Title: The Martian
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels
Runtime: 2 hrs 21 mins

What It Is: Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) is a part of the team on mission Ares III to Mars. While on with his crew a severe storm threatens the mission, and the crew must get out of there. During their exit from the planet, during the storm, Watney is hit with debris that causes him to fly back. This also causes his crew chief Melissa Lewis (Chastain)to believe him deceased. After the crew has taken off we see that Watney is still very much alive, miraculously. Now NASA director Ted Sandeers has to figure out how best to try to keep Watney alive for four years as he awaits the next Ares mission.

What We Think: Matt Damon is absolutely in the race for Best Actor. Not only does he hold the screen with a positive, confident swagger, but he builds the emotion that makes us care about Dr. Watney. Ridley Scott hasn’t been this surehanded with a project since Gladiator. Additionally Damon is an absolute delight. He really plays it as someone we don’t mind being stuck on Mars with. His characters infectious positivity is apparent. In support Jeff Daniels is freaking great. He plays a guy walking the corporate line as much as he can, and his cowardice becomes a sort of moral dilemma. One whose details they don’t go far enough into.

Our Grade: A, Certainly one of the years best and I’d be surprised to see this miss a nomination from the Academy. Solid performance, emotional depth and breathtaking visuals all coalesce into Scott’s newest master stroke. This is one added to the long, but severely lacking in a contemporary sense, list of successes for Scott. Similar to what I said of M. Night Shymalan in my review of The Visit and that is that I will wait for his next film to make sure that he’s really back. I’m going to obviously recommend you guys check this film out ASAP.