I don't think they really knew who their target market was, and that was part of the problem.

I'm not even sure the guns & explosions crowd would find it attractive.

Or the Transformers crowd for that matter. No 30-foot robots, you see. I watched Transformers simply because I loved them as a kid and I'll be a sucker for them for that reason only.

Seems to me their market is the sort of person who enjoyed 'Final Fantasy'. Which also bombed.

I read a couple of John Carter books as a kid and don't remember them being much cop - the whole Mars thing being completely irrelevant (could easily have been Journey to the Centre of the Earth). Mind you, I also read several Tarzan books and wouldn't have banked on them being successful if I hadn't known anything about them.

Cheers for the Mafia suggestions all. On my list!

I went to see Act of Valor over the weekend.

Firstly it was really refreshing to see to a modern American War film that isn't packed full of the over top jingoism that you seem to see nowadays. It made the film so much the better for it, you could connect with the characters instead of almost wanting them to get shot or blown up.

Considering all the main characters involved were all real US Navy SEALS in effect playing themselves, it was rather well acted. I loved the first person shooter camera angles that were used, at times it was like watching a more realistic version of Call Of Duty.

If you like war films it's definitely worth a watch.

Anyone seen The Hunger Games yet? Have read all three books, just wondering if anyone has read the first book and then seen the film has any views on how it translates on the screen?

Do you know what the French call [iThe Hunger Games[/i? [iBattle Royale[/i with cheese.

My latest film from Lovefilm is The Conversation. Looks like it'll be right up my street

I can't wait for thishttp://www.horror-movies.ca/2012/02/uk-release-date-for-the-raid/rl

A belter of a film, with a fantastic central performance from Gene Hackman. Enjoy.

Having just watched it I'd say it's more a Battle Royale without the meat.

It's by no means a bad film, certainly the teenagers will be flocking to the cinema in droves. In fact if you've never seen Battle Royale you'll probably think it's pretty good like my parents did after watching it last night. If you have though you'll realise that it's a bit a of a rip off of the Japanese film and it lacks the thought provocation and sheer raw brutality that made Battle Royale such a great film.

Certainly is. Hackman is quality, like most of the work he produces. The film was shown regularly on either Film4 or ITV4 last year.

The excellent 2009 Chinese film 'City of Life and Death' is shown on BBC4 tonight. Centred around the Nanking Massacre during the Sino-Japanese war. It's powerful emotional stuff. Well worth the record button for a rainy day.

Cracking movie ,Shot in black & White I think ? The first time I watched this was on a dodgy dvd a couple of years ago so I'll give this another watch. The story of John Rabe is another good movie along the same lines as this one.

Yup. Black and white like us Bones. Film was a long time in the making. The Chinese censors fine tooth combed it.

Wasn't that mad on it myself. It wasn't rubbish but it felt a bit [iSchindler's List[/i when I thought the Chinese might have been a bit more imaginative rather than just do the same thing The Beard did.