As the world becomes mesmerized by the allure of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role, they are reminded of the wonders presented in Andy Weir’s 2021 novel, as well as what cinema can do for humans. Now we’re taking a look at similar space-related movies of the past that focused on loneliness.
1. Martian
After being presumed dead, astronaut Mark Watney is left on Mars and desperately tries to return to Earth with the help of NASA. His team is caught unawares when they land on Earth, while he creates a makeshift potato garden to keep himself alive in the hopes of being rescued by his comrades.
- Mould: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Mackenzie Davis
- Director: ridley scott
- Language: English
- Style: epic, science fiction, survival
- Release date: 2 October 2015
2. gravity
Two American astronauts, Dr. Ryan Stone and Lieutenant Matthew "matt" Kowalski is stranded in space after debris has destroyed his space shuttle, leaving him unable to return. With options dwindling by the minute, the two bond while trying their best to save their lives.
- Mould: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Arto Ignatiussen, Faldut Sharma, Amy Warren, Basher Savage
- Director: Alfonso Cuaron
- Language: English
- Style: Science Fiction, Thriller
- Release date: 4 October 2013
3. Prometheus
The fifth installment of the Alien film series, Prometheus, follows scientists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, funded by the Weyland Corp., who set out on an expedition aboard the scientific ship Prometheus and follow a star map to the distant moon LV-223. What follows is a series of shocking revelations about humanity and the creators of alien life.
- Mould: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron
- Director: ridley scott
- Language: English
- Style: science fiction, horror
- Release date: 8 June 2012
4. Apollo 13
Astronauts Lowell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise board Apollo 13, the United States’ 5th mission to the Moon, during which a power outage depletes their fuel reserves and forces them to abort the mission. The film follows his desperate attempts to save his life and abandon his dream of landing on the moon.
- Mould: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan.
- Director: ron howard
- Language: English
- Style: documentary drama
- Release date: 30 June 1995
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey
The short stories by Arthur C. Clarke inspired the film, which tells the story of an alien monolith that becomes a medium of communication between humans and extraterrestrial beings. When Dr. Dave Bowman and other astronauts are sent on a mission, they fight against their own companion robot, HAL, who becomes a headache rather than a help in a major confrontation between man and machine.
- Mould: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Douglas Wren
- Director: stanley kubrick
- Language: English
- Style: epic science fiction
- Release date: April 3, 1968
6. First Man
Set in the years before the famous Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969, it follows the story of famed astronaut Neil Armstrong, who plays James R. It is based on Hansen’s 2005 book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong. It reflects his personal and professional struggles that led to him becoming the first person to land on the Moon, as well as the impact this flight had on his family and colleagues.
- Mould: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds
- Director: Damien Chazelle
- Language: English
- Style: biography, drama
- Release date: 12 October 2018
7. Ad Astra
Major Roy McBride is sent to investigate the Lima Project and locate his father, Clifford McBride, who led the mission for which he travels to Mars. After long-lost secrets about his family come to light, he is ordered to abort the mission, but resumes his flight to Neptune, where he eventually meets his father and learns the truth.
- Mould: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland
- Director: james gray
- Language: English
- Style: Science fiction
- Release date: 20 September 2019
8. High Life
A group of prisoners and a scientist set off on a space mission towards a black hole, conducting scientific experiments including artificial insemination. Crazy and frightening events shape the progression of the film, ensuring plenty of jolts among the characters as they move towards the unidentified body.
- Mould: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin, Mia Goth, Agata Buzek, Lars Eidinger, Evan Mitchell, Gloria Obiano, Victor Banerjee
- Director: claire dennis
- Language: English
- Style: Science fiction
- Release date: 9 September 2018
9. Interstellar
Joseph Cooper is a former NASA pilot who embarks on a mission to a wormhole near Saturn in a desperate attempt to locate a new habitable planet for humans after experiencing Earth’s deteriorating health due to frequent dust storms and crop damage. They are joined by NASA scientist, Dr. Amelia Brand, and some robots, who travel into outer space to investigate three possible planets with desirable conditions.
- Mould: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine
- Director: christopher nolan
- Language: English
- Style: dystopian, science fiction
- Release date: 5 November 2014
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