Project Hail Mary Written by: Andy Weir Year: 2021 Audiobook performed by: Ray Porter
It was a long time coming, but I finally finished this book. I seem to have trouble finishing books (or shows, for that matter) that I start, even if I love them. It’s weird.
A science teacher wakes up alone on a spaceship. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing Earth’s sun, and realizes that an unexpected friendship may be the key.
I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard of it way back in 2021. The Martian had been one of the best books I’d read in a long time, so I knew I definitely wanted to read (or listen to) this one. And even though it took me forever, I finally got through it, and can finally watch the movie. I have to say, Project Hail Mary really is as good as The Martian. And the audiobook is performed beautifully by Ray Porter. He really captured the essence of all the characters, giving each their own distinctive voice without sounding silly.
Ryland Grace, our main character, was so well drawn, and we really feel for him. There’s bits of humour sprinkled in that made me grin like an idiot, even laugh out loud a few times. The science, at least to me, sounds all plausible, even though it relies on a substance that doesn’t exist to make it work. Weir is very good at making things sound scientific without being dry. I don’t want to say too much more in case there are people who haven’t read the book who want to, but needless to say, I absolutely loved it. The ending was a nice surprise as well. It was heading towards one thing, and I was rather upset, but then, surprise! Not surprisingly, I give it a 10/10.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved space and everything surrounding it (which, I guess, is literally more space…) I’ve always said, as I look up longingly at the night sky, “all that space, and we’re stuck here”. So it’s no surprise that I also love space movies (aliens optional, but appreciated). So here are my top 18 favourite space/alien films.
Number 18
Title:Independence Day Year: 1996 Plot: After aliens invade the Earth and destroy many major cities around the world, an Army captain, a tech wizard, and the President all fight for the survival of mankind. Starring: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A Fox, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Margaret Colin, Harry Connick Jr, Robert Loggia, Brent Spiner, James Duval Directed by: Roland Emmerich Based on a book?: No Notes: It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I’ll be damned if I don’t love this film. I just stuff popcorn into my cakehole and have a blast!
Number 17
Title:Invasion of the Body Snatchers Year: 1956 Plot: A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates. Starring: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan, Carolyn Jones, Jean Willes, Ralph Dumke, Virginia Christine Directed by: Don Siegel Based on a book?: Yes, The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney Notes: I’m not a huge fan of old timey films, but every so often one pops up that I love. This is the best iteration of this story except for…
Number 16
Title: The Faculty Year: 1998 Plot: Six students band together as their high school is over-run by a parasitic alien. Starring: Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Shawn Hatosy, Famke Janssen, Salma Hayek, Piper Laurie, Bebe Neuwirth, Robert Patrick, Usher Raymond, Jon Stewart Directed by: Robert Rodriguez Based on a book?: Not as such, but is greatly inspired by The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney and The Puppet Masters by Robert A Heinlein Notes: …this one. I know it’s not exactly the same story, but it’s close enough that it counts. I loved this when it came out, and still love it today. So much fun!
Number 15
Title:Arrival Year: 2016 Plot: Linguist Louise Banks leads a team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, Banks and her crew must find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors. Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark O’Brien, Tzi Ma, Frank Schorpion, Christian Jadah Directed by: Denis Villeneuve Based on a book?: Yes, the novella Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang Notes: I have yet to see a film by Denis Villeneuve that I haven’t liked and this one is no exception. It’s tense and heartwarming at the same time, with wonderful characters and beautiful alien effects. As a side note, I can pronounce Villeneuve’s name properly cause I’m from Quebec, just like him. It never fails to make me chuckle when I hear someone who doesn’t speak French try pronounce it.
Number 14
Title:Starman Year: 1984 Plot: An alien takes the form of a young widow’s husband and makes her drive him to his departure point in Arizona. Distrustful government agents, along with a more ambivalent scientist, give pursuit in hopes of intercepting them. Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen, Tony Edwards, George ‘Buck’ Flower Directed by: John Carpenter Based on a book?: No Notes: This is pure, unadulterated schmoop, and I’m here for it.
Number 13
Title:The Blob Year: 1988 Plot: A deadly entity from space crash-lands near a small town and begins consuming everyone in its path. Panic ensues as shady government scientists try to contain the horrific creature. Starring: Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Jeffrey DeMunn, Donovan Leitch Jr, Candy Clark, Joe Seneca, Del Close, Paul McCrane Directed by: Chuck Russell Based on a book?: No Notes: This film is so 80’s, and I mean that in the best possible way. The practical effects in this are mind blowing!
Number 12
Title:A Quiet Place Year: 2018 Plot: A family struggles for survival in a world invaded by blind alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cade Woodward Directed by: John Krasinski Based on a book?: No Notes: This movie was original and tense, and we really feel for this family trying to survive in this new world. Great stuff!
Number 11
Title:Star Trek Generations Year: 1994 Plot: With the help of long presumed dead Captain Kirk, Captain Picard must stop a deranged scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix. Starring: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis, James Doohan, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Walter Koenig, Alan Ruck Directed by: David Carson Based on a book?: No Notes: I loved many of the Star Trek films from each generation, but decided to only put one on this list. I may be in the minority here, but I find Generations to be one of the best. Two captains and a great villain equal a great time!
Number 10
Title:Signs Year: 2002 Plot: A widowed former reverend living with his children and brother on a Pennsylvania farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields, which suggests something more frightening to come. Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Cherry Jones, Patricia Kalember Directed by: M Night Shyamalan Based on a book?: No Notes: I love this film. Sometimes schmoopy, sometimes spooky, it’s so well done. And it has one of the best jumpscares ever.
Number 9
Title:The Fifth Element Year: 1997 Plot: In the far future, cab driver Korben Dallas unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep a great evil, and the man helping it, at bay. Starring: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Charlie Creed-Miles, Brion James, Tom Lister Jr, Luke Perry Directed by: Luc Besson Based on a book?: No Notes: This film is a blast, start to finish. Very colourful, action packed fun.
Number 8
Title: The Iron Giant Year: 1999 Plot: A young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy. Starring: Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr, Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel, Christopher McDonald, James Gammon, Cloris Leachman, John Mahoney, M Emmet Walsh Directed by: Brad Bird Based on a book?: Yes, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes Notes: One of the best animated films ever. It’s fun, quirky, and boy get your Kleenex ready cause you’re gonna need it!
Number 7
Title:K-Pax Year: 2001 Plot: A psychiatrist tries to determine how best to help a patient who convincingly claims to be from a distant galaxy. Starring: Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack, Alfre Woodard, David Patrick Kelly, Saul Williams, Peter Gerety, Celia Weston Directed by: Iain Softley Based on a book?: Yes, K-Pax by Gene Brewer Notes: I adore this movie so much, but I have trouble watching now with such a problematic actor playing such a lovable character.
Number 6
Title:The Avengers Year: 2012 Plot: Earth’s mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity. Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Stellan Skarsgård, Cobie Smulders, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L Jackson, Paul Bettany (v.o.) Directed by: Joss Whedon Based on a book?: Yes, the comic book series Avengers created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Notes: Ah, the good old days before superhero fatigue set in for me. This film is all kinds of quippy, quotable awesomeness. And Tom Hiddleston is absolutely delicious as Loki.
Number 5
Title:The Martian Year: 2015 Plot: An astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assumes him dead in a storm, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive and can survive until a potential rescue. Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Benedict Wong, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover Directed by: Ridley Scott Based on a book?: Yes, The Martian by Andy Weir Notes: I adored the book this was based on so much that I went into this with much trepidation, mostly about the casting of Matt Damon as Mark Watney. But I was very wrong. While it does leave a few key scenes out (I imagine for length purposes) the rest is amazing, and very faithful to the book.
Number 4
Title:Pitch Black Year: 2000 Plot: A transport ship crashes and leaves its crew stranded on a desert planet inhabited by bloodthirsty creatures that come out during an eclipse. Starring: Radha Mitchell, Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Claudia Black, Rhiana Griffith Directed by: David Twohy Based on a book?: No Notes: I don’t know if I’m in the minority here, as I often am, but I loved this film so much. I love it just as much now as when I first saw it in the cinema. Great fun!
Number 3
Title:Stargate Year: 1994 Plot: An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra. Starring: James Spader, Kurt Russell, Jaye Davidson, Alexis Cruz, Mili Avital, Leon Rippy, John Diehl, Erick Avari, Djimon Hounsou, Carlos Lauchu Directed by: Roland Emmerich Based on a book?: No Notes: Marrying ancient Egyptian-like culture and space travel? Sign me up! It also doesn’t hurt that James Spader was an absolute fox…
Number 2
Title:Event Horizon Year: 1997 Plot: A rescue crew is tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that had been lost for seven years. While the ship seems empty at first, it’s clear that it did not come back alone. Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, Jason Isaacs, Jack Noseworthy, Richard T Jones, Sean Pertwee Directed by: Paul WS Anderson Based on a book?: No Notes: This film scared the snot out of me when I first saw it when it came out (I was 16), and still manages to give me goosebumps today. A sign of a job well done!
Number 1
Title:Aliens Year: 1986 Plot: Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring. Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Jenette Goldstein, William Hope, Al Matthews Directed by: James Cameron Based on a book?: No, although James Cameron acknowledged inspiration from Robert A Heinlein’s novel Starship Troopers. Notes: Simply the best space/alien movie ever, full stop. I saw this (probably way too young) on tv when I was about 8 or 9 and have loved it since then. Action packed and tense, with killer effects, this film rocks!
And that’s it. Yes I’m aware some notables are missing from the list like Alien and The Thing. I’ve either not liked or haven’t seen them. That happens a lot with me, not liking the classics. I can acknowledge that they were important to the genre, but that doesn’t mean I gotta like them! Hehe So I hope you enjoyed it!
Coherence (2013)
Emily Foxler, Nicholas Brendon, Maury Sterling, Elizabeth Gracen, Lorene Scafaria, Hugo Armstrong, Alex Manugian, and Lauren Maher
Directed by: James Ward Byrkit
So this film has been on my watch list for years. I’d always heard such good things about it that I really wanted to see it. So yesterday I finally took the plunge. And I have to say, I’m pretty disappointed.
Eight longtime friends come together for a dinner party on the night that a comet is passing overhead. What begins as a fun evening devolves into fear and paranoia as strange things start happening.
SPOILERS INCOMING
I had high hopes for this film and, to its credit, it has some great ideas. The comet seems to affect reality, splitting it into what is probably infinite possibilities. The friends come to realize that walking through a “dark space” outside will bring you to another reality where exact copies of themselves reside, with just some very slight differences. That was all great. But everything else… not so much.
The acting, first of all, feels weird, very forced. I guessed that maybe a lot of the dialog was improvised and, after looking it up, saw I was right. But it wasn’t seamless improv. The actors (none of whom I’d ever seen before save Nicholas Brendon who played Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) seem to struggle with thinking of things to say, so it all sounded hollow. They also ended scenes very abruptly with hard cuts to black, which was very off-putting. The camera work was just plain bad, all weird angles and shakiness. And the ending was very underwhelming. They could have done so much with such an interesting idea, but they chose the low-hanging fruit.
I’ll give it a few points for an original idea, but I can’t give it more than a 5/10. Such a shame.
Dune part 2 (2024) Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, and Charlotte Rampling Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
There is a ridiculous amount of eye candy in this film, just to get that out of the way. Even Austin Butler, under all that Harkonnen makeup, is still beautiful.
The film looks beautiful. The cinematography is insane. The makeup, the costumes, the visuals, all breathtaking.
The acting is all great, as expected after seeing the first film. Zendaya does a surprisingly good job, and Austin Butler is great as the psychotic Feyd-Rautha.
The fight choreographies are insane. I’m not sure how much the actors did themselves, but it’s impressive nonetheless.
I heard from someone who’s read the books that there are some key things that are different, but as someone who has not read the whole book (I’ve only read about a fifth of it, then I pooped out), the story felt fluid and complete.
The score was, to use an epic word, bombastic. Less so than the first film, but I think that’s a good thing. The score was a little overpowering in part 1 (but that’s literally the only thing that I have to say bad about it).
The film ended a bit abruptly. Things were a bit long in the tooth (not in a bad way) for most of the film, then all of a sudden, it was over. The film is 2 hours and 46 minutes long, already a good chunk of time, but I really could have used a little extra time to flesh it out some more.
Slight spoiler: I think I saw a small mistake near the end of the film. Paul gets stabbed in what I see as his side, but then he pulls the blade from his shoulder. Did I see it wrong, or was that an actual mistake?
I liked Jessica’s character a lot less in this film, but I’m thinking that that’s how you’re supposed to feel.
All in all, I did really love this film. It was a wonderful film. I saw it in a cinema with a screen that wrapped three quarters around the room, and I’d never experienced that before. It was great. Do I reccomend it? If you liked the first one, then definitely. If the first one left you cold, then you probably won’t like this one either.
This film is currently still only in cinemas, but I’m sure it’ll come to streaming soon. Enjoy! I certainly did!
The Martian
Written by: Andy Weir
Read by: RC Bray
“If the Oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death. So yeah. I’m fucked.”
(Questions from Audible’s reviews form)
Would you listen to The Martian again? Why?
I probably wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean anything. It’s very, very rare that I’ll ever re-read a book. It’s happened only a small handful of times in my adult life. I have so much in my to-read list that I don’t spend time re-reading books, no matter how awesome they were (and this one was awesome).
Who was your favorite character and why?
Definitely the main character, Mark Watney. Along with the obvious heroic stuff, he’s got a killer sense of humour that just brings the character to a whole other level. Venket Kapour, a NASA administrator, is also a wonderful character.
What about RC Bray’s performance did you like?
Everything! He’s an awesome reader! Every character has his own unique voice and accent, even the women, without sounding silly. His voice is pretty much perfect. He was born to read audiobooks.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed out loud a good few times. I never cried, but I did get really tense a few times. Near the end, I actually had trouble sitting still while listening!
Any additional comments?
This is a practically perfect sci-fi story. And it’s not so out there that I couldn’t picture something like this actually happening. It’s futuristic, but not very far into the future. 50, 100 years, tops. The writing was simple, but very good, and all the characters were engaging. I’d recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in sci-fi. It gets a perfect score from me, 10/10.
