Great flick, big budget, believable script, top flight cast, ace special effects, and as far as I can tell, the science looked right. And the movie, both the Martian and space scenes, and the tech, is gorgeous. The superhuman skills of the characters may be a bit over the top, but I know all about “Apollo 13″, and I think with a little luck, NASA could do it. Those guys CAN perform miracles. I saw “Gravity”, too, and I’m afraid that didn’t convince me. But “The Martian” worked for me.

The film is shameless propaganda for the space program and for peaceful cooperation with other spacefaring powers. No, I don’t mean to be critical, its propaganda for a good cause, and if it helps a generation of kids get interested in space exploration, and pumps up a generation of taxpayers ready to pay for it, then I’m all for it.

I picked up the DVD for $5 at Wal-Mart, so my guess is the film was not a commercial success…straight to bargain video in a such a short time. Too bad. It made me feel good while I was watching it, but the depression is already starting to set in. Funny, when I was in high school, I was convinced that by the third decade of the 21st century we would be well on our way to colonizing the solar system. I hope we’re in just a short period of delay. But to be honest, I don’t think its going to happen. I think the window is closing, and I think we’re going to miss it.

So sad.