The Martian
First screened in October 2015
Director: Ridley Scott. Cast: Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Aksel Hennie, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean, Donald Glover, Mackenzie Davis, Eddy Ko, Chen Shu, Enzo Cilenti. Screenplay: Drew Goddard (based on the novel by Andy Weir).

 Twitter Capsule: You know what's an even more potent survival resource than STEM-field ingenuity? Flippant, scrappy, bro-style tude!

VOR: ③  I wasn't enchanted by every deviation from generic expectations but the comic tone, corpse-free narrative, and emphasis on human ingenuity are risky and refreshing, especially from Scott.


Photo © 2015 20th Century Fox/Scott Free Productions

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: B–

Academy Award Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor: Matt Damon
Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard
Best Production Design: Arthur Max; Celia Bobak
Best Sound Mixing: Paul Massey, Mark Taylor, and Mac Ruth
Best Sound Editing: Oliver Tarney
Best Visual Effects: Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence, and Steven Warner

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
★Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)
Best Director: Ridley Scott
★Best Actor (Musical/Comedy): Matt Damon

Other Awards:
National Board of Review: Best Director; Best Actor (Damon); Best Adapted Screenplay
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