Thursday, March 1, 2012

A strange plea: see John Carter

Please go see John Carter on opening day (March 9). Or at least opening weekend.

This John Carter:



Not this John Carter:



(not that there's anything wrong with him :-)




Check it out:



Doesn't it look GOOD?

New trailer:



I haven't seen it. I can't promise you that it will be awesome, but here's the thing: I believe it most likely IS (people I trust have said so), and more importantly, for various reasons (some of them selfish): 

I WANT MORE BIG-BUDGET SCI FI &
FANTASY MOVIES TO BE MADE!

Don't you? I am STILL bitter that no one went to see Serenity, which was incredibly good, and as a result we didn't get a sequel. What's up, world?? Meanwhile, Star Wars and Transformers make bank. And not to cast aspersions on those franchises -- good for them -- but come on, let's have some new stuff too. 

And no, technically John Carter isn't NEW. It's based on 100-year-old books by the creator of Tarzan, but it's fresh in to film. For all intents and purposes, it is original. You might not think it is your thing. Pretty people + space ships + Mars + fighting. But what if there is also awesome design and storytelling? Again, I can't promise from personal experience, but it seems to have everything going for it, starting with a terrific director (Andrew Stanton, WALL-E and Finding Nemo), an awesome cast (Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Lynn Collins, and more):




... super-cool-looking production design and creatures, and a kick-ass premise:


John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), a once Confederate soldier, is a man with nothing to lose. He dreams of finding  gold in the Arizona territory so he can spend the rest of his days as a rich man. But in the midst of a struggle with some Apache Indians, Carter finds himself transported to new world known as Barsoom, or as he knows it as, Mars. Because of the gravity differences, Carter is now stronger, faster, and can jump higher than anyone else on the planet, which makes him a target as an ally for some, such as Prince Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) and Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe), or an enemy for others.  But Carter soon realizes there is more happening on Barsoom than some may realize, and finds that he may the only person who can save the planet and it’s people from complete destruction.

Come on, guys. See it, so film studios will continue to give us big, new movies. Like, say, Daughter of Smoke and Bone :-) *bats eyelashes*

There is some concern it won't open well, and you know these days movies depend utterly on their opening weekends, and I just want this one to succeed. (If it turns out to be good!) and I am very concerned after tweeting yesterday about having an opening day Twitter party and getting only *one* response. What's up with THAT??? Come on. Opening night John Carter party. Who's in? If it's not your thing, make it a whole night of not-your-thing. Wear a wig and eat dessert for dinner and go buy a book you would usually not pick up. 

Why not? Life is short, and we need more sci-fi & fantasy!!



MARCH 9:
SEE JOHN CARTER.
SPREAD THE WORD.
BRING FRIENDS.
TWEET ABOUT IT!

Twitter hashtags #johncarter #johncarterparty (use both). 



I really hope to get some more responses this time!

No pressure of course :-)


P.S. Um, Tim Riggins anyone? I mean, come on :-)








24 comments:

Kate said...

Wow. I think this is the first time I've ever been the first to comment. . .
Anyway, I am totally up for going. :) I'll go alone if I have to. :) (Something I most likely normally wouldn't do, but what the hay I'll make it a not me day, it's sounds like fun. Although I have to pick "choosing something I wouldn't normally pick up" besides a book, because me not picking up any book at all would be the normally something I don't do and I'm not ready to change that quite yet. . . But then again I'm going to see a movie so I won't need to pick up a book.) :)
Answer in short: I will go see it, I was planning on seeing it anyway might as well see it opening night. :) And let's do so cross our fingers that they go forth in making a Daughter of Smoke and Bone movie!!! :) :) :)

Mandy said...

I am desperate to see this!!! TAYLOR!! <3

Amber Elise said...

I'm probably going to end up seeing it, hopefully opening weekend. It's all my boyfriend can talk about and it does seem pretty cool (the world is sooo big!)

Let's do it!

Amber Elise @ Du Livre
Check Out Du Livre's Latest Blog Post: Initiation by Imogen Rose Blog Tour Stop and Giveaway

Catherine Denton said...

I'm sold! You are one convincing woman. Off to spread the word...
Catherine Denton

Connie Onnie said...

I love me some Tim Riggins but I have been nervous about it. Which I always am with any movie with a ton of special effects. If the story is solid then I am all for it but when a movie is just about special effects (looking at you transformers) I pass. But I will definitely give it a try, I will even tweet before and after the movie..but I don't tweet during movies :).

mordicai said...

YES PLEASE. I am a huge fan of ERB's Barsoom & I really want this movie to be wonderful & successful.

Erin said...

I've been planning on going since I saw the first trailer. Sadly, I haven't been able to spread the love on it. Just me and Hubby Fantastic for this one. I seriously need some new Sci-Fi friends. The ones who claim to be have a very limited appreciation outside of the mainstream stuff.
So glad there's people out there with influence (like you!) trying to get people out there.

sharonwrote said...

Looks great! Hey, who doesn't love an adventurous sci-fi flick that offers all that fabulous eye candy (hello biceps!)? My 12-yr-old son will love it (the action, the story, not the biceps--those are for me). We're in!

Laini Taylor said...

Kate: hi! You can always bring a book to read during all the pre-advertising crap :-)

NKR: Yay!

Amber Elise: *see* you there :-)

Catherine, aww shucks, hope it's worth it!

Connie Onnie, I know, me too, but given the director's background, I have hope. Fingers crossed!

Mordicai, I don't know the books, but maybe I'll check them out some day.

Erin, no chance of dragging friends? I think as long as something genre is GOOD there is always the chance of winning people over.

Sharon, ha, totally: for 12-yr-old boys and grown women in equal measure :-)

Molly Hall said...

SO glad you want to spread the word about this movie! I have been nervous that it won't do well, but I LOVE the cast and want it to be good! Also, random coincidence? I JUST blogged about Tim Riggins and how Friday Night Lights is a clinic in storytelling! Go Tim! Hope your movie opens big!

Jordan McMakin said...

Hi Laini! This movie looks thrilling. Certain imagery reminds me of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which gave me chills. *dying for book two*

Caroline Coughlin said...

I am at least going to see Tim Riggins in a loin cloth....

But yes. More fantasy/sci-fi. It is way more interesting and fun.

I bothers me that crap like Transformers does well. After the first one, I refused to see another one.

Rita said...

Oh, ANDREW STANTON is involved with this? I'm sold!! I didn't know that, and I was lukewarm about the trailer. I also didn't know this was a tale of Barsoom. Now I'm all over it.

Thanks for spreading the word!! I'm there opening weekend!

Cheers,
Rita

Myrna Foster said...

I've been excited for this one since December. Thanks for the reminder that it's almost here! :o)

SM Blooding said...

I couldn't agree MORE!! I want more big budget sci-fi movies!! I LOVE them!! Teheheh!

Frankie

Tracy Davis said...

Heck yes, and thanks for the heads up! This is the kind of movie those big screens are FOR. Taking the kids. :)

Amber said...

I will see it. I love that actor, and want to see more of him! Support Tim Riggins, I say!!

:)

Lady Optimistic said...

OMG! SciFi isn't my go-to genre, however I'm in for three reasons; 1. Because you recommend it; I respect your assessment as an expert in the field, 2. Taylor! I could watch him sit quietly for hours, but watching him moving around will be even better :-), 3. Andrew Stanton! We are a Pixar family. And Andrew's talents are beyond awesome. He can tell a story. Even though this isn't Pixar, only Disney, his talent will be the shiny bow, the whipped cream and cherries on top! Thank you!

Commander Kip said...

Dude, if I had known about Firefly when Serenity came out (I assume this is the Serenity you're talking about) I totally would have gone to see it in the theater. Probably multiple times. Sigh. So good.

But this looks fairly awesome as well. Must go see!

Connie Onnie said...

This week I have been asking my brothers (who are all adults) what they thought about John Carter. None of them seemed interested. All of my brothers grew up loving Star Wars but none of them ever geeked out about it. And they still go see Sci-fi so I tried digging a little deeper. One brother said he didn't understand what the movie was suppose to be about. Another said I don't understand why he can jump so high and far. And lastly one said I think it looks like The Mummy or The Scorpion King which when it all boils down to it all he was saying was it looks Disney. So why I think there is not more buzz and such about the film is one the trailer is confusing and two it is a Disney film and guys who like action film think Disney Action film is an oxymoron. Not that I agree with them or think they are right, I just thought I would share what I discovered.

Tracy Davis said...

There's a great new TED talk up this week, by the JOHN CARTER director, Andrew Stanton. All about the "clues to a great story." 'Tis awesome, especially about 17 minutes in, when he talks about a sense of wonder and how (and why) artists try to share it with others. Bingo.

John Carter and basketball -- what a weekend!

make up tips said...

WOW! i'm looking forward to see this movie

Anonymous said...

I'm definitely going. I love that you're promoting appreciation for the big budget sci-fi film. You need to push some Universal films -- That way, yours will be made quicker.;) I'm dying to see it come to live on the big screen!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Laini, I am late to the comments here but wanted to say that John Carter was awesome and I don't get either why it received such bad reviews. My husband is a huge Mars series fan and so convinced me as well and I thought it was so great that you made the plea to see the film opening weekend...you are wonderful!

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