Annette Bening Movie:

Editorial Review:
It's enlightening to view Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! as his twisted satire of the blockbuster film Independence Day, which was released earlier the same year, although the movies were in production simultaneously. Burton's eye-popping, schlock tribute to 1950s UFO movies actually plays better on video than it did in theaters. The idea of invading aliens ray gunning the big-name movie stars in the cast is a cleverly subversive one, and the bulb-headed, funny-sounding animated Martians are pretty nifty, but it all seemed to be spread thin on the big screen. On video, however, the movie's kooky humor seems a bit more concentrated. The Earth actors (most of whom get zapped or kidnapped for alien science experiments) include Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rod Steiger, Michael J. Fox, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, Tom Jones, and Pam Grier. The digital video disc features an isolated track for Danny Elfman's score, as well as a few other clever and nasty little Martian surprises. --Jim Emerson

Mars Attacks! [Region 2] Reviews:
Complete, utter, total waste of time
2009-12-29 - One of the few times in my life I have found nothing to like about a movie. And I have seen some crappy movies. Like a slot-machine junkie, I kept watching, figuring that it had to get better at some point. But no such luck. When it was over, I realized I had completely wasted my time, and that I'm never getting that hour and 45 minutes of my life back. Giving this movie one star is far too generous. Unfortunately, there is no zero star option. Please spend your time more wisely (and save your money). Wash your car. Organize your CD collection. Watch the Home Shopping Network. Paint your toenails. Read a romance novel. Take a nap. ANYTHING would be a better use of your time than to watch this movie.

When Burton jumped the shark.
2009-12-16 - A lot of amusing little bits here, particularly at the beginning with the oddball 50s atmosphere and cardboard caricatures that Burton loved back in his early career. Alas, it all goes downhill very quickly as this agonizingly "fun" film becomes utterly tedious and nothing more than a cheeky Art Director's idea of hilarity. It is just not very original to have a bunch of loud, yapping Hollywood stars act like imbeciles -- makes it more like a Cannonball Run film. And while it is an in-your-face send-up of old Sci-Fi junk, most of the gags run to the needlessly violent and sadistic, which is a sign of creative desperation.

There is, however, one sequence that involves an alien prostitute which most everyone remembers to this day. Lisa Marie, Tim Burton's beautiful ex-girlfriend, does a fabulous job of choreographing her undulating movements as a sinister Beehive-hairdo'd temptress. It's an inspired reinterpretation of 50s camp that deserves to be in a much better film. Unfortunately, after that it's just back to the lame Jack Nicholson schtick and the irritating aliens (with painfully outdated CG I might add).

Mars Atttacks! occupies a sad place in Burton's career where he lost the magic of his early work, particularly Edward Scissorhands. Since then, he has directed some seriously awful films, apparently having lost the deft touch he temporarily exhibited. But what does he care -- I see he now has an exhibit of his cartoon drawings at the MOMA. I might add this this Alice in Wonderland thing looks horrid -- just like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was. It all started here.

Feedback
2009-12-15 - A comedy spoofing an alien attack from Mars; very funny and with an all-star cast. A Tim Burton movie the whole family can enjoy. Thanks!

One star for one chuckle.
2009-11-24 - I chuckled over what causes the demise of the Martians. Everything else is so over the top that it's simply not funny.

ACK! ACK! ACK! (trans: Tim Burton Is Our leader!)
2009-10-05 - MARS ATTACKS! is sort of a melding of EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS and WAR OF THE WORLDS, w/ the ingenious idea of both paying homage to and doing a parody of 50s sci-fi in general. Using the infamous trading card collection as inspiration, Mr. Burton fleshes it out w/ non-stop hilarity and satire. The cast of big-name stars reminds me of the cast of IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD, WORLD. The martians are perfectly sinister in their bid to destroy mankind. The scene w/ Lisa Marie as the "hot" chick / martian in disguise is a classic! The weapon that finally proves to be the martians' undoing is VERY similar to that found in ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, and even more effective! Tim Burton is one of my favorite directors. His oddball stuff never ceases to intrigue and / or entertain me. Long may he live...