Confessions of a 20-something Manchild: February 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

2012 Most anticipated films: March

John Carter (March 9) - A war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Based on a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, I've read a few of the stories and they are pretty good. I'm not expecting much out of this film, so I can't be disappointed. Hopefully I am surprised.

Salmon Fishing in Yemen (March 9.) - When Britain's leading fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheikh's (Amr Waked) vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, he immediately thinks the project is both absurd and unachievable. But when the Prime Minister's overzealous press secretary (Kristin Scott Thomas) latches on to it as a "good will" story, this unlikely team will put it all on the line and embark on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible, possible.

I don't know a lot about this film either, but is stars Ewan McGregor, who is an excellent actor, and has an interesting plot. Sounds like a win in my book. It's opening in a limited release, hopefully that includes somewhere near me.

21 Jump Street (March 16) - An undercover police unit consisting of young looking officers infiltrate high schools to control youth crime.

Two week ago this wasn't anywhere near an anticipated film for me. Normally it would be a never see. I'm not a huge fan of modern buddy cop movies, and I hate most of those TV show remakes to the big screen. However I saw a trailer for this while at a screening for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and was pleasantly surprised.

Jeff Who Lives at Home (March 16) - Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.

This is another one that I don't know a lot about outside of a trailer, and that Jason Segel (TVs How I Met Your Mother) stars in it as a stoner on a quest for wood glue. Probably not something I'll shell out cash for a theater experience, but I'll see it on DVD.

The Hunger Games (March 24) - Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old from a poor territory that was once Appalachia, becomes a gladiator in a reality-show that is a battle to the death against other teens from the 12 districts of the former United States.

Based on a book of the same name. I haven't worked my way through the book yet, so I may have to put the movie on the back burner, hopefully I'll have time for both by March 24. Sequels are already planned for the three other books in the series.