Mars Express

A miracle of economy. “Mars Express” is only eighty-nine minutes, but through the old standby of showing rather than telling while keeping meticulous track that what we’re being shown will be relevant later in the film, it pulls off the feat of cramming so much universe, personality, and story into its runtime without coming across as bloated or hasty. That it wears its inspirations on its sleeve might serve to dull some of the thrills, until the headspinning finale reveals you were being played all along and the story goes somewhere “Blade Runner” never dared. A gorgeous piece of madness.

9