Mission to Mars

The worst thing that can happen to a cinephile is to watch a film made by someone with unquestionable talent, but apparent unwillingness to use it . Brian de Palma, one of the greatest directors in late 20th Century Hollywood, fits that description, at least in the latter stages of his career. If judged by single scenes, many, if not all De Palma’s films are masterpieces. Unfortunately, De Palma began to prostitute…

Simply told, Mission to Mars is an immediate popcorn classic. It's the kind of film that will be praised by audiences everywhere, notwithstanding critical acclaim, and re-released every so often so that each generation may enjoy it in its entirety on the big screen. Intelligent life elsewhere isn't a novel concept. Neither is a space rescue mission nor a patriotic mid-film scene in which an American flag is placed o…