Weekend (3/9) Movie Trailers & Reviews: Is 'John Carter' the Next 'Avatar?'

Quite possibly the biggest theatrical gamble of the year hits theaters this weekend as "John Carter" makes its nationwide release. But is it any good? Check below for reviews and trailers for the weekend's big movie releases.

"John Carter"

Rated PG-13, 1h 58m

Adapted from the series of sci-fi novels from "Tarzan" author Edgar Rice Burroughs, "John Carter" tells the story of a military officer who finds himself transported mysteriously to Mars. There, he becomes involved in a conflict between the race of aliens there and an invading force, using his physical advantages as a human to become the champion that will stand up to th evil invaders.

The movie is directed by Andrew Stanton, who has a long history with Pixar going back to "Toy Story" and most recently directed "Wall-E." Taylor Kitsch of "Friday Night Lights" stars as John Carter.

Critics are divided on the film, as reviews stand at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. There's plenty of action and impressive visuals, but the story doesn't always hold up. The movie aims to market itself as the next "Avatar," but what made "Avatar" such a hit was the innovative way that it filmed, and the inventiveness of Cameron's planet of Pandora. It is unlikely that Mars will capture imaginations in the same way.

See it if: Boom! Roar! Monsters! Explosions! Taylor Kitsch's abs!

"A Thousand Words"

Rated PG-13, 1h 31m

When Jack McCall, a fast-talking, manipulative literary agent played by Eddie Murphy, discovers a magical Bodhi tree in his backyard, it becomes clear that he only has a certain number of words left before he falls down dead. As you might have guessed from the title, that number is 1,000.

Critics have widely panned "A Thousand Words," and out of 29 reviews currently counted, none of them are positive. One of the criticisms points out that Murphy is a comedic actor mostly known for his words, which are taken away from him in this movie. A bold move? Yes. A good move? Not so much.

See it if: One word: don't.

"Friends With Kids"

Rated R, 1h 40m

Two platonic friends watch their friends get married and start to have kids, and decide that they should go ahead and try it to stay with the times. Of course, things aren't that simple, and having a kid together while dating other people doesn't go as smoothly as they anti-couple hoped.

"Friends with Kids" might not have the most original plot (it's similar to the Heigl/Duhamel rom-com "Life As We Know It"), but what it does have is a tremendous ensemble cast. "Bridesmaids" co-stars Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph and Chris O'Dowd star, along with "Parks and Recreation" star Adam Scott and writer/director Jennifer Westfeldt.

Critics have been lukewarm about "Friends with Kids" thus far, but the movie has managed a reasonable 62%. Complaints seem to mostly be about the predictability of the story (I'm sure we can all guess what happens in the end), but even the bad reviews tend to admit to plenty of funny moments.

See it if: You want more "Bridesmaids" but with a little less bodily function humor.