Two first-class productions looking at the space program top this week’s DVD selections.
• “Hidden Figures” 4 stars: The film continues the hot Hollywood trend of basing feature films on real stories. It’s a tale of incredible courage and determination that has such a powerful message about the pure absurdity of racism that this movie should be mandatory viewing for every man, woman and child.
Director Theodore Melfi manages to make his points about social injustice with such a steady approach that the significance lands early and continues to grow long after the closing credits.
• “Mars” 3 stars: The limited series “Mars” is a hybrid of scripted and non-scripted material.
Part of the production is a dramatized story of a handful of Earth astronauts in 2033 who go on the first manned mission to colonize Mars. This story is mixed with current-day interviews with top scientists explaining how each hurdle would be faced and defeated.
This blend of drama and real interviews makes “Mars” as entertaining as it is informative.
