite about Prometheus. We are watching all of the alien movies now.
And I am currently reading Provex City and love it.
Thanks Alex!!
Andrea
Wow! Am I late commenting to this post or what! We saw Madagascar II and it was a fun film safe for the whole family. A bit corny at times but that;s okay. I like corny so corn me up!
ReplyDeleteOops ... make that Madagascar III.
ReplyDeleteWendy, the Avengers is the best movie of the year so far!
ReplyDeleteGary, and time with your son is far more important!
Ali, it's a love it or hate it kind of film.
Rick, you brought up some really good points. Sadly, the more I think about this movie, the less I like it. Too many plot holes.
Angela, congratulations!
Siobhan, the visuals are good.
Sabrina, I hope you convinced him!
Lisa, good point.
Thanks Andrea and welcome!
Stephen, corny is sometimes what we need.
Your right, Prometheus was good but not great - still exciting to watch though. There better be a sequel!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend Alex! :)
great reviews!!! thank you! I can't wait to see Madagascar. John Carter was one of my FAVs this year. Just got it on blue ray. LOVE IT.
ReplyDelete