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Space movies (possible spoilers)

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Can't wait for this! He was also in another great space movie, Interstellar. I'm loving that he has chosen these types of roles because it combines my love of space with great acting.
However, I think Nolan should have cast an unknown for the role of the pointedly named Dr. Mann. It's well over an hour into the movie and you've suspended disbelief enough to accept these actors so far as their characters. Then they get to the ice planet, open the hibernation chamber, and who's in there but Matt Damon! Not like a character played by Matt Damon, it was Matt Damon! As if they had sent Matt Damon himself on a deep space mission. Totally pulled me out of the movie. :)
 
Yeah, I agree, Dr. Mann would have worked better as an unknown kind of actor. Also, Matt Damon couldn't quite pull off the crazy scientist role. And I don't think he'll be able to pull off the really geeky engineer role in this movie either!
 
However, I think Nolan should have cast an unknown for the role of the pointedly named Dr. Mann. It's well over an hour into the movie and you've suspended disbelief enough to accept these actors so far as their characters. Then they get to the ice planet, open the hibernation chamber, and who's in there but Matt Damon! Not like a character played by Matt Damon, it was Matt Damon! As if they had sent Matt Damon himself on a deep space mission. Totally pulled me out of the movie. :)

Have to agree with this! If you're going to have very famous actors in the movie they need to be presented early on so you can relate to their character rather than their famous selves, but as you say; when he appears so far in to the movie it's harder to see him for his character rather than himself.
 
Also, Matt Damon couldn't quite pull off the crazy scientist role.
Well I get why he played it the way he did. Interstellar parallels Kubrick's 2001, and Matt Damon's character is effectively HAL. Likable, calm, rational, knows more about the mission than you do, and trying to leave you for dead. But yeah, I think they would have been better off casting someone less recognizable.
 
However, I think Nolan should have cast an unknown for the role of the pointedly named Dr. Mann. It's well over an hour into the movie and you've suspended disbelief enough to accept these actors so far as their characters. Then they get to the ice planet, open the hibernation chamber, and who's in there but Matt Damon! Not like a character played by Matt Damon, it was Matt Damon! As if they had sent Matt Damon himself on a deep space mission. Totally pulled me out of the movie. :)
Hahaha, i get that, it pulled me out of the movie as well but only for a split second. Matt Damon has a way to sound incredibly intelligent/explain things as an actor and i think he pulled it off for that role
 
Indeed, the book is very good. I just read it and absolutely loved it. I would also recommend reading it before seeing the movie. It'll only help understand the movie and add some trivia to the story that the movie director will undoubtedly have to cut out.

Hum… could anyone recommend some good similar books ? (so other books where the science is explained and used for the story.) Sorry for the little off topic !
It's funny, it seems to be a sort of one-hit wonder for the author. This book is rather an exception to the style of the author. (For instance, his next novel will be titled Zhek. He describes it as "a more traditional sci-fi novel. It has aliens, telepathy, faster-than-light travel, etc.". That's not exactly the recipe for "The Martian" !)

Still six month to go before the movie now.
 
I was just watching the extras on the Interstellar bluray and there was a segment on the science that the movie is based around and there is a small part where they talk about SpaceX and Elon is interviewed. Pretty cool!

I found it on youtube:

The whole segment is interesting, but SpaceX/Elon part is around 35:30

 
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I've had a running gag with my friends over the past decade or so, that whenever Kip Thorne comes up in conversation (which is surprisingly often) I mention that I had dinner with him where we discussed singularities, worm holes, and his bet with Steven Hawking among other things.

The gag part is that it wasn't really a one on one dinner, but a dinner I attended with about eight other Cornell physics students. Nonetheless it was memorable and fascinating.