Page 30 - atoday sept 30

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PEOPLE & ARTSWednesday 30 September

Damon, Scott book a return to space in ‘The Martian’

JAKE COYLE In this Sept. 11, 2015 photo, Matt Damon poses for a portrait in creature: a blockbuster a familiar frontier to Scott,
AP Film Write promotion of his upcoming role in “The Martian” at the 2015 with brains. There may be who forever endeared
TORONTO (AP) — “The Mar- Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. Associated Press water on Mars, as NASA himself to sci-fi fans early in
tian” was briefly stranded announced Monday, but his career with “Blade Run-
in Hollywood development He goes, ‘It’s (expletive) tertainments. It’s a space there’s been a drought at ner” and “Alien.” Decades
when Ridley Scott reached great.’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Why aren’t tale more grounded in sci- the multiplex. later, he’s found himself
out to Matt Damon, the we making this?’ I said, ‘I ence fact than fiction; a Damon stars as astronaut firmly back in the genre
star attached to the stalled guess we are.’” 3-D popcorn movie full of Mark Watney, whose crew- with “The Martian” and
projected. The unexpected com- mathematics; an ode to members, thinking him 2013’s “Prometheus,” for
The script by Drew God- binations of talent that science that’s funny. dead from a flying piece which he’s currently prep-
dard (“Cabin in the went into making “The “The Martian,” which 20th of debris, leave him behind ping one and, he says, pos-
Woods”) from Andy Weir’s Martian” are fitting for a Century Fox will release on Mars as they rush to flee sibly two sequels.
novel was full of the kind of movie of such hybrid en- Friday, is that rare earthly a sand storm. Alone on the “I loved it,” says Scott. “I re-
nerdy humor and science red planet, Watney’s fate alized on the first day how
geekery that few would is seemingly sealed, but much I missed it.”
associate with the mascu- through his own scientific “The Martian,” which
line epics Scott is known ingenuity, improvises his largely drew raves out of
for. But the 77-year-old Brit- survival. NASA (including its premiere at the Toronto
ish director tends not to an ensemble of Jeff Dan- International Film Festival,
concern himself with such iels, Chiwetel Ejiofor and has been portrayed as a
trifles. Jessica Chastain) mounts a return-to-form for Scott fol-
“He goes, ‘We’ve never rescue mission with its own lowing critical disappoint-
met,’” recalls Damon, bark- scientific dexterity. ments like “Exodus” (which
ing an impression of the Rarely has there been a was slammed for its largely
no-nonsense Scott. “And film more celebratory of white cast) and his Cor-
I said, ‘No, we’ve never the space program and mac McCarthy adapta-
met.’ He goes, ‘The script is the problem-solving power tion “The Counselor.”
good!’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ of science. NASA has em- “The press can be very
braced the film with celes- negative,” Scott says. “I
Kate Winslet has ‘no reservations’ tial warmth, screening it for never let it get to me, not
about ‘Steve Jobs’ movie the crew on the Interna- for a long time. The last
tional Space Station. time I got upset about
JOHN CARUCCI In this Sept. 14, 2015 file photo, Kate Winslet The solitary extreme of “The press was ‘Blade Runner.’
Associated Press Martian” may be reminis- No one liked it.”
TORONTO (AP) — There are so many rea- attends the premiere for “The Dressmaker” cent of “Gravity,” but its Having Scott aboard, Da-
sons for Kate Winslet to feel great about closeness to another re- mon says, mitigated his
the new “Steve Jobs” movie that it doesn’t at the Toronto International Film Festival at in cent space drama infused concerns about playing
matter that critics panned the 2013 film with the spirit of space ex- most of his scenes alone.
“Jobs,” which was also about the Apple Toronto. Associated Press ploration — Christopher Like a video diary, Watney
Computer co-founder. Nolan’s “Interstellar,” in speaks the majority of his
“I have no reservations whatsoever and so educational, she also said it was a “tough, which Damon was also lines to cameras situated
excited to be a part of this project,” Wins- but fascinating process.” alone on a distant planet around the Mars habitat.
let said in a recent interview at the Toronto “It was very, very challenging. It’s 187 pag- — gave the actor pause. “You have no one co-sign-
Film Festival. She plays Joanna Hoffman, es of continuous dialogue of just people Damon (who spoke in a ing your fantasy,” Damon
who worked closely with Jobs from the talking,” she said. “It was very hard for all recent interview before says. “It is kind of like when
early days of Apple Computer. of us to really come up with what Danny comments he made about you were a kid making a
Winslet’s confidence comes in part from (Boyle) wanted and needed to put this diversity and sexuality game up in your room. It’s
the approach taken by the film’s Oscar- film together.” drew criticism) took a year entirely dependent on not
winning team: writer Aaron Sorkin and “Steve Jobs” plays the New York Film Fes- and a half off from acting cracking. It was the chal-
director Danny Boyle. Both have a knack tival on Saturday, before opening nation- while his family (he has four lenge of the movie and
for tackling contemporary subject mat- wide on Oct. 8.q daughters with wife Luci- kind of why I wanted to do
ter. But Winslet also feels that with a figure ana Barroso) moved to it.”
as prominent in the public conscience as Los Angeles. “The Martian” Besides prepping the “Pro-
Jobs, it’s hard to do a critically acclaimed was his first film since “Inter- metheus” sequel, “Alien:
biopic. So she’s happy it wasn’t made stellar.” Paradise Lost,” Scott is
that way. “I said, ‘Look, I’m in Chris’s managing his busy produc-
“It’s actually very much not that. It is de- movie. I’m stranded on a tion company, Scott Free
liberately not that. Aaron Sorkin decided planet,’” Damon recalls Productions. Damon, fol-
that there was no interest for him in writing telling Scott. “If I then fol- lowing his short hiatus, has
it in that way,” explained Winslet, who was low that up with a guy packed in a shoot in China
in Toronto to promote another film, “The stranded on a planet...” with Zhang Yimou, a new
Dressmaker.” The director sought out No- “Bourne” film with direc-
Based on Walter Isaacson’s book of the lan to see an early cut of tor Paul Greengrass and a
same name, the film was shot like a play, “Interstellar” and decided planned Alexander Payne
rehearsed like one, and told in three acts. the similarity wasn’t an is- movie (“Downsizing”).
“Each act covers a different year: 1984, sue. “I mean, they’re mak- But “The Martian” aligned
‘88 and ‘98 in Steve Jobs’ creative work- ing another Batman movie the men’s orbits for a mu-
ing life,” Winslet said. “We shot each act already,” laughs Damon, tual return to space, pro-
in chronological order, one act at a time.” alluding to the upcoming pelled by the workmanlike
While the actress said making the film was role for his friend, Ben Af- Scott. Not that the direc-
fleck. tor is one to get all cosmic
Space, of course, is also about it.q