In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Sunday, 28 April 2013

MARS ATTACKS! [1996]

As much of a hugely unfocused mess Tim Burton's sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks! is, it's still one of my top five favorite films of his.
Inspired by 1960's Topps' trading cards of the same name, the film is more of a homage than a satire of 1950's sci-fi b-movies and 1970's ensemble cast disaster films.  Beneath all the goofiness and scattered chaos is a ruthlessly funny dissection of American society and culture that ultimately hurt it's popularity in the States but was a great success in the rest of the world.  It's colorful, loud, hilarious, tremendously corny and occasionally shocking, all of which makes for one of Burton's craziest films to date.  

3 peace doves of war out of 5

2 comments:

Dr Faustus said...

The opening title sequence is my favourite part.

3 ack ack ack out of 5.

Impudent Urinal said...

I was really into it at the time. I had the toys, cards and shit.
Watching it again it's certainly funny, but I don't know why I was engrossed in it so much. I had the DVD, but no idea where it went.

3½ Teepees are better in a lot of ways out of 5