The Martian by Ridley Scott, 2015 (PG-13)

with Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Peña, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sebastian Stan

When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney (Matt Damon), presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of supplies, the stranded visitor must utilize his wits and spirit to find a way to survive on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring him home, while his crew mates hatch their own plan for a daring rescue mission.

One of my favorite movies this year, it is funny, inventive, scary at time, definitely nerdy, and Matt Damon whom I am not a fan of is quite the guy for the situation. The sort of non-science-fiction feel of the entire movie, very grounded, very methodical in the steps it takes to make the story be reel is original, and for once, a mega-drama movie plot such as "we left him for dead in a desolated planet" turns out to be a comedy, and most interestingly, it winded up at the Oscars, which is not big on comedy in general. I would love to see it get an award...

Augustine by Alice Winocour, 2012 (NR)

with Soko, Vincent Lindon (Bastards), Chiara Mastroianni (Bastards), Olivier Rabourdin, Roxane Duran, Lise Lamétrie, Sophie Cattani, Grégoire Colin (Bastards), Ange Ruze, Stéphan Wojtowicz

When beautiful kitchen maid Augustine (French recording artist Soko) suffers an inexplicable, violent seizure, she is sent to a psychiatric hospital specializing in the treatment of feminine "hysteria" and presided over by Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot (a founding father of modern neurology and a mentor to Sigmund Freud). Fascinated by his new patient, Charcot (Vincent Lindon) quickly makes Augustine the star attraction in a series of hysteria presentations, hypnotizing her to induce spectacular fits for crowded lecture halls. As the full nature of Augustine's affliction begins to emerge, the relationship between doctor and patient becomes more complicated and personal power dynamics start to shift. Based on a true story from late 19th century Paris, Augustine is a lush, darkly sensuous tale of romance, psychology, and sexual politics.

Another movie with Vincent Lindon and Chiara Mastroianni. A strange one. I was told to pay attention, since it was so much connected to the play "Some Historic Some Hysteric" and a demonstration of how ignorant people were, comparing to the time of Masters of Sex, who still had so much to discover. The movie has a strange curve, with no real climax, no real contradiction, no real drama, it feels like documented from a blind point of view, which missed half of the story. Wouldn't it have been fascinating to know more about Augustine's emotional journey, or Dr. Charcot's struggle to get his discoveries to another level, or the political game of the people of research and science... Everything is there, and still nothing gets deep, so, when the movie ends, it feels incomplete, in suspense.

Watch Trailer:

Masters of Sex produced by Gregory Prange Showtime, 2013- (TVMA)

with Michael Sheen (Beautiful Boy, Tron: Legacy, Alice in Wonderland, Frost/Nixon, Midnight in Paris, Music Within, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2), Lizzy Caplan (True Blood, 127 Hours), Nicholas D'Agosto, Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears, Beau Bridges (Stargate, Tron: Legacy), Heléne Yorke, Allison Janney (The Help, The Hours, Margaret, Liberal Arts, Juno), Julianne Nicholson (Keep the Lights On, August: Osage County, Puccini for Beginners)

MASTERS OF SEX stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a midwestern teaching hospital to the cover of Time magazine and multiple appearances on Johnny Carson's couch. He is a brilliant scientist out of touch with his own feelings, and she is a single working mother ahead of her time. The series chronicles their unusual lives, romance, and unlikely pop culture trajectory.

Let's get started with a new Series. Perhaps not the most talked about, and at the same time, trying to be the most sensational one. Masters of Sex.
The cast is so far, from the first episode, impeccable. It took me a little bit to place the actress who plays Virginia Johnson, confusing her with Zooey Deschanel. They it came back, she is this pretty and adorable one who was in True Blood, the girlfriend of Jason in the first season. The character played by Michael Sheen of William Masters is incomprehensible, which apparently is meant to be that way. Beau Bridges is a little bit similar to his character in Stargate, which gets me a little confused, but never the less, with a hospital context, university and prostitute house, makes an interesting alternate reality to what is Mad Men, from the same period. Looking forward to see the next episdodes. And by the way, this research of Masters may have been redefining the knowledge of sex as we know it now, I believe there is still so much to learn from his research, much unknown.

watch trailer: