Chart Position: 10th Worldwide Gross: $597,174,795 A stunning return to form for director Ridley Scott, The Martian serves as his best film bar the untouchable duo of Alien and Blade Runner. His finest work since the latter (released in 1982), The Martian also draws a great central performance from Matt Damon, who again reminded us that he can be phenomenal when the role is right (see also: The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Departed). And while its a big-budget, CGI-heavy blockbuster, it remains that The Martian is a deeply felt character study, one which poses questions of existence as Damons stranded astronaut is left to contemplate the cosmos alone. If that makes it all sound a little heavy, then rest assured that the film is also hilarious in parts, with a brilliantly subversive disco soundtrack to boot. The Martian is also welcome in that while its naturally quite a profound picture, its also an upbeat one, stripped mostly of its darkness as our hero learns to laugh at his situation. In an age when far too many blockbusters go dark or gritty in the hope of siphoning in some undeserved gravitas, The Martian is an exuberating respite.
