Xaaralia

"John Carter" is everything I wanted to see in a movie. There is no deep message to decipher, no social parallels trying to manipulate your point of view. This movie is a pure, unadulterated action adventure fest that took me back to a time when movies like "Jason and the Argonauts" and "The Mysterious Island" could flood my senses with thrills, awe, wonder and excitement. In a time when the global audience has grown into the sophistication of CGI technology in movies, "John Carter" achieves a unique status in my mind: the special effects do not overpower the story, they enhance it in delightfully skillful way.

I read all of the "John Carter" books before I was 12 years old. But, honestly, I don't remember much about them. I remember bits and pieces, but I was much more a fan of E.R. Burroughs "Tarzan" books. So, watching this incarnation of "John Carter" was like visiting the material for the first time...again.

To be succinct, "John Carter" may not be a 'must see' movie, but it is the most thoroughly enjoyable movie I've seen in a long time. Let me put it another way: the excitement I anticipated for "Cowboys and Aliens" was finally fulfilled by "John Carter". 'Nuff said!

I was apprehensive about seeing this film. I'm a fan of Kirsten Dunst, but not fanatically so. I'm not that familiar with the works of Lars Von Trier. But, festival pre-speak of the film intrigued me so, last night, when I saw it listed in Comcast's On-Demand line-up I shelled out the ten bucks for the film. I don't regret it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I can understand that many will not appreciate the slow pace. But, I was consumed and mesmerized by the visual content and style of the film. The colors, lighting, time manipulation, and even the pageantry, drew me in and fascinated me.

It's difficult to talk about the story without releasing spoilers. (And I don't want to do that.) But I feel two performances stand out and deserve mention: Kirsten Dunst's and Keifer Sutherland's.

Kirsten Dunst was simultaneously radiant and nuanced. There were times when she was startlingly drab. Her role was the anchor post that bound the entire film together. I enjoyed her performance in this film even more than her performance in "Cat's Meow", which is saying a lot from me.

The other performance that stood out to me was that of Keifer Sutherland. The role he played was understated and peripheral. But it led you to a certain conclusion about the character of the man he was portraying. Thus, the final reveal of his character was unexpected.

In whole, I found "Melancholia" to be a pageant of visual imagery and nuanced character interaction. If you're looking for a sci-fi action fest, look elsewhere. But if you appreciate pure artistry on a cinematic canvas then I suspect you will enjoy this film. My final statement is that I went to bed and dreamed about "Melancholia". And, when I woke up this morning I was still replaying the film in my mind's eye. That doesn't happen very often.