Here are 5 Mars-themed movies worth watching tonight
By: Shayna Murphy
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Here are 5 Mars-themed movies worth watching tonight
(Hulu)
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors
Countless Americans watched with awe as NASA’s latest robotic explorer, the Perseverance rover, landed safely on Mars earlier today. From green-suited space invaders firing ray guns to survival sagas pitting man against an inhospitable wilderness, these movies about Mars are an absolute must-watch for anyone who's still got space travel on the mind tonight.
1. Mars Attacks!
(Hulu)
If Martians actually landed on Earth, would they be friends... or foes? In Tim Burton's uproarious 1996 science-fiction comedy Mars Attacks! , we figure out the answer pretty quickly. This mega-hit, inspired by Burton's love of 50's-era space movies, features a star-studded cast, including Jack Nicholson, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito and so many others.
2. Total Recall
(Netflix)
Total Recall—the science-fiction blockbuster loosely based on Philip K. Dick's short story, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale - the 1990 version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, or you can catch the 2012 remake, which starred Colin Farrell. While the 1990 film is the best-known (and lets face it, most loved) version, there are reasons to appreciate the 2012 remake, too, although unlike the original flick, it's set on a future dystopian Earth, not Mars.
3. John Carter
(Disney+)
Inspired by A Princess of Mars , the first novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary Barsoom series, John Carter is an action-packed thrill ride that envisions an alternate version of Mars wherein two major cities on the planet are locked in an epic, thousand-year war. Taylor Kitsch and Willem Dafoe head up a star-studded cast, and the script—which was co-authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Michael Chabon—is a pure treat for fans of the genre.
4. The Martian
(Hulu)
Based on author Andy Weir's best-selling novel of the same name, The Martian chronicles one astronaut (Matt Damon) and his harrowing struggle to survive on the Red Planet against all the odds. Director Ridley Scott also directed the iconic science-fiction horror film Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982), a neo-noir set in a fictional, dystopian-era Los Angeles.
5. Mission to Mars
(IMDb)
When an exploratory trip to the Red Planet goes horribly awry, it's up to a team led by an American astronaut (Gary Sinise) to head up rescue efforts. Inspired by Disney's theme park attraction of the same name, Mission to Mars is a visually stunning film by director Brian De Palma, an auteur best known for crime dramas like Scarface (1983) and The Untouchables (1987).
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I thought that The Martian, starring Matt Damon, was a pretty good movie, but Mars Attacks is absolutely hilarious.
John Carter sucked. Not worth the viewing. The other movies are good. The Martian is arguably the best of the bunch. Matt Damon's, "I have to science the shit out of this" is an awesome line and is always applicable to any problem. Although, Total Recall is a classic gem.
I didn't mind John Carter. It actually made me go look for the Burroughs' stories. The movie didn't do those stories any justice, for sure. I agree The Martian is the best of those with Mars Attacks second on the list. I have The Martian in my movie (and book) collection and have been thinking of adding Mars Attacks.
Mars Attacks was good. It's like if War of the Worlds was made by National Lampoon. I enjoyed the spotlight on science and general scientific accuracy in The Martian.
The book did it even better, because it could spend more time on it.
Books are often better than the movie.
Except for the one gigantic flub that the whole story depended on.
Anyone know what it was?
Not enough atmosphere for a wind storm of that magnitude on Mars.
Loved "The Martian". Nobody plays a smartass like Matt Damon.
Winner!
Good job.
Did anyone read the book? Andy Weir was much more technical in it than the producers were in the movie. For the most part he 'scienced the hell out of it'. I really enjoyed that.
Also a good story about how he got it published. Basically crowd sourcing online. Not for funds, but for building a huge reader fan base that made publishers take notice.
Yes, I read the book. Enjoyed it a lot.
I was going to say the cooperation between the US & China.
I don't think China is unwilling.
Sharing new technology and equipment? I doubt they wouldn't be overly willing either.
That limits a windstorm on Mars to about 60 mph tops.
Without nearly the airborne sand and debris in the movie.
Artistic license?
Of course. Without a wind/sand storm, there would have been no story. The team wouldn't have had to abort the mission, Mark wouldn't have been hit by the antenna and left behind, etc. Weir would have had to concoct a whole different scenario.
I remember reading about it when the book came out. If memory serves, a 60 mph wind on Mars would feel like a 6 mph breeze on Earth.
It's the old F=MA thing. Much less air on Mars means much less mass for wind to create a felt force with.
Too bad they left out The Red Planet with Val Kilmer and Last Days on Mars with Liev Schreiber. Those should have gotten honorable mention at least.
There are actually quite a few Mars movies. The reason I posted this article was because it was so current,
Remember Ghosts of Mars?
Now that movie had, what I though was, a good idea. It went downhill from there fast.
It did become forgettable.
I like Total Recall and The Martian.
Total Recall was great. It was based on a Philip K. Dick story (also a fan).
I personally preferred his "Do Androids Dream Electric Sleep".
I am getting a real kick out of watching "Resident Alien". Quirky, but providing acting work for a lot of Native Americans as well.
Nice diversion.
I saw the pilot. Is that where he plays a doctor?
He does the law and order, dun dun, dun dun...
Painfully, socially inept, every episode while storing the original doctor in a freezer. the alien is sort of a chameleon
that only innocent children can see it as it actually looks.
Some dumb slap stick, mixed with a social message that Indians are people too with the same problems as everyone else.
On the pilot he was looking for a body under a frozen lake.
Guess he found it, Haha
I need to catch up on that.
The Space Between Us was actually a good concept. The movie fell a little flat though.
The first person born on Mars and how their body would develop in the lighter atmosphere. How he would have a hard time coming to a heavier atmosphere.
Was more of a love story though so kind of a bummer.
I thought Asa Butterfield did a pretty good job depicting it.