The Top Ten Movies that Tackle {Space}

During my one and only trip to DisneyWorld, we boarded a spaceship. I remember my little legs dangling from a high seat in a proto-IMAX theater. We visited Cape Kennedy in the same week, so when the countdown began and the floor dropped to reveal a speckled sky of stars, this 4 year-old panicked: we went to space and my dad was home in New Jersey!

In spite of my fears that day in 1988, I began a love affair with space. And while I am no astronaut (Math? Physics? Yikes!), like so many, I dream of being able to float among those stars. But in the meantime, there’s always the movies. The final frontier continues to inspire the big and small screen alike, and these films have the right stuff:

1. Apollo 13 (1995)

Ron Howard’s near-perfect, award-winning film starring everyone’s favorite (Tom Hanks) as Commander Jim Lovell of the doomed mission to the Moon. Swinging soundtrack? Check. Kevin Bacon in a towel? Check. Stunning cinematography that NASA actually uses in its own promotional materials? Check. Apollo 13 will make you spit laughing one minute (“If they could build a washer machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it”) and ugly cry the next (“I believe this will be our finest hour”). Houston? We have no problem with this gem.

2. Alien (1979)

In space, no one can hear you scream. After 42 years, the terrifying tagline of Ridley Scott’s space epic still rings true. The genres of sci-fi and horror collide with the help of incredible special effects and superb performances from the likes of Sigourney Weaver and late greats Sir Ian Holm and John Hurt. Even when you know those jumps are coming, the tension that builds within the walls of the Nostromo are a challenge to bear.

3. Gravity (2013)

Where better to contemplate life than infinite space? Astronauts Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Kowalski (George Clooney) have a lot to ponder as they navigate everyone’s nightmare: being stranded in space. Alfonso Cuaron’s 2013 tour-de-force approaches the final frontier with the gorgeous cinematography and a score to match.

4. Interstellar (2014)

Toy Story might have coined “To infinity and beyond!” but Christopher Nolan takes the phrase literally in Interstellar. Nolan, master of the layered plotline (see The Prestige and Inception), takes audiences on an epic journey through time and space while providing Physics for Dummies in the process. You might need a second viewing to wrap your head around the technical details, but you’ll never look at your bookcase the same way.

5. Arrival (2016)

Every good space movie asks: who or what is out there? Arrival answers the question. While the events of the film take place on earth (or hovering some feet above it) encountering Abbott and Costello (the names given to the two alien beings) feels out of this world. But it isn’t the sessions with the aliens alone, but rather their lasting impact on humanity.

6. Moon (2009)

Duncan Jones manages a sleek look at turning space into a commodity with Moon. Sam Rockwell carries the film as Sam Bell, a man finishing up a contract of 3 years on the Moon where he mines for resources to send back home. In an homage to Hal of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bell is accompanied by A.I. “Gerty” (the creepiness factor gets an uptick since the robot is voiced by the disgraced Kevin Spacey). Even if you see the twist coming, the performance is worth it, taking Rockwell from character actor to leading man.

7. Hidden Figures (2016)

When considering that the space race took place (say that five times fast) during the height of the Civil Rights era, it’s easy for viewers to accept the lack of diversity in several depictions of Mission Control. Theodore Melfi’s Hidden Figures puts mathematician, Katherine Johnson; computer specialist, Dorothy Vaughan; and engineer, Mary Jackson—all women of color—at the forefront of NASA as they work to get John Glenn into orbit.

8. Lucy in the Sky (2019)

Astronauts train for hours on end, but what happens once they touch back down? Although criticized by some NASA insiders, Lucy in the Sky examines the lasting mental effects that space can have on an astronaut. The film is loosely based on the story of Lisa Nowack, who in 2007 was arrested for trying to kidnap the current lover of her ex (another astronaut).

9. Capricorn One (1977)

For folks interested in the intersection between government conspiracies and space, look no further than Capricorn One. The film chronicles a failed Mars landing attempt with a highly-stylized coverup of cinematic proportions. Added bonus is seeing a post football and pre-murder trial O.J. Simpson as astronaut, John Walker.

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

And speaking of conspiracy theories, you can’t have a space movie list without including Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece that transcends time, space, and the meaning of life altogether. Try to get past the questionable apes in the opening scenes. Many folks claim that the Apollo 11 landing never took place, and that it was the auteur who orchestrated Neil Armstrong’s “performance” for the ages. Whether or not you believe the rumors, 2001 is not to be missed when exploring space on film.

Did we miss any of your space movie favorites? Tweet us @thepromptmag to join the conversation!