Dept. of Movies
The Martian
(Warning; not a real review, just an immediate reaction.)
Went to see this movie tonight, and I have to echo what a lot of people have said - it's awesome. It's hard science fiction, with brain and heart, which means it does Campbell and Gernsback right, the way Campbell and Gernsback didn't, so ... without a lot of racism, sexism, etc., and with a great deal more literary and filmic sophistication than those two might ever have imagined - but still with a lot of true love for, and belief in, the power of logic, science, optimism, humanism and determination to move forward.
Or as hero botanist Mark Watney (portrayed wonderfully by Matt Damon) says, when presented with yet another life-threatening scenario, "I've got to science the shit out of this." And he does, while a totally admirable group of science heroes back on earth do their damnedest to help him out (not always successfully.)
The look and feel of it was gorgeous; I felt like we were looking at Mars, even as I knew that we weren't.
If this doesn't win the Hugo for best long form drama (or whatever the hell they call it next year), I'll either cry foul, or prepare myself to see the film of a lifetime if the winner actually tops The Martian. This entry was originally posted at http://kaffyr.dreamwidth.org/381547.html?mode=reply, where there are currently
comments. You can comment there or here; I watch both.
(Warning; not a real review, just an immediate reaction.)
Went to see this movie tonight, and I have to echo what a lot of people have said - it's awesome. It's hard science fiction, with brain and heart, which means it does Campbell and Gernsback right, the way Campbell and Gernsback didn't, so ... without a lot of racism, sexism, etc., and with a great deal more literary and filmic sophistication than those two might ever have imagined - but still with a lot of true love for, and belief in, the power of logic, science, optimism, humanism and determination to move forward.
Or as hero botanist Mark Watney (portrayed wonderfully by Matt Damon) says, when presented with yet another life-threatening scenario, "I've got to science the shit out of this." And he does, while a totally admirable group of science heroes back on earth do their damnedest to help him out (not always successfully.)
The look and feel of it was gorgeous; I felt like we were looking at Mars, even as I knew that we weren't.
If this doesn't win the Hugo for best long form drama (or whatever the hell they call it next year), I'll either cry foul, or prepare myself to see the film of a lifetime if the winner actually tops The Martian. This entry was originally posted at http://kaffyr.dreamwidth.org/381547.html?mode=reply, where there are currently
comments. You can comment there or here; I watch both.