THE REWATCHABLES · October 13, 2020
A 2015 sci-fi / adventure directed by Ridley Scott, covered in the complete Rewatchables archive.
ON THIS EPISODE
FROM THE CONVERSATION
WHY IT WORKS
WHAT DID NOT WORK
SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
The Mars mission collapses immediately into a storm sequence that launches the plot with little setup.
About 48 minHis early work on water, shelter, and farming is treated as the movie’s soul.
About 1:12The office-room explanation scene turns orbital mechanics into a funny, intelligible set piece.
About 1:12Watney’s crop loss is described as one of the most gut-wrenching scenes.
About 32 minThe Bowie montage is singled out as a great use of a song and a classic montage sequence.
About 32 minThe rescue works, but the hosts wish the reunion and immediate aftermath had lasted longer.
About 1:04WHERE THEY DISAGREED
Sean FennesseyIt is highly entertaining and in the conversation, but not clearly the single most entertaining.
Chris RyanNo; Terminator 2, Aliens, and Apollo 13 are stronger contenders.
Van LathanNo; Star Wars entries and other classics are more entertaining.
Van LathanLeo is better overall as an actor and has higher-end movie choices.
Chris RyanDamon is more fun, more versatile in ensembles, and makes better rewatchable movies.
Sean FennesseyThey are different kinds of stars and are hard to compare directly.
Van LathanShe effectively left him for dead and should be blamed.
Sean FennesseyShe made the right call given the storm and damage.
Chris RyanThe decision was operationally necessary, but the movie could have given more emotional follow-through.
Bill SimmonsHe still does not fully understand the mechanics.
Chris RyanThe movie makes it legible enough to follow emotionally, even if the science is fuzzy.
Van LathanIt works as movie science, but the practicality is still a bit mystical.
Sean FennesseyShe feels tonally off and miscast.
Bill SimmonsKerry Washington or Kate Winslet might have fit better.
Chris RyanA different actor with more bureaucratic gravitas would have improved the role.
Argues that the film is highly entertaining and among the best in the sci-fi/space conversation, though not necessarily the single best.
Opening minutesSays the film is about moviemaking, craftsmanship, and people doing their jobs at the highest level.
Opening minutesEmphasizes that the stakes are huge because any mistake by any character can kill Damon.
Opening minutesReads the film as a relic of a more optimistic era that believes in NASA, science, and US-China cooperation.
About 8 minJokes that she should not be trusted and treats the abandonment as a recurring redhead betrayal bit.
About 48 minArgues Carrey would be too broad and unstable for the part because the role requires subtle comic control.
About 8 minSuggests a serious Sandler performance could have worked, especially the Punch-Drunk Love/Funny People type of mode.
About 8 minTreats Glover’s scene as a perfect example of how the movie makes complicated science legible and funny.
About 1:12Likes the rescue but notes that the movie’s outcome is predictable because Damon must survive.
About 1:12Uses Cast Away as a foil and jokes that its real lesson is about abandonment and loyalty, not hope.
About 48 minSays the movie succeeds because every technical department is operating at peak level.
Opening minutesThe movie is framed as a story about doing the math, solving one problem after another, and surviving through competence.
About 8 minThe hosts read it as an Obama-era movie that trusts NASA, science, and collaboration between experts and governments.
About 8 minDamon’s charisma and calm humor are treated as essential to making the movie work.
About 8 minThey admire that it is a non-franchise, non-theme-park blockbuster that feels increasingly rare.
Opening minutesThe film succeeds because its scientific procedures are explained in ways the audience can understand, even if only partially.
About 48 minThe film was nominated for seven Oscars and shut out at the awards.
Opening minutesThe story was adapted from Andy Weir’s 2011 novel.
About 48 minDrew Goddard was originally attached to direct before Ridley Scott took over.
About 48 minMatt Damon filmed his solo scenes for five straight weeks.
About 1:28NASA assisted the filmmakers with science and technology details.
About 1:28The movie was filmed in Jordan and Hungary.
About 1:28The film’s Martian storm is scientifically inaccurate according to Andy Weir.
About 1:28The hosts say the movie helped Hollywood realize 3D was not the future.
About 1:28 · medium confidenceUsed as an Oscars comparison and as another star-driven survival movie.
About 8 minCompared as another film about one person alone with a survival lesson.
About 8 minCited as a stronger contender in the space-movie entertaining discussion.
Opening minutesListed as a superior entertainment benchmark for sci-fi action.
Opening minutesVan argues these should count in the space-movie comparison and are more entertaining.
Opening minutesUsed to explain why Damon feels believable as a smart guy.
About 8 minUsed again as a comparison to a star-carried survival movie and as Leo’s Oscar vehicle.
About 16 minReferenced when joking about power plays and resignation demands.
About 1:04Referenced as the 2016 Best Picture winner and a benchmark in the Oscar discussion.
About 48 minReferenced repeatedly as a favorite dark movie and as an upcoming podcast candidate.
About 32 minMentioned as part of the strong 2016 Best Picture field.
About 48 minUsed in a side debate about Spielberg’s decades-spanning iconic films.
About 16 minReferenced as a classic montage movie and soundtrack example.
About 32 minCited as Van’s favorite montage example.
About 32 minMentioned as another Mars-set film and as Mars’s apex-mountain reference point.
About 1:28Bill repeatedly jokes that redheads cannot be trusted because Jessica Chastain left Damon behind.
About 48 minThe hosts tease each other about film-nerd status and who belongs in the circle.
About 16 minVan passionately promotes 8mm as a future podcast topic and a great movie.
About 32 minThey quote and riff on Watney’s self-appointed pirate status during the escape sequence.
About 1:28The group repeatedly praises montages and uses Goodfellas and Boogie Nights as standards.
About 32 minThey compare Ridley Scott and plot arcs to sports and aging-athlete comebacks.
About 16 min“This is the first Zoom movie.”About 8 min
“Mark Watney is one of the biggest Gs”About 40 min
“These hoes ain't loyal.”About 48 min
“Mark Watney, space pirate.”About 1:28
“Every character dies if they're three IQ points dumber”Opening minutes
MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Three movies to watch before The Martian, and three to watch next.
ON THE MIC
Bill SimmonsThe Rewatchables
Chris RyanThe Rewatchables
Sean FennesseyThe Rewatchables
Van LathanThe RewatchablesREWATCH FAVS
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