Word: martian
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...imagine that we wanted to talk about the general nature of all theorems of mathematics. If we look in the Martians' textbooks, all such theorems will look to our eyes like mere numbers. And so we might develop an elaborate theory about which numbers could turn up in Martian textbooks and which numbers would never turn up there. Of course we would not really be talking about numbers, but rather about strings of symbols that to us look like numbers. And yet, might it not be easier for us to forget about what these strings of symbols mean...
...such a simple shift of perspective, Godel wrought deep magic. The Godelian trick is to imagine studying what might be called "Martian-producible numbers" (those numbers that are in fact theorems in the Martian textbooks), and to ask questions such as, "Is or is not the number 8030974 Martian-producible (M.P., for short)?" This question means, Will the statement '8030974' ever turn up in a Martian textbook...
Without Christopher Lloyd, whose physical gestures, bulging eyes and quirky hand movements steal the comedic presence of the film and decent special effects, My Favorite Martian would be a Disney failure. If you want an evening of brainless, unoriginal entertainment, then this intergalactic comedy is the place...
Interspersed between the occasional defecation and perverted spying of a man taking a bath, My Favorite Martian lacks cohesiveness. Such a shortcoming can be seen in O'Hara's sudden deep sense of friendship with Uncle Martin. After one conversation with Martin in the bathroom about O'Hara's non-existent love life, they become best of friends and O'Hara no longer wants to gain fame by broadcasting his Martian footage. This contrived sense of friendship is highlighted by Daniels's poor performance in making the scene come alive and injecting emotional reality into his character. In another instance...
Director Donald Petrie's creation fails in other ways, especially when trying to convey any sense of substance. Throughout, My Favorite Martian highlights the shortcomings of humanity by contrasting Martian super-intelligence with human stupidity. Martians use 100 percent of their brain capacity while humans use 10 percent; humans are the "amoebas of the universe;" humans are "savages." Such a message in itself does not diminish the movie's appeal but rather the vehicle used to send the message. During one of the last scenes, when Martin is about to leave earth, he hops in his spacecraft and says...