Speaking in de rigeur film review terms—where everything is usually “a rollercoaster thrill ride” or "an adrenaline-fueled romp”—we’d describe The Flaming Lips’ Christmas on Mars as "a hallucinogenic journey through an alien womb.” The loooooooong gestating and self-produced film, that comes out on DVD this week, is as weird as you would expect it to be. It feels like a special Solaris-themed episode of Felicity (you can’t hide from us, J.J. Abrams!), the weirdness tempered by its DIY charm. All the atmosphere takes its toll, and by the time Adam Goldberg delivers a monologue about a “vaginal-headed marching band from hell,” we were ready to call it a day. The film does, however, take a warm tone soon after that, trading its surplus of vaginas for a heart. By the end, we realized that this is exactly what director Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips thinks a Christmas movie should be. We’re still not sure if we’re completely sold on the idea.
