Stranded (2001)

Memorable, crazy movie

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

So I was recommended this movie on Netflix due to a couple other low-budget indie-ish sci-fi movies that I've seen. After watching the first half-hour, which consists of pretty wooden acting and laborious exposition, I put this movie aside. The next day I went to IMDb.com, and the user reviews encouraged me to keep on going.This turns out to be a wise recommendation. Yes, the acting and line-reading is, for the most part, pretty amateurish. At points it reminds the viewer of a high school play. However if you accept that these are meant to be ordinary people in unusual circumstances, you can get beyond this.Action picks up after that first half-hour, when the astronauts leave their spaceship. This is not "action" in a conventional sci-fi movie: events happen slowly and with plenty of time in between. This is meant as a compliment. The movie shines in the exterior scenes, and it brings meaning back to the spaceship scenes.This is not a big-budget CGI-filled movie, but again this is meant as a compliment. After that first half-hour, which in retrospect is necessary to set up the astronauts' predicament, the movie does an excellent job at telling a story and making the viewer wonder: how would I act and feel under similar circumstances?Bottom line: definitely worth a watch.

This is a far more cerebral sci-fi movie than most people are accustom to, which is why I think it gets some low reviews. There's almost no action at all. It's obviously low-budget and the space suites could have been more realistic, but despite this it is still a movie worth seeing if you are a Sci-Fi buff. The acting style throughout the film is quite different and somewhat odd for this type of movie, however this is really one of it's strongest features and makes it a unique movie. The way the lines are delivered seems more like dialog of a play, rather than dialog in film, if that makes any sense. Almost as if it is a live production. The characters are far more flawed and realistic than most movies, especially Vincent Gallo's character, which seems to be something he does rather well. I loved Maria de Medeiros as Jenny, she's a presence just with her eyes. Joaquim de Almeida is probably the best actor in this film, and portrays depth without really even knowing much about the character. María Lidón does a great job, but is also the most odd with her delivery of the dialog and monologue throughout the film. It's a slow paced movie, but not overly long in length, which makes it able to stay interesting throughout. The music is especially good in this movie, which adds a lot to it's power. Worthwhile viewing!

Only watched it because it was on Netflix online and I'm a sci-fi freak. I went past the 10 minutes to give it a chance. I got to 30 minutes and I want to vomit. I think this would be a great movie to show terrorist prisoners as a means of torture. The 2 blondes (guy and girl) and the worst actors I've ever seen, making Steven Segal look like Laurence Olivier. OK, TELL US WHERE THE BOMB IS OR YOU'LL HAVE TO WATCH THAT BLONDE LADY ACT FOR 5 MORE MINUTES! I really wanted to invest in this movie but the acting is just way too crappy to ever believe. Think I'll Fast Forward through the rest of this and move on to something with better acting like Barney the Dinosaur.

OK, so the acting leaves a lot to be desired, but look past the soapy acting and the first 20 minutes that allow the mind to wander and you will find yourself watching a highly enjoyable sci-fi that strays from the typical conventions of its peers.The movie explores new conventions of mars and a unique perspective that really destroy its peers such as Mission to Mars and is a good movie once you get into it. The movie is set almost as a documentary that focuses on the logical progression of events rather then searching for cheap dramatic climaxes.Overall worth a watch if your a sci-fi fan, it offers a new and unique perspective to the mysteries of mars and is overall enjoyable.