Well three releases of note this week. Not a bad week for home viewing.
THE MARTIAN
Directed by Ridley Scott
Screenplay by Drew Goddard
Based on the book by Andy Weir
Starring: Matt Damon and Mars
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) 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 survive and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
Before I begin with the Martian home viewing review I want to note that after the sad passing of David Bowie, that when watching this at home in memory of Ziggy when The Martian plays Starman rewind/go back and watch the scene twice. Great song and great scene in memory of Bowie.
Damon and Scott!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ridley Scott goes away for awhile then pops up and does this!!! Like wow!! It looks incredible!!
Damon, it is all on him to make it believable and he succeeds!!
What is crazy here is, most of the time I have no idea what NASA and Damon are talking about or planning or doing, but somehow they have me on the edge of my seat.
Casting!! So many good performances, I am not going to even bother to name all of them. However I will highlight a couple unknowns or less famous performers:
Donald Glover, as Rich Purnell is brilliant and funny at the same time. And important.
Mackenzie Davis as Mindy Park also gives many scene stealing scenes.
Faults? A little long at 2 hours and 20 minutes, a little editing may have been needed.
People in the street scenes, that was going over the top. Maybe the only bad decision Scott made. I really do not see people in the street acting like this. I would imagine people at home glued to the TV or at local pubs, not in the streets. It almost made the ending a little over the top corny but it went past these scenes and gave us more of a decisive solid ending.
My last note....I think if you feel your children can sit through a 2 hour and 20 minute film sit down and watch with them. I think this film is so important to show children. It should be almost mandatory in Middle Schools. Why? Science and math!!! It shows students where the science and math that they are being taught in the schools can be used out in the real world, be it Mars or this planet. Or maybe it will at least get them to pick up Weirs' book.
4 1/2 stars out of 5 for maybe the best film of the year. For the love of science!
IRRATIONAL MAN
Directed and Screenplay by Woody Allen
Starring Joaquin Phoenix; Emma Stone; and Parker Posey
A tormented/depressed philosophy professor with a drinking issue (Phoenix) finds a will to live when he over hears a conversation at a diner.
It is a strange film. It is a hard film to categorize. I liked it but did not love it. It is not a drama but it is not a comedy. And strange as it sounds I did not love it but I would like to see it again. I think it is because it is well acted or maybe because it is so different..
Emma Stone plays Jill a student at the university. She is smart and has become smitten with her professor. She does a wonderful job here playing a smart but naïve student.
Parker Posey plays Rita another instucter at the school who also falls for Abe, and wants to leave her husband and run off to see the world with Abe. It is hard to believe Posey has never been in a Woody Allen film. She seems like a female Woody Allen. So of course she is wonderful in this movie even though her character is not really fleshed out.
Joaquin Phoenix is perfect as the depressed professor Abe. He almost mumbles his way through life and walks with a slight slouch like he is never interested in going anywhere. Then after that fateful day in the diner you watch him transform. He is sad, intelligent, comical. A very good almost quiet performance.
That all being said.....the strange thing is...the two leads Stone and Phoenix lack chemistry. I know it is odd because they give wonderful performances but together it just seems off. And that is a problem. It leads you as the viewer to lose focus while watching.
As for the script...I loved it. Not sure if I liked the abrupt ending but I loved that it had smart dialogue and it did not over stay its welcome coming in at 96 minutes.
A quick note, a wonderful light jazzy score, that gives the film a pace and a quirkiness. Loved it!!!
I would give Irrational Man 3 1/2 stars out of 5. I understand this review is choppy a little bit, but I did not want to give out any spoilers. Well any way, back to the film, I do think this may end up being an underrated Woody Allen film, mainly because other reviewers may be insistent on categorizing it, and this is one film you just have to let it go and just enjoy.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2
Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
Screenplay by Robert Smigel and Adam Sandler
Starring Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez
Dracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel.
I was not a fan of the first Hotel. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this one better. Is it good? To children it may be. To me, I classify it as serviceable as a animated film to watch at home with the family.
It still seemed long for a film that was only 89 minutes. It had a good storyline about learning to fit where you are and dealing with family needs and your needs. It just could not seemed to push through as a Saturday morning cartoon after awhile. The writing was okay. It had some real funny moments so that is a positive.
2 stars out of 5 maybe 3 out of 5 for children. For home viewing you could do worse.
As lways thanks for your time from the shadows.
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