Of all the movies I saw at TIFF this year, certainly none were more fun than Ridley Scott’s THE MARTIAN (read my review here). A blockbuster, epic, 3D thrill-ride, THE MARTIAN is less like the ultra-intense GRAVITY or the Stanley Kubrick-style INTERSTELLAR. Rather, the model here seems to be Ron Howard’s APOLLO 13, with Scott having arguably directed the funniest, most lighthearted film of his career with this faithful adaption of Andy Weir’s best-seller. Star Matt Damon perfectly captures Weir’s optimistic, funny tone, with his portrayal of stranded astronaut Mark Watney being one of the finest of his career. Check out my interview with the always charming and hilarious Damon, who made time with us at THE MARTIAN’s junket to give his take on working with Ridley Scott, as well as give us a quick update on his training for the fourth BOURNE movie.
We also got the chance to speak to the legendary Ridley Scott, for whom THE MARTIAN is just another excellent film in a career full of them. He told us all about the challenges of filming Weir’s book, finding an appropriate tone, and also spoke to us about his desire to one day make a western.
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