movie thoughts: The Martian (2015)

[orangerful]

We just watched 'The Martian' tonight. I really liked it. I snagged a beat up copy of the paperback from the library donations area awhile ago and I think I might start reading it tonight (yes I have a pile of books checked out from the library and now I'm going to read a book with no due date...this is how I roll). I've heard the book is VERY technical, so I'm thinking that having seen the movie will help me skim over and jargony scenes because it all boils down to this one gif:



ANYWAY, I thought the movie was very well done and I think a huge part of that was the stellar casting. EVERYONE in that movie was good. Obviously, Damon was great and he carried the movie but I spotted so many character actors that you see all the time filling in minor roles and it just made it all fantastic.


Also, did anyone else find it extra hilarious when they made the Lord of the Rings joke and Sean Bean was sitting right there? And then the Iron Man joke and the guy who plays Bucky is there and it felt like this weird meta humor.

And then, of course, Donald Glover playing a strange blend of Troy and Abed. Like, he was literally the child of Troy and Abed LOL.



I give this movie 5 might-be-another-for-my-movie-is-as-good-as-the-book-list out of 5 stars.

Next up we have 'The Experimenter' and then 'Bridge of Spies' (all my library holds came in this week...)

Comments

[kuwlshadow.livejournal.com]

I saw the movie and loved it. Just found a copy of the book at a second hand store and hope to be able to read it soon.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

The first page is cracking me up already.

[the-moonmoth.livejournal.com]

I looooooved that movie, can't wait to get it on blu-ray and watch it again :) Be interested to see what you think of the book, though. I have a masters in theoretical and astrophysics, and I found it too technical to be interesting ;-p

The meta humour was indeed hilarious :D

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOL whoa, if you found it too technical...there's probably no hope for me! But I might just skim it, just saying to myself SCIENCE! and then read until things happen. :)

[the-moonmoth.livejournal.com]

Well the funny thing is, I know a bunch of non-sciencey folks who really enjoyed it. Maybe skimming is the key -- I tried to read all the parts, and ended up not making it past the 3rd chapter!

[shaddyr]

This is interesting to read. I tend to love the sciency bits - I adore David Webber because he writes pages of exposition about how the star cruises slow down and pass through the different bands and it's so very *interesting* to me...

I loved the movie and I generally don't like to read the book after since I'm usually disappointed, but I may have to give this one a try.

[ellipsisms.livejournal.com]

The book is really good! Tbh I didn't find it hard to read at all, and I definitely don't know anything about space science or any of that. I thought it was really accessible. And I loved the movie as well. I thought it was a really great adaptation with just the right amount of comedy in between all the drama.

I hope you enjoy reading it! :D

[hamsterwoman]

I both read the book and saw the movie, and I liked both of them, although I like the book more.

I didn't find the book too technical to be interesting -- loved all the engineering stuff, although some of it, like astrophysics, I just coasted along with. That said, my twelve-year-old read it at my rec (he is a fan of survival narratives and first person smartass narratives, so I figured he'd love it, and he did), and he skimmed all the technical stuff, and still enjoyed it. Read it a lot quicker than me, too :P

The movie, I find, is a very nice complement to the book, and fills in some of the spots that I thought were weaknesses in the novel: the Houston team is much, much better realized in the movie. But I did miss the problem-solving and tension of the book in the second half, and Mark's funny voice.

[teagues-veil.livejournal.com]

My family was all OBSESSED with The Martian after they read it and even though I was working in the bookstore then, I was never swayed to read it. If it is awesome, let me know, yeah? Lol

[lady-sybyl.livejournal.com]

Your in for a treat with The Martian! I found the book much better than the film. Not that the film is bad the book is just even more great.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

It was a great movie. We got it late in France, so I got spoilt about the LotR joke on Tumblr.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I definitely need to see this movie.

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Saw "The Martian" just before the Oscars and I really enjoyed it. It was a good blend of comedy and drama and suspense.

I think I did notice and laugh at the Iron Man reference because of Sebastian Stan.

LOL yeah he was a weird mix of Troy and Abed.

Stacey

[bittertwee.livejournal.com]

I so wanted to see this on the big screen with an opening weekend audience that was really into it, but I blew it. Doesn't seem like something I'd want to watch on my old TV, but maybe one of the theaters around here will show it, who knows.

I'm of two minds about the book. I'm thrilled that a sciency book did so well, and you can't help but be happy for the author because it's so clear what a big space nerd he is. But the book itself.. well, you'll see. I hung in there with the tech stuff until about halfway through, and then I was like, ok, I'll take your word for it. And then yeah, the book pretty much becomes that gif.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

I loved the film and the casting choices.

The book was good too. :)

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the book or seen the movie, but I have read ABOUT the book, and I have to say... talk about success story! :-D

[night-owl-9.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

[geckoholic]

I couldn't make it through the book, but I LOVE the movie. I so agree, it's really great. :D

[verdande-mi.livejournal.com]

Haven't read the book, but I was very impressed with the film :) Hope you enjoy the book.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Okay, need to see this!!

*HUGS*

And...OMG, your icon!!!!!! That whole scene was the BEST *CACKLES*

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

YES I love that episode of Robot Chicken, perfection. We quote this and the "Stormtrooper" escalator scene a LOT.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

It totally was. My gods. When Adult Swim didn't suck. Half the reason we axed cable was Adult Swim suckage.

Robot Chicken has always been a fav, though. Genius programming. Loved the SW convention next to the Trek convention one...omg, perfect! And the voice actors they would get!

[impalalove]

I've read the book, and it's amazing. <3

Bonus: picture one, picture two, and picture three. ;)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

That is AWESOME!! I had no idea they were growing plants IN SPACE. Now there is a gardening reality show I would watch!