The best Mars movies of all time

One of the more popular Mars-based films of all-time, The Martian leans heavily into the science part of the science-fiction genre. Matt Damon plays a scientist cast away on Mars, trying to survive his time on the red planet. Stranded after his co-astronauts unintentionally leave him for dead, Mark is tasked with surviving on guile and science alone, while others work on trying to rescue him. Mark is the main character in the movie, but so is science, which feels hyper-realistic in this world. At a time when science is under attack more often than in recent memory, the spirit of The Martian remains relevant to a troubling degree.

In a lot of ways, Life plays like a typical Mars horror film. What it lacks in originality, however, it makes up for in strong acting and pacing. Three astronauts (played by Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds) are on the cusp of discovering the first sign of extraterrestrial life on Mars. While conducting experiments on the alien being on the ISS, however, the being begins to evolve in terrifying and unexpected ways. The familiar plot does little to diminish the tension roiling through every scene.

It’s not the most critically acclaimed movie of all-time, but Mars Needs Moms does the important work of bringing the Mars narrative to children. The Disney movie follows the adventures of 9-year-old Milo (played by Seth Green and voiced by Seth Dusky) as he comes to terms with how important family is when he goes to save his mother from her abductors: Martians. The film does a great job of painting a stunning scene of Mars and the intergalactic world, even when the plot and characterization fall short. The movie is available on Disney+, where it may have more views than it did in theaters a decade ago, as the film was considered a bomb at the box office.

Sure, there was a remake in 2012, and the special effects may seem ancient compared to today’s CGI wonderland, but there’s no beating the original Total Recall. Directed by Paul Verhoeven — who also gave us great kill-happy sci-fi flicks like 1987’s RoboCop and 1997’s Starship Troopers — Total Recall is an Arnold Schwarzenegger action extravaganza filled with Verhoeven’s apt social commentary and dark humor. Schwarzenegger’s lead, Douglas Quaid, believes he’s a construction worker in a happy marriage with the seductive Lori (Sharon Stone). But after growing curious enough to make a trip to a company called Rekall, which promises to install memories of exotic vacations in his brain, he learns he’s really secret agent Carl Hauser — or he’s gone bonkers, depending on which fan theory you believe. An adventure unfolds, revolving around a Martian rebellion, a star-crossed romance, and crazy mutants with body parts where body parts shouldn’t be.