Steampunk Granny's Review of The Martian

                                                           

I’m going to say right up front that I believe in the Space Program and I feel strongly that we should be investing in going to other planets instead of destroying the one we live on with wars and unbridled pollution. Now, I’ll tell you why I absolutely loved the Ridley Scott film, The Martian, starring Matt Damon. The film is based on Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name.
                                                               

Growing up in the early fifties, my generation was introduced to the theory of space travel, aliens and the pros and cons of both. We had Flash Gordon to lead the way on our little tiny television screens. You can only imagine my joy when a human first set foot on the moon. That said, with all our science and technology, we land lubbers, who neither travel deep within the ocean or fly high in space shuttles, have no idea what to expect if we were able to go to Mars.

Plot

The action starts when the Ares III, a manned mission on Mars, is hit by an intense storm. Mars is not the friendliest of planets, but then again, neither is Earth. Mark Watney (Matt Damon), a botanist, is separated from the rest of the crew. The Captain Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain) and the others fear him dead. They are forced to evacuate the planet before their ship is damaged beyond repair. While they travel the long journey back home, they are unaware that Mark is alive.

Conclusion

I don’t want to say any more about the film, except that it is extremely well done and I really enjoyed it.  You are right there with Mark as he realizes his dilemma; not enough food to survive until another ship can return. We cringe with fear when things are not going well for our astronaut and we celebrate with him when he succeeds. The scenery of Mars and space is breathtaking. The Martian is the first realistic film that shows what it will take to survive on another world.
                                                             

Is it important to support our Space Program? Yes! It’s one thing to send up a probe to take samples of an alien planet’s soil, but we also need to send up a human. Is it unreasonable to expect humans to live on Mars? Maybe...and yet...this is what we, as an intelligent species, must do. We were always meant to leave this planet and find new homes.  Exploration is wired into us. We are engineered to go forth and as explore. Go see the film. You’ll love it.

                                                               

Cosmos

 

                                                                                

I’m a big fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson the world famous and respected Astrophysicist.  You can find Neil on YouTube's Star Talk and on  Fox Channel's  Cosmos. At a young age, Neil not only met with his hero Carl Sagan, but he was inspired by Sagan’s  knowledge of the universe and how it worked. Neil decided to devote his life to the sciences and we are all the better for his choice.
                                                                            

In  the recent atmosphere of science bashing, where politicians use the GOD card to trump anything scientifically accepted to be true,  I find it refreshing to watch a show that like its predecessor, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage presented by Carl Sagan on PBS, will introduce this generation to the beauty of scientific documentation. 
                                                                      

                                 Neil deGrasse Tyson, Seth MacFarland and Ann Druyan
The show was created by Ann Druyan (Sagan's widow) and Steven Soter and is directed by Brannon Braga, Bill Pope and Ann Druyan. Seth MacFarlane is one of the producers of the show who thankfully for us used his clout and money to get this show broadcasted. I can't thank you enough Mr. MacFarlane.
                                                                         

Each week, using the Ship of Imagination just like in the original show, we the viewers are brought to the far reaches to the Universe and back to glimpse at the beginning of life on earth.  Life, as we know it, began first in the oceans and then moved onto land. There are 13 episodes and if you've missed any or all of the series, you can watch these episodes on Demand.
                                                                  

I've always been a science geek and that is why I enjoy Cosmos and shows like it, but you don't have to be a scientist to understand Cosmos. Neil deGrasse Tyson, like his mentor Carl Sagan, has a gift of knowledge that he is willing to share with you in an amazing, beautiful and imaginative way. He tells us the story of the cosmos and the science behind it, in ways that everyone is able to understand. I guarantee that you will be looking at the night sky with an open mind and eyes.