I’ve seen three trailers in theaters in the past few weeks that have caught my eye. I’m starved for a good science fiction film, especially since most of the reading I do is epic fantasy (which gets less screen time than scifi by a long shot) and I don’t care to read many science fiction novels (although I do indulge the occasional space opera).
Today, while waiting to see This Means War, we saw a trailer for Prometheus, a Ridley Scot film that looks amazing and is a prequel to his 1979 classic (and also amazing) Alien (it and it’s sequel Aliens are two of my favorite scifi movies and I will re-watch them, any part of them, any chance I get). The trailer didn’t reveal much, beyond the stunning space and spaceship scenery. “The plot follows the crew of the spaceship Prometheus in the late 21st century, as they explore an advanced alien civilization in search of the origins of humanity. … According to Scott, though the film shares “strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak”, Prometheus will explore its own mythology and universe.” Wikipedia Prometheus article. Even if this film doesn’t add much, if anything, to the Alien mythos, I’m definitely looking forward to it’s release because I can rely on Ridley Scot to deliver a well told tale that will most likely knock my socks off.
Last weekend, while Terry and I waited to watch Red Tails, we saw the trailer for Battleship, a military science fiction film slated to be released later this year. The Wikipedia article’s synopsis: “In the Hawaiian Islands, an international naval fleet at Pearl Harbor engage in a dynamic and intense battle against an alien species known as “The Regents”. The aliens come to planet Earth on a mission to build a power source in the ocean. Upon their visit, they come in contact with the naval fleet. The film is also purported to show both sides of the story, from the aliens’ perspective, as well as the humans’ so the audience knows exactly where the opponent’s ships are.”
But the one film I’m really excited about this year is John Carter, billed as a epic science fantasy, and I’d agree with that assessment. Terry and I saw the trailer back in late January while waiting for We Bought A Zoo. Not only did they get the aliens and the alien animals correct, they used Led Zeppelin‘s iconic Kashmir as the audio backdrop, which gave me goose bumps. I read Burrough’s A Princess of Mars five years ago and loved it. The film is largely based on that same book, the first one to feature John Carter. “In the novel John Carter is a former American Civil War Confederate Army captain who is mysteriously transported to Mars, known to its inhabitants as Barsoom. In the course of his adventures he learns that the planet is dying from the loss of its atmosphere and water, and that only a peaceful alliance of its intelligent inhabitants can save all the species of Barsoom from extinction.” — Wikipedia John Carter article.
I’ve seen three movies thus far, in 2012, and each time I’ve seen a trailer for yet another movie I can’t wait to see. Keep them coming! Last year left me high and dry, so much so that I think the only movie Terry and I saw in the theater was the last Harry Potter film.