IMDb plot summary: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney 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.
Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, and Jeff Daniels.
(Very very mild spoilers.)
One of the things I didn't expect from this movie was for it to be as light-hearted as it is. I'd expected a colder sci-fi thriller, something along the lines of Gravity. When I saw at the end that Drew Goddard had written the screenplay, that made ALL the sense. It's that light-hearted tone that makes this movie stand out at something special, and, interestingly enough, the tone doesn't ever make it feel like not enough is at stake. It just helps us enjoy the ride a lot more.
My husband also brought something up that made me think -- that it was really nice to, for once, have a sci-fi story where everybody was working together for good things, Star Trek-style. The movie wasn't about politics or greed, it was about the bigger question of helping a human stuck on Mars. I think that helps as well. It's a genuinely inspirational movie. It's an interesting Best Picture nominee, and even though there's no way it'll win, I'm happy it was on the list.
4 stars.
How it entered my Flickchart:
The Martian > Camp Rock
The Martian > Argo
The Martian < High School Musical
The Martian > Kiss Me, Stupid!
The Martian > The Bumblebee Flies Anyway
The Martian < The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
The Martian > Muppets Most Wanted
The Martian < Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
The Martian < The Gods Must Be Crazy
The Martian < Paths of Glory
The Martian < Edge of Tomorrow
The Martian < Big Hero 6
Final spot: #351 out of 2421.
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