Your Geek Movie List: March, 2012

So, I'm back after being kidnapped by Martians, who are anti-blog, so they wouldn't let me keep up to date with you. And speaking of Martians, let's lead off our movie picks for 2012 with the obvious winner: John Carter (Goes to Mars and Battles the 12-Foot Tall Barbarians). One of the positive aspects of having a Kindle is that a whole bunch of old literature is available for next to nothing. Last summer I worked my way through 10 or 12 John Carter novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame). Lots of action, the good guy gets the girl, very 1930's. March 9 is the release date for John Carter. IMDB lists this movie as the longest movie to be in pre-production.    

Pre-production for a film version first started in 1931, when Robert Clampett (director of 'Looney Tunes') approached author Edgar Rice Burroughs to make an animated feature out of the first book in the series, "A Princess of Mars" (the same story that this film is an adaptation of). Had plans gone through, 'John Carter' could have become the world's first animated feature, beating Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).   

Their loss is our gain. This movie could do for Taylor Kitsch what Conan did for the Governator.  

If John Carter is even moderately successful, expect sequels galore (as Inigo says).  

Also coming out in March (the 23rd) is the first of the Hunger Games movies. This sci-fi film is based on a very popular series of young adult novels in which young adults are trained to kill each other. In this scenario of the future, a post-apocalyptic North America has been divided into a rich Capitol and 12 poorer districts. From Wikipedia's review of the book:  

As punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol, every year, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected by lottery and forced to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised event in which the participants, or "tributes," must fight to the death in a dangerous, outdoor arena, controlled by the Capitol, until only one remains.  

Novelist Suzanne Collins credits the story of Theseus and the Minotaur as an inspiration for her stories. The books were enjoyable. Let's hope the movie is as good.   

Thanks for being patient during my long absence from your computer. We're back in business. With tutoring (I'm up to 8 students a week now) and new church duties, I haven't had the time that I used to. But, no more excuses. Expect a more regular dose of I've Got The Time for the winter and spring.