What is up with all the garbage in the movie theaters this year?

John Carter is a creation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs, same guy who gave us Tarzan and The Land that Time Forgot (just mentioned those because those are the ones I liked). I have never read his books, but DC comics once featured John Carter back in the 70s. The movie of the same title has been done to try to introduce and old classic to the new generation, of course those who are not familiar with it will be astonished why this came up just now. It is a fantasy story and yes probably the story shown in a modern society looks ridiculous, but I fear they couldn't have done the great FX in the 70s better than we would have done today. So it's a mix of the coming too late for our time. Battleship is a ridiculous story in itself, no argument there, but I still came to watch for the FX. I grew up watching transformers in cartoons and I'm sick of that myself. Though I still love to be distracted by the FX, what can I say I'm an artist and a frustrated special FX guy, I've never had my chance at it halfway around the world, and I can't stay away from movies that show things that I want. Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans is by far one of the greatest as I love all that effort in making all those high end props, makeup and yeah Special FX. If there's hollywood special FX in any movies, you're sure to see me in the theaters or buy the DVD (whichever is convenient for me).

I really enjoyed John Carter personally, I thought it was a fun movie. I haven't read the books, but they're ancient as Alice in Wonderland so they're in the public domain and all that. Haven't seen Battleship, my parents did though and they both said they really enjoyed it. No plans to see Five Year Engagement, but I don't go much for romantic comedies these days. I like classic comedies, they're much funnier to me. I disagree with you. I don't think theaters are any more full of garbage than they've been within the past 30 years. In fact, I've seen whole lots more movies coming out that I really want to see like adaptations of my favorite YA novels like the Hunger Games, and fairy tale retellings like Snow White and the Huntsman. There's always another expensive action movie that looks like everything else and romantic comedies that look like they'd fit right in on the Lifetime channel. I don't think that's something recent.

I havent heard of battleship or John Carter but I saw the five-year engagement on the shelf to borrow from the library when I was there yesterday so I borrowed it and watched it last night with my friend. There were a lot of really funny parts in the movie but I really didnt care for the ending and some of the stuff just could have been cut out and would have made for a shorter less boring movie.

Summer time is the time for 'kids movies'. And as you have listed there are a slew of them out right now. If you don't like the ones that are on at the movie theater save some money and rent some from the red box or Netflix. I love Netflix. Very fast and great customer service. Sounds like you have cable too. They have been having some great war shows on the Military channel, Clint Eastwood movies tonight, etc. Edgar Rice Burroughs created the character of John Carter. He wrote a series of books about Mars and this was the first one. I used to spend my days at the park reading his books. Very exciting. He was one of the first writers to use the 'cliff hanger'.

You are not the only one. Its either your standards have gone up high or the films'standards have gone down low. I hope the next films that are coming out are worth the trip to the movies.