The Martian (2015)

Stranded alone on a planet that wants him dead, Matt Damon never once seems like he might lose. That’s the trade. You get almost no dread, just a guy with a video log and a great attitude treating Mars like the world’s worst escape room. It works because Damon is funny and the problems are real: food, water, air, a habitat that was never built to last. Back on Earth, Jeff Daniels and a crowd of NASA people argue in conference rooms, which is less fun, and the movie cuts there a lot. Ridley Scott still keeps 144 minutes moving like a heist, and the disco running gag is a good bit that never wears out. Jessica Chastain plays a commander you’d follow anywhere. It made $630.6 million worldwide on a reported $108 million and got an A CinemaScore. An 8.2 because it’s the rare space movie that makes being smart feel like an action scene. $572 says you call yourself a botanist the next time you keep a basil plant alive for a week.

What works: Matt Damon’s easy, funny solo performance and the satisfying step-by-step problem solving.

What doesn’t: There’s almost no real sense of danger, and the NASA scenes back on Earth drag compared to Mars.

Who it’s for: People who liked science class more than they admit, and anyone who wants a space movie that’s mostly upbeat.