By watching a movie every day and having frequent contact to diverse kinds of productions, it's becoming more and more clear what moves on the movies.
I'd always liked space stories, but now I'm realizing how they are among my favorites. It was particularly clear when I left the cinema on this day thinking how I would like to be lost and alone on Mars (If I was so intelligent as an astronaut, I mean).
I had great expectations towards The Martian, directed by none other than Ridley Scott. I was a bit afraid to be disappointed, there has been a big fuss around this movie, so I was cautious. But when small signs showed that maybe I would have a great time on this screening. I arrived on time at the theater, bought a nice lunch to accompany me, the guy at the ticket office was super nice (that is not usual on the movie complex where I usually go). The air conditioning was on, I located myself at my favorite first roll, without anyone around me (absolute heaven). Han Solo on the trailers, everything was going beautifully. Until the movie began and then the things were even more amazing.
I just loved it. I enjoyed every part of this movie. And despite a lot of comments on how it is too fantastic and away from reality, it felt immensely true to me. I was crying hard at the end, too overwhelmed by the events. Matt Damon is great here, for sure, as the supporting cast. The scene when one of the astronauts waves to the other astronaut outside the ship is so cute and so evocative, it avoids the risk of being cheesy. I don't know, there's something about a human being floating on space, even if on a spaceship, that calls to something in me deeply. That's why I love Gravity so much. And Interestelar. And 2001. And a lot of other amazing sci-fi space movies, some of them has made an appearance here on OMAD. Summarizing, I love movies about lost people and space movies... Lost people on space are the best, then :).
One of the things that I've was ecstatic to see you won't believe what it is. I was marveled by how Mark Watney, the lost astronaut on Mars, was organized. Yep. You've read it right. I'm aware that it is a bit too Monica of me, but I though that the care to this kind of detail was beautiful.
Other element that I enjoyed is this: for me, there a fierce emphasis in how one single life matters, even if in a bigger scenario. And how politics and other shenanigans can be set aside in order to save one life. I've read in the imdb.com trivia that China asks for an astronaut to be on the next Mars expedition in change for its collaboration on Watney's rescue. That fact is addressed in a subtle way on the movie, so I kept the impression that the opportunity to help saving that astronaut's life would be enough to a great politic power give away one of its technological secrets. Silly me, I know. But, even if it is not like that, I left the movie theater with the feeling that that one life alone is able to overcome many barriers, in a small or big scenario. That hope, I guess, is not silly at all.
And now, I'm eager to ready the book - I don't believe I never heard about it before...
 |
| The Martian. Directed by Ridley Scott. With: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels. Writers: Drew Goddard from the book by Andy Weir. USA, 2015, 141 min., Dolby Digital/Dolby Atmos, Color (CInema). |
PS: Reading about the book by Andy Weir, I was very impressed with the author. First, he designed a software to calculate the distance/time involved in the journey between Earth and Mars (wow). He published his book for free on his own blog for fun (!!!) and after that, put it on amazon.com for $ 0,99, the minimal cost. Seriously, this guy must be as brillliant and crazy as he protagonist. Amazing.
PPS: One of the most curious facts on the imdb.com trivia: "This movie does not have any antagonist character". Oh, ok. Good to know.
PPPS: My dear friend Kal told me that there were two songs that reminded her of me on the film. I was a bit worried about not identifying them, but I should have not worried. Don't Leave This Way, on the Jimmy Somerville's voice, were one of our favorites on the first year of college (in the movie it is on the original interpretation by Thelma Houston). The other song is from Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars, by David Bowie: Starman has a nice version in portuguese.
PPPS: My dear friend Kal told me that there were two songs that reminded her of me on the film. I was a bit worried about not identifying them, but I should have not worried. Don't Leave This Way, on the Jimmy Somerville's voice, were one of our favorites on the first year of college (in the movie it is on the original interpretation by Thelma Houston). The other song is from Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars, by David Bowie: Starman has a nice version in portuguese.
You're right, this film certainly delivers! It's great entertainment. I like what you pointed out about how one life matters and overcomes barriers. I also enjoyed Matt Damon's character and how organized and smart he is. Anyone else would've died, betting on faith alone. But he had a plan and made it happen, always keeping his cool and his sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like Astronauts are the new Zombies? I mean, they're everywhere now. I heard there's a TV series coming up soon that's set in space. But you look at Interstellar, and it's such a masterpiece with a story very well constructed, then you come back to The Martian, and it feels like a cool approach to a very similar plot. Lots of respect for Interstellar, it's a genius film, by a genius man, but it's like college during finals week, whereas The Martian feels like the first week off when you go on holidays. One thing I loved about it was how the main character is it's own comic relief. Apart from his sarcastic one-liners and his endearing personality, what really made it for me was how they used music to lighten up the mood in the story. Whenever they cut to Mark on Mars, we'd listen to Disco music, and that helped break away from the terror that's contained in the plot, the horror of being left alone, stranded on a different planet. While everyone on Earth was desperately trying to find a way to save him, we, as an audience, would always get a relief from that tension whenever Mark popped back on screen listening to, say, Gloria Gaynor or Donna Summer. That was a great asset.
I also loved the final message at the end, I thought that was a nice touch and good way to round up the story. Overall, I had fun, I learned stuff and had a great time watching this film. I applaud it for presenting an interesting story, with compelling facts, and with a heart.
[ j ]