DVD REVIEWS
THE MARTIAN
(out of 4) The Martian is a crackerjack outer space adventure that celebrates human ingenuity over mechanical contrivance. This triumphant return to sci-fi by director Ridley Scott ( Alien, Prometheus), adapting Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, stars Matt Damon as stranded Mars astronaut Mark Watney, who has to employ do-ityourself strategies if he hopes to survive. He’s left alone but not forlorn, after a six-person expedition to the red planet led by Jessica Chastain’s Commander Lewis is forced to make an emergency evacuation. Lost in a dust storm, Watney is presumed dead. The shock of his miraculous survival quickly turns to sky-high suspense, as NASA and his crewmates contemplate a high-risk rescue mission, one that on paper could take years — unless they find a way to speed things up. I call The Martian “real-fi” rather than “sci-fi,” because it’s so downto-Earth in its realism, both on this blue planet and the distant red one. More than anything, though, it’s just a great time at the movies. Extras include making-of featurettes, cast interviews and a gag reel. Peter Howell
BEEBA BOYS
(out of 4) Toronto’s Deepa Mehta ( Fire, Earth, Water) channels her inner Tarantino for a noteworthy change of pace, one that pursues her careerlong inquiry into identity and the immigrant experience with explosive results. Vancouver’s stylish but ruthless Punjabi gangs empower the factinspired narrative, the title Beeba (“Good”) Boys swaggering across the frame with bloody confrontations over drugs, arms and turf. Randeep Hooda’s Beeba boss Jeet leads a charismatic crew who abide by four words: Power. Money. Respect. Style. Alternately horrifying and humorous, the film is more a sequence of vignettes rather than a single dramatic tale. It’s a TV series waiting to happen. But it is rich in characters, including Waris Ahluwalia’s joke-telling Manny, Ali Momen’s manoeuvering Nep, Sarah Allen’s lovestruck Katya and Paul Gross’s sinister Jamie. Extras include making-of featurettes. PH