Mar 16 2025 64 mins
Welcome to another episode of Death Don’t Do Fiction, the AIPT Movies podcast! The podcast about the enduring legacy of our favorite movies! It’s March, so that means it’s time for our “Get Your Ass to March” series! Where we cover movies that relate to the planet Mars and/or the 1990 sci-fi classic, Total Recall! In this week’s episode, Alex, Tim, and Matt kick off the series by discussing another film set on that mysterious and alluring red planet, Brian De Palma’s frequently maligned and weirdly-positive space adventure, Mission to Mars!
Ancient Aliens, baby! A NASA barbeque! A horny astronaut! Unconvincing science jargon! Weird space organ music from Ennio Morricone! The terror of micrometeoroids! Computer-generated Zero G fluids! Amazing use of a rotating set! Space Van Halen! Casual reactions to a deadly space twister! Solid visual effects for its time! The DNA model for an “ideal woman” made out of candy! A script from the writers of Predator and Speed! A solid cast with good chemistry, including Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O'Connell, and Gary Sinise with weird wispy bangs! A surprisingly positive story about the human spirit and space travel that’s almost an optimistic version of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, with Brian De Palma bringing his trademark knack for suspense and crazy camera moves!
In addition, Alex shares his spoiler-free thoughts on In the Lost Lands, Mickey 17, and the first two Baby Assassins movies!
You can find Death Don’t Do Fiction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. As always, if you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave us a positive rating, subscribe to the show, and tell your friends!
The Death Don’t Do Fiction podcast brings you the latest in movie news, reviews, and more! Hosted by supposed “industry vets,” Alex Harris, Tim Gardiner, and Matt Paul, the show gives you a peek behind the scenes from three filmmakers with oddly nonexistent filmographies. You can find Alex on Twitter, Bluesky, or Letterboxd @actionharris. Matt is a terrific artist that you can find on Instagram @no_wheres_ville. Tim can’t be found on social media because he doesn’t exist. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Death Don’t Do Fiction crew, they can be reached at [email protected], or you can find them on Twitter or Instagram @aiptmoviespod.
Theme song is “We Got it Goin On” by Cobra Man.