I've been talking about The Martian for months now. I've been patiently (and excitedly) waiting for the movie and I finally got to see it last weekend. It's an excellent movie that does a really good job of remaining true to the book.

I took my wife to the movie and she thought it was a good movie, which bodes well for all the married gentlemen out there. The movie is thrilling from a problem solving perspective, but it's also funny and smart and highly entertaining. My one gripe with the movie was the climax, which deviated from the book and felt like a Hollywood executive shouting, "MOAR OVER THE TOP!" I think there was also a desire to make the climax more 3D appealing, which it probably was had I seen it in 3D. It's minor and only decreases from the movie because I've read the book.

I would love your thoughts on the movie in the comments below. If you haven't seen the movie, what are you waiting for?

The Martian: A Novel is a book written by Andy Weir that has been turned into a movie set to release this November. The book is about an astronaut in the near future who gets left behind on Mars. He must learn to survive Mars' harsh environment while waiting for a rescue that could take years. The format is in the form of a journal logged by a character who deals with high stress situations by using humor, that is quite entertaining.

I first heard about the book on Adam Savage's podcast Still Untitled, I read it in February, and now I'm giddy after watching the trailer today.

There's also this video, which I found yesterday, giving a small peak into some of the humor from the book that I expect to get translated into the movie:

The movie isn't without its suspense and drama as Whatney, Matt Damon, must solve complex problems to continue to survive. I highly recommend the book, if you haven't read it already. According to Savage, who has talked to NASA personnel about the book, the technology and math in the book are solid. It's easy to read and also very affordable at $6 - $16 depending on the version you want, Kindle to hardcover. If you enjoy reading this is a must read for the Summer.