Mars Attacks!

Friday, March 4 - Saturday, March 19, 2022

35mm print

Staff Pick! Chosen by Clayton who says: “I love this movie from start to finish, you never know when alien will attack.”

“Tim Burton’s attractive and funny 1996 SF extravaganza, inspired by a series of Topps trading cards, has been described as satire, but whether its target is the present, the taste of SF fans in the 50s and 60s, or some combination thereof isn’t entirely clear. Jack Nicholson plays both the president of the United States and a real estate salesman (bringing a lot of brio to both parts but especially the latter), Glenn Close is the first lady, and Natalie Portman is first daughter. A large segment of the American population gets wiped out during the movie, but Burton and company play it all for laughs, finding derisive humor in pacifists as well as warmongers, ecologists as well as capitalists, media types as well as gun-toting hillbillies. The movie reserves most of its respect for a couple of youngsters (Portman and Lukas Haas), a partially senile grandmother (Sylvia Sidney), and a splintered black family (including Pam Grier and Jim Brown)… as in Ed Wood, Burton’s visual flair and affection for the characters make it fun.” – Jonathan Rosenbaum

• Year 1996
• Running Time 103 minutes
• Director Tim Burton
• Cast Jack Nicholson, Annette Bening, Lisa Marie, Glenn Close, Jack Black, Pierce Brosnan
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.