Late winter is always a desolate time, both weather- and movie-wise, though there are a few bright spots in March (“The Hunger Games” are almost upon us…). That said, the weekend of March 9 looks pretty hit-or-miss. Disney has been heavily promoting “John Carter,” its movie about barbarian warfare on Mars starring Taylor Kitsch. A lot of money went into the film, and they can probably expect decent returns, especially in light of the other available offerings. “Silent House” is your generic girl-stuck-in-a-house-and-scary-things-happen movie, starring Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of those twins that were in “Full House.” And then there’s “A Thousand Words,” the offering for all those wanting to watch a vaguely culturally insensitive movie starring Eddie Murphy. A spiritual guru teaches Murphy’s character a lesson about lying or whatever by connecting his lifespan to the number of words he says – or something like that. Cue lots of confusion with his lady friend who wants him to express himself! Look for “Carter” to take the weekend by sheer brute force; but returns will only be in the mid-$20 million range, “Silent” and “Words” will offer muted openings in the single digits.