REEL DEAL: The Martian REVIEW

Sci-fi movies are back and it is time for more space exploration. The last space journey was with Interstellar and Jupiter Ascending,  but this time it comes to a very close predicament to today's time as well as the technology with THE MARTIAN.

The Martian is based on the book of Andy Weir in 2011. Directed by Ridley Scott and stars Matt Damon as Mark Watney who is part of the Mars exploration team called Ares III, the team left the planet due to bad weather but Mark was left because he was presumed to be dead. However he managed to live but faces the challenge of living in the deserted red planet.

If it will be compared with the all-alone situation stories, this is the most complicated. Unlike being on a island, dessert of mountain, Mars is not a friendly territory. The pressure and temperature are still far to support life. To survive, he must use and keep his resources intact and produce his food. Yes there will be science and technology in this film, but it is simplified into actions and not words beyond space.

Jessica Castain In Command In Ridley Scott's Immersive 3D Spectacle "THE MARTIAN"

Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain, who’s also considered as one of the most sought after actresses of her generation who gave memorable portrayals in groundbreaking movies such as “Interstellar,” “Zero Dark 30” and  “Tree of Life” stars in Ridley Scott’s space adventure “The Martian” with Matt Damon, Kate Mara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Peña, Sebasyian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Kirsten Wiig, Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean.

Based on the highly successful book by Andy Weir, “The Martian” tells of the gripping story of botanist Mark Watney, played by Damon in the film.   Watney is one of the six-man crew of the Ares 3, an exploratory fact finding mission to Mars that goes radically wrong when the astronauts are caught in the middle of a ferociously violent sandstorm. As the crew scramble to get back on board their ship, Watney is speared by an antenna - leaving him injured and destroying his space suit’s bio monitors in the process.

REEL DEAL: Matt Damon In "THE MARTIAN"

The recent release of the first look photos of Ridley Scott’s upcoming film “The Martian” starring Matt Damon reveals the actor as a stranded astronaut left behind by his crew after being presumed dead during a fierce storm.  

“The Martian” features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Andy Weir wherein Damon’s character Mark Watney, an astronaut left behind on Mars, must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to survive on the hostile planet while waiting for the most daring and impossible rescue mission to bring him back.

“The Martian” opens very soon this November 26 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

REEL DEAL: “THE MARTIAN” First Trailer Reveal

Following the release of 20th Century Fox’s first look photos of “The Martian,” the studio now brings the first trailer of Ridley Scott’s heart-stopping action thriller where a NASA astronaut, Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon is stranded on Mars while his crew plan a daring mission to bring him back to Earth.

The trailer reveals NASA sending a group of astronauts to Mars when they encountered a fierce storm forcing the crew to abort the mission and head back to Earth immediately.  Mark Watney along with his crew members are on a mission to planet Mars where they are on board a ship called Hermes – the ship’s crew along with Damon includes Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Michael Peῆa, Sebastian Chan and Aksel Hennie.  

REEL DEAL: The Monuments Men REVIEW

Ever wondered what happened to the priceless artworks which was made by the masters like Michelangelo, Picasso and Rembrandt? Alongside the warring sides of the Axis and Allied powers were brave men, who are not really soldiers but saviors of the artworks which could be lost forever as war broke into Europe, they are called "The Monuments Men"

As a tribute to these art heroes, 20th Century Fox presents the real life travails of art scholars, architects, art lovers and curators strife to retrieve art collections which was seized by the Nazis during the war. Starring George Clooney as Lt. Frank Stokes, Matt Damon as Lt. James Granger, Bill Murray as Sgt. Richard Campbell, John Goodman as Sgt. Walter Garfield, Jean Dujardin as Lt. Jean Claude Clermont, Bob Balaban as Pvt. Preston Savitz, Hugh Bonneville as Lt. Donald Jeffries Cate Blanchett as Claire Simone, Sam Hazeldine as Colonel Langton, and  Dimitri Leonidas as Sam Epstein. Inspired by the heroes, it also took them a lot of effort in production design.

REEL DEAL: Matt Damon on "The Monuments Men" and How It Felt Like It's An "Oceans" Movie

In September 2009, American writer and businessman Robert Edsel released “The Monuments Men,” a compelling account of a group of middle aged museum directors, curators and art historians tasked with going into Germany in the closing stages of World War II to try and rescue artworks requisitioned by the Nazis.

“The Monuments Men,” produced, directed and starred in by George Clooney along with a very impressive cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Leonidas Dmitri, Hugh Bonneville and Cate Blanchett is set amidst a war that cost the lives of 65 million people when mankind’s cultural and artistic fingerprint is at risk of being destroyed.  Their small group of middle aged museum curators and artists and architects, called The Monuments Men, the most unlikely of spies, who volunteer to go into military service and try and save these things and ultimately recover them.

Award-Winning Troupe Assembled in "The Monuments Men"

“The story of the Monuments Men is one that really very few people know,” says George Clooney, who returns to the director’s chair for the story of a small group of artists, art historians, architects, and museum curators who would lead the rescue of 1000 years of civilization during World War II in his new film, The Monuments Men.  “Artists, art dealers, architects – these were men that were far beyond the age that they were going to be drafted into a war or volunteer.  But they took on this adventure, because they had this belief that culture can be destroyed.  If they’d failed, it could have meant the loss of six million pieces of art. They weren’t going to let that happen – and the truth of the matter is, they pulled it off.”

Part of the drama of the film is that all of the Monuments Men are so unsuited to serving as soldiers in wartime.  “Wars are fought by 18-year-olds,” says Clooney.  “Once you get to the John Goodmans and the Bob Balabans and the George Clooneys, you know – these guys are not getting drafted.” Producing and writing partner Grant Heslov adds: “They did it because it was clear that they were the only people who could do it.”

2014's Best Actress Frontrunner Cate Blanchett in "The Monuments Men"

Cate Blanchett,  this year’s Best Actress winner at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Critics’ Choice Movie Awards (for her role in “Blue Jasmine”) and nominated at the 86th Academy Awards (Oscars) stars in a sweeping true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history where she is the only woman among “The Monuments Men.”

Based on the real history chronicled in the non-fiction book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History” by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter,  “The Monuments Men” is an action drama focusing on seven over-the-hill, out-of-shape museum directors, artists, architects, curators, and art historians who went to the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners.  The Monuments Men found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements. 

REEL DEAL: First Look Photos & The Untold Story of :The Monuments Men" Revealed

A whole lot of art loot is at stake in the action-thriller “The Monuments Men” produced, directed and starred by George Clooney along with an all-star, high-caliber cast including Cate  Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman and Jean Dujardin.           

Based on the non-fiction tome by Robert Edsel, “The Monuments Men” takes us back to World War II when Western Allies protect heritage sites at risk during the war and recover art treasures from the Nazis. 

REEL DEAL: We Bought a Zoo - Elle Fanning SPOTLIGHT

TALENTED ELLE FANNING IN “WE BOUGHT A ZOO

Elle Fanning gives a spirited performance in the true-life story based on the memoir of Benjamin Mee, “We Bought A Zoo” with Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Colin Ford and Maggie Elizabeth Jones.

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a widower when he moves in with the two children. The plot essentially follows the path of a courageous family and tells the story of the incredible risk they take that transforms their lives.   While Matt Damon’s Benjamin Mee forms a close friendship with the rest of the zoo keeping personnel, a strong bond also develops between Lily (Fanning), a home schooled country girl and Dylan Mee (Colin Ford), a city boy adjusting to country life. 

Q:        What kind of girl is Lily?

A:         “She is actually a lot like me; she will be the first one to say ‘hi.’ Like me, Lily’s very sensitive. I’m not super tough. I’ll just sort of go for it.  I love to laugh and be happy. I guess I’m not shy at all. Lily is definitely one of the most comedic characters that I’ve ever played. She is very quirky and funny.”

Reel Deal: Young Stars Shine in Fox's Family Films

Innately talented young actors Maggie Elizabeth Jones, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller shine brightly on their own footing in upcoming movies from 20th Century Fox – “We Bought A Zoo” and “The Descendants.”  

In We Bought A Zoo starring Matt Damon and directed by Cameron Crowe – Elle Fanning, Maggie Elizabeth Jones and Colin Ford take turns in keeping that familial warmth of the movie where Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) buys a house with a zoo in order to give his family a fresh start in life. What begins as a rather impulsive fantasy turns into a daunting life-changing journey that is exciting, emotionally taxing, exceedingly labor intensive, often hilarious but ultimately more rewarding than even he could have ever imagined.