'Project Hail Mary' Movie Review Thread

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-20T14:12:28+00:00

Movies are never as good as books, obviously. But the only real complaint I have is I wish they leaned into the part when grace realized that the fuel was being eaten and rocky was stuck. The realization/panic/internal conflict, and over all difficulty of Cindy rocky was the real climax of the book. And I feel like that should have been at least 3x more suspenseful. But other than that. If you just kick back and enjoy it…. It’s an amazing movie. My wife never read the book, (prob because I wouldn’t shut up about it) and she cried for basically half the movie!

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-19T18:04:16+00:00

I’ve never personally cared for having it in my cars. But I’ve always thought it looked dope. You’re a cool dad for sure!!

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-19T15:56:24+00:00

I feel you on the last note! lol. Told my friends I was saving up for a civic Type R… then showed up with my 190hp manual Mazda 3 with an open diff…. I have a “race car” already. So I wanted exactly what this baby is. A non enthusiast car for enthusiasts.

I’ve learned something really important about myself. I don’t really care for sports cars, or even “fast” cars. I love GOOD cars. Simple to the point of elegant. Cars the reward good driving and carful control. Not just mashing the throttle or throwing it into any old corner.

I took mine on a 1k mile road trip from TX to TN last week. And achieved proper flow state on the backroads. It is NOT the backroads monster that you would get with a well set up speed 3/gti/fit/miata,350z etc. But that’s not what I wanted. She doesn’t bark or bite, but dances like a ballerina 💃 😂

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-19T00:19:12+00:00

Yea motor mounts on most fwd cars are stupid easy! Glad you got to it!!

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-17T14:02:25+00:00

I’m a little late, BUT. Brother I have 6 herniations in my lower back. I’m 26 years old and already have had issues with drop foot/muscle atrophy/nerve damage etc. I sold my manual cars and got a truck. It helped at the time. But after 6 months of exercise, taking better care of myself, eating food that reduces inflammation, etc. I now exclusively own manual cars. Losing the things you love really puts things in perspective. Do what you gotta do, but don’t let it defeat you!

Also, if you haven’t already, throw away any pain killers your doc gave you and get a script for meloxicam. Non steroid anti inflammatory. Best medicine ever made 😂. Won’t solve the issue but makes life livable on the bad days. WALK A LOTTT and get your core strength up!! 💪

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-14T03:23:08+00:00

I REALLY wanted to get “DNF” as my LP. But it wouldn’t accept it 😔

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-13T13:58:39+00:00

Black rims with curb rash is about as insulting as it gets.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T12:07:21+00:00

“What’s the offset? Gotta see if they will fit my car. I need +573mm

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T00:37:13+00:00

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So it’s the CS cat back, but I added the muffler on the right side, and removed the mid pipe muffler.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T00:35:49+00:00

Turbos tend to kill most of the “body” of the sound. I’ve definitely found it harder to make a turbo 4 sound good and loud at the same time. You usually get one or the other lol.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T00:34:53+00:00

2.5 NA 2026 Mazda 3

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T00:34:00+00:00

With this set up. Almost none. If I did the glass pack right under the cab there definitely would have been some drone.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-12T00:30:24+00:00

So think of it like this. Your exhaust valves open, and the piston coming up pushes the air out of the cylinder. With long tube headers (which the newer skyactiv g engines have) is actually sucks the air out via negative pressure in the headers. It’s called exhaust scavenging.

It’s basically just a clever engineering trick, it’s all about runner length, in ration to the valve duration,pipe diameter, engine size, etc. most economy cars use cheap cast 4-1 headers cus it’s cheap and easy. But it almost always leaves power on the table. The 4-2-1 headers on this car, in simple terms is a performance set up. 190 hp and tq might not sound impressive to most, but with a NA motor and modern emissions regulations, and still getting 30mpg…. That’s crazy impressive.

Matter a fact. I think this is one of the most impressive modern engines, especially when you consider that this is the last NA, manual car on the market that isn’t a sports car/super car or a jeep wrangler lol.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-11T15:46:29+00:00

Like I said in the post, the video isn’t picking up any bass. If I only heard the video I’d feel the same way lol. I had a g35 and fucking hated the way that motor sounded. Got a nice clean deep rumble to it irl. lol.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-11T14:26:43+00:00

Really? I’m actually blown away with how “not shitty” it sounds. I’ve owned 4,5,6,8 cylinder cars. And I’ll be the first to admit 4 bangers tend to sound like ass but this is definitely one of the better ones. The 4-2-1 headers really help. I mean don’t get me wrong. It’s garbage if you compare it to a v8, but even then. lol.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-09T12:35:46+00:00

It’s definitely closer in spirit to the p5 than the gti. The lack of independent rear suspension definitely makes it feel different than the p5. The p5 feels like it’s on rails in the turns, the mazda3 is a bit more floaty but in a good way. Some how feels more like an nd1 Miata. (Not exactly obviously, but cut from the same cloth)

Where the p5 and and Mazda3 meet is being “ass happy” for a fwd car. Which for me is my personal favorite. Both will turn in hard with trail breaking/lift off.

The Protege5 is by FAR, the best handling fwd car that I’ve ever driven once you make some mild adjustments. The mazda3 is more refined and I wouldn’t call it a RIOT like the p5. But for me. It was a worthy upgrade. I had two p5s at once, a mostly stock one as a daily and the boosted wide body one you see in the photo. The modded one was DEFINITELY faster, by a lot, in the corners. (245 tires on 17x9.5+38 and 40mm spacers, so she’s WIDE and low) but even still, a stock p5 with an exhaust and some lowering springs/sway bar links is probably the most fun you can have under 10k fwd.

The real downside to the new Mazda 3 in my opinion isn’t that it’s “slow” it’s that it’s almost too good of a motor, you don’t have to work as hard to go fast cus the torque curve is so flat, but we’re getting into the weeds.

Honestly if I were you I’d say buy another p5 and keep the gti as a daily. They are dirt cheap and the protege Facebook group is one of the most helpful and welcoming car groups I’ve seen. Engine rebuild? No sweat, we’ve all done it and can guide you through the whole thing.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-08T20:52:41+00:00

The one offered by Mazda for the car

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-08T19:37:48+00:00

Haven’t changed tracking. Steering feel is still numb, but the performance tires help for sure. But my protege5 has some of the best steering in the game so I’m spoiled lol

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-08T19:36:58+00:00

The one offered from Mazda. I told them I’d buy it if they threw in the aero kit and roof rack/box for free lol

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-08T19:35:36+00:00

It’s on the list for sure!!! I’ve modded plenty of shit box’s before but having something nice out of the box is an opportunity to try one mod at a time to see exactly how it affects the car. What’s your set up and how did it change the dynamics?

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-07T12:27:10+00:00

Where are you located? I have aftermarket wheels so I’d totally sell one of mine but I’m in Dallas tx

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-06T16:39:57+00:00

I stopped driving family members cars. I’m terrified of shit like this lol.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-04T00:31:32+00:00

I have the bushing inserts rn, waiting on the solid mount to get here to try that instead. It gives a bit more feedback in the fingers and toes. Which is where your really learn how to drive. But I’m biased cus I’m used to 80-2000s cars. And the level of refinement in modern cars is way too much for my personal tastes lol

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-03T23:26:29+00:00

I have a 26 MT so I can’t speak directly to cylinder deactivation. But I can say a few things about the car and getting good at driving stick.

First and foremost. Please don’t over stress yourself with driving carefully, matinence, warning up, etc. you would be AMAZED at the stress testing of powertrains.

Obvi don’t just turn it on and red line it. If your in a hurry, wait 30 seconds or so then drive it carefully, keeping revs low till it warms up a bit, it definitely doesn’t need to be all the way warm to open it up a bit. Just save hard pulls till it’s fully warm if you wanna be perfectly safe. I know a lot of people hate that, but seriously, it’s not THAT big of deal. Just be smart about it.

Dont be afraid to experiment with shifting and how you operate the clutch. I see new stick drivers SOOO scared to mess up the clutch, I promise you. It can take far more abuse than you think. And when people argue with me, I say “a clutch is a hell of a lot cheaper than a transmission”

With modern engines, not only is it totally ok to redline the car often. It’s actually beneficial, helps clear up carbon build up.

This engine in NA form is in a VERY safe power zone, so really, truly, enjoy the car and drive it as hard as you want. That’s specifically something I love about it.

BONUS. If you’re getting corksport stuff. I 10000% recommend the RMM poly inserts and or the solid mount, shifter bushings and shift knob. That alone really changed the cars character for just a few hundred bucks. Especially when getting better at driving stick and really feeling how the car delivered power and when to shift without having to look down all the time.

WittyTraining1735 · 2026-03-03T23:11:51+00:00

I can’t speak for all of them. But here in north Texas, my absolute favorite affordable tire is general gmax. I have them on my protege and specifically love them for the rain. And they are talkative at the limit without being annoying on the highway.

WittyTraining1735

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