Once you are set to embark on the cine marathon, experience how these space films were meant to chill post wfh hours
A list of five space films that are not scientific abracadabra but brilliant fantasy rides dipped in realism, philosophy, beauty and humour. 2001: A Space Odyssey: Rightfully hailed as the most visionary sci-fi fantasy ever, Kubrick’s odyssey climaxes in a bitter face-off between computer HAL who was controlling the spaceship's operations and astronaut Dave. Out of the five astronauts who were sent to the mysterious space mission, only Dave survives. Dave is later reborn as a star child, in a different universe. As Kubrick would later declare, “You’re free to speculate about the philosophical and allegorical meaning of the film.” The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Thanks for Douglas Adams’ guide to planning an itinerary for space travel while enjoying humour and bouts of comic reliefs. Albeit the film adaptation deviates from the original book, its quirks are distinct. Not strictly a sci-fi genius, Garth Jennings’ resounding success can be attributed to the film’s cast and plot progression. Watch out for Marvin the Paranoid Android and Babel Fish engaging in wordplay, satire, dank humour and existentialism, making this space film a timeless masterpiece! Sunshine: Spaceship Icarus II determinedly wheezes towards the heart of the Sun to drop a thermonuclear payload and help the star from spiralling into its death. On the way, they discover how fatally the spaceship’s predecessor Icarus I had winded up. Danny Boyle has kept the audio-visuals and colour palette pretty aesthetic. Each moment constantly screams at your face the characters’ imminent risk of being skinned alive, consumed by inner demons, asphyxiated to death or frozen in space. Interstellar: Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is synonymous to a hypnotic ride to a distant solar system through a wormhole. It is a mission to transport Earthlings who are mercilessly scooping out the planet’s dwindling resources. Nolan’s visual treat has no astrophysics jargon. Instead it is Nolan’s beautiful dreamlike retreat through time-manipulation. Interstellar is NASA’s earnest endeavour to help humanity escape from a barren and decaying Earth through space colonisation. Even though the film has its own lucid, free-flowing style, the science cannot be brushed aside as fictional. Dr. Kip Thorne, theoretical physicist and Nobel Laureate, was Nolan’s advisor for turning abstruse space concepts into great filmmaking! The Martian: Why is Mars such as allure to the Earthlings? Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, is a stranded traveller to Mars who survives on the Red planet with a couple of life hacks. Being a lone wolf, the pangs of space isolation horror grips him hard. Much of the viewers’ pleasure stems from watching Mark outsmart Mars’ dangling threats and scarce resources. Watch the film to appreciate its underrated genius!
