Search - Mission to Mars

Brian De Palma directed this science-fiction suspense story. When the United States sends its first manned mission to Mars, hopes are high for new scientific discoveries, but many of those hopes are dashed when the Mars crew meets an unexplained disaster; three members of the mission are killed, and a fourth (Don Cheadle) loses all radio contact with the Earth. A rescue mission sets out to bring back the one survivor; in the process, they discover that Mars may not be a dead planet after all, and uncover some startling evidence about the fate of their predecessors. The rescue crew includes Gary Sinise, Jerry O'Connell, Connie Nielsen and Tim Robbins. The screenplay was partially by award-winning playwright Ted Tally, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Silence of the Lambs. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Gary Sinise - Jim McConnell
Tim Robbins - Woody Blake
Don Cheadle - Luke Graham
Connie Nielsen - Terri Fisher
Jerry O'Connell - Phil Ohlmyer

Brian De Palma's visually stunning but otherwise lackluster science fiction epic Mission to Mars comes to DVD in a crisp, anamorphic, widescreen transfer and 5.1 Surround Sound -- all the better to show off the film's admittedly impressive special effects, which stand out even more due to the flat pacing and performances. Not surprisingly, the disc's best extra features also concentrate on Mission to Mars' technical achievements: the production art gallery, explanations of the visual effects, and the documentary Visions of Mars all provide insight into the film's successful moments. A fairly informative commentary and a trailer complete a surprisingly well-rounded presentation of this rather slight film; though sci-fi fans and FX geeks may find a wealth of entertainment here, most other viewers would be better off renting this piece of the red planet instead of owning it. ~ Heather Phares, All Movie Guide

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50	Close Encounters of the Third Kind [Widescreen] (PG)
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17	Forbidden Planet (G)
53	Contact (PG)
75	Lost in Space (PG-13)
21	Supernova (R)
93	Pitch Black [Unrated] (NR)
35	Red Planet (PG-13)
4	Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles (NR)
42	Event Horizon (R)
35	Sunshine (R)
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