Movies with a Planet Mars theme, that offer something to think about...

Total Recall (1990)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone

Setting aside the trademark gore and violence of an Arnie movie, the story is centred in the future where a human colony on Mars, is being run by a ruthless corporation intent on keeping secret the existence of an ancient Martian machine that can restore breathable air to Mars.

Red Planet (2000)

Directed by: Antony Hoffman

Starring: Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss

The film does a reasonable job of creating a Mars landscape upon which stranded astronauts have to work out a way to get back to Earth. They come across a life form too, that increases the interest.

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Stranded (2001)

Directed by: María Lidón

Starring: Vincent Gallo and Maria de Medeiros

A subtitled, non-Hollywood movie that despite average acting presents an interesting story of astronauts once again stranded on Mars and trying to survive. They end up finding an artificial complex  and mummified remains of humanoid beings.

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Mission to Mars (2000)

Directed by: Brian De Palma

Starring: Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins

This film was released just after NASA had taken a new picture of the 'Face on Mars'. The story is based on the discovery by NASA astronauts, that the Face is real and that some ancient Martian race had built it.

The Martian (2015)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain

Here's another movie that was released just after a NASA announcement - this time about its plans to colonize Mars. The  story is all about how one man works out how to survive on Mars until he can get rescued - with the gift of science and ingenuity. 

Approaching the Unknown (2016)

Directed by: Mark Rosenberg

Starring: Mark Strong

A strangely claustrophobic but compelling film about a single astronaut on a one-man mission to Mars. The story is set solely in the spaceship until the very end.

Capricorn One (1977)

Directed by: Peter Hyams

Starring: Elliott Gould, James Brolin

Another movie that doesn't actually get to Mars, but instead involves a hoaxed Mars landing by NASA; an idea that perhaps has given birth to some modern-day conspiracy theories.