The Martian

[miaedu]

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

In Theaters - November, 2015

 

[Spiff]

I'm reading the book now. About 70% done. Being a sci-fi fan, I must say this book struggles to keep me interested. The story is dominated by situations where Watney does mundane tasks to survive. One after another. I suspect the movie is going to be very loosely based on the book, otherwise it is going to have a hard time keeping a movie audience engaged for 2 hours.

My condensed version of the book: "(Sol 1) I'm fucked. (Sol 2) I lied, I am ok. (Sol 3) Oh no, I am fucked again. (Sol 4) No, not really. (Sol 5) Now I am really fucked. (Sol 6) Wrong again. (repeat 100 sols more). "

 

[MikeScott]

Looks great. Terrific cast. Love Kristen Wiig and Jessica Chastain.

 

[buffxqui]

Any project by Ridley Scott is worth checking out!

 

[miaedu]

The Martian Reveals Humanity's Worst Fears and Best Hopes

Science fiction has always been the realm of the unexplained, our place to dream for a brighter future and push the boundaries of reality. When we think of sci fi we think of strange new worlds, of whacky aliens and weird technology. Star Wars gave us adventure and fantasy in a sci fi setting, Terminator blasted onto our screens as a humans vs cyborgs shoot-em-up, Firefly showed us that a new galaxy is just another frontier. There are many sub-genres to sci fi, and many stories to be told. But at the core of all of them is humanity's simple longing to understand itself better.

In the last ten years, serious sci fi films have looked inward rather than outward, revealing that no matter how far fetched your setting, humankind always behaves the same way. We still get lonely, we still strive for a better future, we still love each other. The Martian is definitely going to follow this trend. With a star studded cast, this film is going to be in turns poignant and thrilling, if the initial trailer is anything to go by.

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2015/07...-best-hopes-3364279?lt_source=external,manual

 

[miaedu]

Running over two hours long, featuring a massive ensemble cast of A-list stars and rising up-and-comers, and presented in crisp, often beautifully shot 3D, the grand thesis of the “The Martian,” for all its shiny trappings, remains simple, direct, and undeviating, and best summarized by Jesse Pinkman from “Breaking Bad”: “Yeah, science!” Or, to quote astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who must do some serious mental gymnastics to save his life when stranded on Mars: “I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this.” Essentially, “The Martian” might be the most expensive movie ever made about the great, nerdy, power of science.


http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayl...on-jessica-chastain-chiwetel-ejiofor-20150911

 

[miaedu]

‘The Martian’ Review: One Giant Leap for Sci-Fi

Matt Damon plays an astronaut who gets stranded on the Red Planet in Ridley Scott’s latest space odyssey.

After NASA announced early this week that its scientists had found definitive signs of liquid water on the surface of Mars, jokes flashed around the Web that the announcement was timed to promote the opening of “The Martian.” Why not, though? Anyone who sees this wonderful film would want to promote it. Maybe some private screening for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory propelled movie lovers in NASA’s ranks to get behind a compelling adventure that finds life on the surface of Mars. Matt Damon’s astronaut, Mark Watney, doesn’t just struggle to survive after his crew assumes he has died during an epic storm and leaves him behind. He lives a rich, intense life sustained by wry humor, piercing intelligence and an irrepressible spirit of invention.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-martian-review-one-giant-leap-for-sci-fi-1443718837