Mars Attacks! was a witty satire of politics, news media, and military bluster when it was released in the late 1990s. As such, it is a fascinating time-capsule of our attitudes regarding these subjects prior to the events of 9/11.

The sheer number of A/B-list actors eager to be involved in a project that was virtually guaranteed to be a box office flop speaks to the strength of the script.

Rather than being a tired and corny prep meet for the indomitable spirit of mankind, it shows how comically unprepared humanity is to mount a coordinated defense against an eminent existential threat.

In the end, the menace is thwarted only through sheer luck, when it is discovered that our music is too tacky for the Martian brain to bear.

I wonder what a satire of this breadth and quality would look like today.

Submitted February 21, 2019 at 11:31AM by dreamrock https://ift.tt/2T9Y7o0