NASA astronauts have gone to the I.S.S. or into orbit and come back countless times in the past twenty years, so why do movies always depict space travel as being so chaotic, calamitous and dangerous?
The "what if" thoughts we all have about being abandoned, going crazy in a tiny space station or encountering aliens are best portrayed on the big screen, and are far from our actual reality. But if that's what you want to experience, some intergalactic tension, then these are the best movies we recommend you check out.
It's time to leave Earth for a little bit and get your head in the clouds.
'Event Horizon' (1997)
No movie has better captured losing ones mind in outer space quite as vividly and viscerally as Paul W.S. Anderson's sci-fi horror film. It begins simple enough, something spooky is going on around the orbit of Neptune, but what makes this so sinister is the demonic and Cthulu-esque sharp turns the story takes in its unfolding.
'Moon' (2009)
Nepo babies rejoice! The first film from David Bowie's son Duncan Jones turned out to be a genuinely great movie, and this still stands out as his best work. This was a big breakout in the indie space for future Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell, and is one of the movies known for having a big twist (of sorts), but the story doesn't break down once it's revealed, it actually gets better. If you don't already know, you'll find out, we won't spoil anything.
'First Man' (2018)
Damien Chazelle kicked off his illustrious career with two gigantic bangers, winning a ton of awards and made everybody speculate about what his next project would be. It was this much quieter, introspective and somber piece about Neil Armstrong going to the moon. While not quite as big, flashy or showy as "La La Land" or "Babylon," it's no less effective and smart in its filmmaking.
'Sunshine' (2007)
This could have been the best movie about space madness ever, but the last third of the plot are much reviled and often debated. A trip to the sun with a great cast of astronauts turns deadly as a slasher jumps on board and begins to murder the crew of the Icarus II. We wish there was a better ending, because otherwise it would be a total masterpiece from Danny Boyle and co.
'Arrival' (2016)
We wouldn't argue if you suggested Denis Villeneuve as one of the best working directors in showbiz today. He's high up on the list of people who turns blockbuster ideas into art house films that make money. His adaptation of the short story "Story of Your Life" is a powerful drama about language, aliens, love and free will. Amy Adams has literally never been better on screen, and this was one of the best movies to come out in 2016, and is one of the best sci-fi films ever made.
'Mars Attacks!' (1996)
The most accurate depiction of what would happen if aliens came down from outer space, this retro-inspired ensemble comedy shows humans dying and freaking out. That's because the aliens from Mars want to murder all of us, and a slew of cameos and stupid gags fill the short run time of this fun schlock.
Honorable Mentions: "Solaris" either by Tarkovsky in 1972 or by Steven Soderbergh in 2002, "Paul" (2011) by Greg Mottola, "Ad Astra" (2019) by James Gray, "High Life" (2018) by Claire Denis and "Elysium" (2013) by Neil Blomkamp.
If you liked this movie list, you can check out our list of scary movies without jump scares, or our Netflix recommendations.
