a beautiful planet

Consider this pair of trailers a yin-yang situation — speaking for their focuses and scale of production, and hopefully not at all of quality. Entering a limited release this month is A Space Program, a title described by one (very positive) review as a “mockumentary / performance piece [that’s] sci-fi by way of Wes Anderson.” The cinematic condensing of Van Neistat and Tom Sachs‘ New York installation earned some good buzz upon hitting SXSW last year, and its trailer (via Apple) does a fine job of raising questions as to where, exactly, the line between reality and presentation rests.

Also entering a limited release this spring, albeit on a much bigger scale (ar ar ar), is A Beautiful Planet, the IMAX-presented, Jennifer Lawrence-narrated documentary that looks upon the earth with footage captured by the International Space Station. It might turn out to be little more than space porn — but if seen in an optimal IMAX 3D presentation, this could be very fine porn indeed.

Watch the trailers below:

a space program poster

a beautiful planet poster

Synopses:

In A Space Program, internationally acclaimed artist Tom Sachs takes us on an intricately handmade journey to the red planet, providing audiences with an intimate, first-person look into his studio and methods. The film is both a piece of art in its own right and a recording of Sachs’ historic piece, Space Program 2.0: MARS, which opened at New York’s Park Avenue Armory in 2012. For Space Program 2.0: MARS, Sachs and his team built an entire space program from scratch. They were guided by the philosophy of bricolage: creating and constructing from available yet limited resources. They ultimately sent two female astronauts to Mars in search of the answer to humankind’s ultimate question… are we alone? Directed by Van Neistat, A Space Program is a captivating introduction to Sachs’ work for the uninitiated, and required viewing for his longtime fans.

A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of our planet and galaxy as never seen before. Made in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the film features stunning footage of our magnificent blue planet — and the effects humanity has had on it over time — captured by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). As we continue to explore and gain knowledge of our galaxy, we also develop a deeper connection to the place we all call home. From IMAX Entertainment and Toni Myers — the acclaimed filmmaker behind celebrated IMAX documentaries Blue Planet, Hubble 3D, and Space Station 3D — A Beautiful Planet presents an awe-inspiring glimpse of Earth and a hopeful look into the future of humanity.

A Space Program will enter a limited release on March 18.

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