The Artemis II mission came to an end this past weekend, marking a historic moment: the first crewed mission to travel around the Moon and beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Even more excitingly, the crew made history, including the first person of colour, the first woman, and the first non-US citizen to travel this far into space. With everything going on in the world, life can sometimes feel like a simulation or a movie, and somehow, going to the Moon doesn’t even feel that strange anymore. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to films, but a good movie is a good movie, especially when it explores something as fascinating as space. So, if you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the Moon up close but don’t happen to have a rocket in your garage (as cool as that would be), here are five movie picks to take you there.
Project Hail Mary
Directed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, this film is based on the hard science fiction novel by Andy Weir. Recently released in cinemas and running for almost three hours, it was one of the last movies Artemis II astronauts watched before their flight. We follow the story of professor Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. His mission? As the last survivor of the crew, he must figure out how to save humanity from a mysterious cosmic threat that could wipe out life on Earth. Along the way, he meets an unexpected ally: a tiny alien named Rocky. The film reflects, in an optimistic and fun way, on the human need to communicate and not feel alone, all while Gosling’s natural charisma makes the story feel both tender and entertaining.
First Man
Another movie with Ryan Gosling, so expectations are already high. And with Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land) directing, there’s really no doubt this is one to watch. Based on the book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, the film tells the story of Neil Armstrong and the journey that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20th, 1969. Let’s just say going to the Moon seems to be one of Gosling’s specialties, and this one comes with one of the most iconic lines in cinema: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Moon
With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is more than ready to return to Earth. Completely alone at a Moon-based facility, his only company is his computer assistant GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Missing his wife and daughter, everything seems to go as planned until an accident changes things. He wakes up, nothing feels right, and his mission to return home becomes much more complicated. With Sam Rockwell leading the film, Moon dives into themes of solitude, isolation, greed, and identity.
Apollo 13
As with many space films where lives are at risk, this one keeps the tension high, but what makes it more fascinating is that it’s based on a true story. NASA must come up with a plan to safely bring Apollo 13 back to Earth after the spacecraft suffers major internal damage, putting the three astronauts on board in serious danger. And honestly, who hasn’t said “Houston, we’ve had a problem” at some point? Now you know where it comes from. Directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon, this film will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see how it all turns out.
2001: A Space Odyssey
We couldn’t leave this masterpiece off the list. One of Stanley Kubrick’s most iconic films, and one of the most influential sci-fi movies ever made, it became a box-office success. Based on Arthur C. Clarke’s book, it’s a slow-paced, visually stunning epic with very little dialogue. The story follows a journey to Jupiter involving astronauts, scientists, and the unforgettable HAL 9000, a supercomputer too intelligent for its own good. A true ‘man vs. machine’ story with incredible cinematography and one of the best quotes: “Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL.”