New this week on BluRay!

GALACTIC ADVENTURES: 3D SUN/MARS 3D Documentaries

3D SUN
Directed by Barry Kimm
Narrated by Al Roker
MARS 3D
Directed by Barry Kimm
Find out more about these films here
Reviewed by Ambush Bug

While this may be more in the realm of my fellow AICN Science Guy Copernicus, when the GALACTIC ADVENTURES: 3D SUN/MARS 3D Documentary two-pack landed on my doorstep, I couldn’t help but give it a look see for review. Now, aside from comics and horror, I do have an insatiable appetite for all sorts of nature and science documentaries, so having a chance to check out some brand new footage from two of our greatest celestial neighbors really did pique my interest.

The key aspect to pay attention to in both of these documentaries which run about 20 minutes each is that they are filmed in 3D format. Unfortunately, my current income doesn’t allow for me to have a 3D television (though if anyone out there wants to slide one down my chimney this Christmas, you’re welcome to do so—I’ve been a pretty good Bug this year), but the disks are presented in both 2D and 3D formats, so I was still about to check out the films. Of course, I imagine having a 3D television would enhance the experience, but the films on my regular old 2D screen were damn impressive as well.

3D SUN narrated by Al Roker tell us about a project where dual satellites were launched into space at different orbits and pointed at the sun on order to give a stereo picture and thus a 3D image of the sun for the first time ever. Much of the documentary explains the sophistication of such a project and how it’s never been done before, but the real highlight is when the images are actually shown. Giving the viewer a picture of what the sun looks like through different lenses in order to see the suns multiple layers, 3D SUN offered up images I had never seen before and they are a sight to behold. Polar plumes and choronal winds spouts are seen with such clarity you’d think you’re going to raise the temperature in the room you’re watching it in. The amazing swirls and rays beaming of the sun have never been mapped or viewed before with human eyes, making this documentary monumental in the images it shows.

Now, I thought it was fascinating to see the sun and the different layers, but for some reason, Mars has always been more compelling. Maybe it’s all of those old timey Martian monster movies I sat through as a kid, but the red planet has always fascinated me and even mediocre films like Mars like RED PLANET and MISSION TO MARS are fun for me to watch for some reason. Recently, I also reviewed LAST DAYS TO MARS which is available on Video on Demand and digital download and in select theaters this weekend and my fascination with our neighboring planet continued to compel me. So out of the two docs, I was looking forward to MARS 3D the most.

And MARS 3D didn’t disappoint as it felt like much more of a story was being told with some real bits of intrigue as the doc follows the launch of the recent Mars Exploration Rover Mission which made all sorts of news and discoveries. The documentary does a fantastic job of showing how delicate the project was. And there are even moments of nail biting tension as the rover bounces onto the surface and the control room intensely wait to see if the rover survived the rough landing completely intact and able to send a signal back home capably. Those moments of tension are followed by some pretty amazing imagery on Mars’ surface as we find out more about our neighboring planet and possibly its origins. The rover found evaporate rocks which only form in salty seas, proving that at one time water existed on Mars, something that was only theorized about for quite some time.

In both of these docs the excitement by the scientists involved with the projects are filled with a giddy form of geek glee which I guess could be compared with the jubilation one feels when in line for a new STAR WARS film. GALACTIC ADVENTURES: 3D SUN/MARS 3D is a great pair of mini-docs and a perfect gift for the astronomy nut or science geek in your family. Plus it’s kid friendly and educational too. While I spend most of my time watching films and reading comics that transport me to strange and horrific worlds, it’s refreshing to see a documentary like GALACTIC ADVENTURES: 3D SUN/MARS 3D as it proves that those strange worlds aren’t all fiction.

Again you can find out more about GALACTIC ADVENTURES: 3D SUN/MARS 3D here

Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 12 years & AICN HORROR for 4. Mark’s written comics such as THE TINGLERS & WITCHFINDER GENERAL, DEATHSPORT GAMES, NANNY & HANK (soon to be a feature film from Uptown 6 Films), Zenescope’sGRIMM FAIRY TALES Vol.13 & UNLEASHED: WEREWOLVES – THE HUNGER and a chapter in Black Mask Studios’OCCUPY COMICS. FAMOUS MONSTERS’ LUNA: ORDER OF THE WEREWOLF (co-written with Martin Fisher) will be available soon in trade. Mark also wrote the critically acclaimed GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS THE JUNGLE BOOK and its follow up THE JUNGLE BOOK: LAST OF THE SPECIES! Follow Ambush Bug on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller.