Should I Go See 'The Martian'?

Original Photo: NASA. Image: Rory Bristol

Holy hot damn. I just finished what is easily my favorite sci-fi book of all time, and easily scores in my top ten. The Martian, scheduled to hit theaters tomorrow, October 2nd, is based on a fabulous book you can download for free. I just finished reading it, and I already want to read it again.

Did you catch all that? Free book. Best sci-fi book ever. Going to be a movie in theaters tomorrow. Jenny and I are breaking a life-rule together. We’re going to see it in theaters. We have literally never been to a movie together. Totally mark that up to movies being expensive as hell, crowded, inevitably boring, and a nice dose of holy-crap-I-can’t-leave-this-place-fast-enough anxiety.

But this book is worth the chance. Matt Damon as the primary character of a 141-minute film? Yes, please. No Ben Affleck? Double that yes! (Yes! Yes!) The character Mark is engaging, ballsy, totally jaded, and all kinds of hilarious. Totally up Matt Damon’s alley, and I cannot wait to see it. [we saw it, see below]

My to do list before going to this movie:

1. Pack anxiety pills.
2. Convince Jenny to let me buy popcorn.
3. Give up on argument.
4. Argue from a new standpoint.
5. Give up argument.
6. Eat a real meal before going.
7. Enjoy the movie.
8. Flee the theater, thankful that there is open sky when I get outside.
9. Get pizza. 2 slices and a Coke. In the memory of a good man.

Now, how to bring up popcorn to Jenny… Oh, before this post runs, she’ll see my to do list. It has to start somewhere, right? [Love you, Honey!]

[Update: Spoiler alert!

We went and saw it. If you OMG love the book because science, or because of the main character, stick to the book. If you want a very similar story from a completely different angle, enjoy the show!

Mark is my hero. Science is my jam. The Martian is a book about the will to live, and the balls to make that happen. The movie is about NASA recovering a man left on Mars. Much less fun, IMO, and Jenny and I spent ages ripping it a new one afterwards.

They left out the ramp accident, and the storm, and the science behind the farm, and the bedroom, and the water reclaimer, and, and, and, and, and. Then they added in the Iron Man scene. Seriously. Just because “why the fuck not?” Ruined the ending for us. Made me very sad. Now, I have to read it again. Damn 😀

/update]