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In terms of movies, Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” is considered one of the most influential films in history and won four Academy Awards.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Where to watch: AmazonPrime for $3.99
Description: “The sci-fi masterpiece from acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick about a space voyage to Jupiter that turns chaotic when a computer enhanced with artificial intelligence takes over.”
What the critics say: “It is, as promised, ‘a majestic visual experience,’ quite unlike any film we have ever seen,” the Hollywood Reporter wrote at the time.
In 1977, George Lucas’ “Star Wars: A New Hope” premiered, launching one of the most beloved franchises in history.
20th Century Fox
Where to watch: Disney+ has the entire “Star Wars” franchise.
Description: “Young farm boy Luke Skywalker is thrust into a galaxy of adventure when he intercepts a distress call from the captive Princess Leia. The event launches him on a daring mission to rescue her from the clutches of Darth Vader and the evil Empire.”
What the critics say: “To see ‘Star Wars’ again after 20 years is to revisit a place in the mind,” Roger Ebert wrote about the first film. “George Lucas’ space epic has colonized our imaginations, and it is hard to stand back and see it simply as a motion picture because it has so completely become part of our memories. It’s as goofy as a children’s tale, as shallow as an old Saturday afternoon serial, as corny as Kansas in August — and a masterpiece.”
Ridley Scott premiered his first “Alien” movie with Sigourney Weaver in 1979, creating a successful, frightening franchise.
Mondadori via Getty Images
Where to watch: HBO has all five original “Alien” movies.
Description: “Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi chiller about seven astronauts who find intergalactic horror in deep space. Tom Skerritt plays the captain of the spaceship Nostromo, whose crew is picked off one-by-one by a seemingly indestructible creature. Sigourney Weaver is the tough Ripley, who faces the killer in a final showdown that made movie history.”
What the critics say: “‘Alien’ begins slowly, with a methodical, restrained pace and some self-conscious interplay among its cast, but once the alien itself is introduced the movie takes as firm a hold as the alien does on its victims,” the Guardian wrote back in 1979. “This homicidal monster, which keeps changing shape, is designed to provoke nightmares, especially in one early scene in which it catapults itself into view, teeth bared. This scene should go down in the books as one of the most disgustingly horrifying moments in movies.”
The 1995 film “Apollo 13” tells the true story of a failed mission to the moon.
Universal Pictures
Where to watch: Hulu
Description: “Apollo 13 is en route to the moon when equipment failure causes the space capsule to lose oxygen — can the crew perform the makeshift repairs and return to Earth? A thrilling true story, with [Tom Hanks], Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris.”
What the critics say: “‘Apollo 13,’ Ron Howard’s soaring salute to space exploration, lifts off with a payload of the right stuff, courage, can-do, grace under pressure and other qualities derided as machismo by some and applauded as old-fashioned values by others,” the Washington Post wrote at the time of release. “Whatever, few recent movies have explored these virtues with as much eager enthusiasm as Howard’s latest effort. The film’s real-life story is as gripping as many fictional thrillers. It is a nostalgic return to the New Frontier for some, and a history lesson for those too young to have been glued to the TV set when the 1970 Apollo lunar mission began to spin out of control.”
The 2009 film “Moon” follows one man as he begins to lose his mind at the end of a long space flight.
Sony Pictures Classics
Where to watch: Netflix
Description: “As he nears the end of a lonely three-year stint on the moon base Sarang, Sam Bell begins to hear and see strange things.”
What the critics say: “‘Moon’ is a superior example of that threatened genre, hard science-fiction, which is often about the interface between humans and alien intelligence of one kind of or other, including digital,” Roger Ebert wrote about the film.
James Cameron’s epic “Avatar” held the top spot for the highest-grossing film for almost a decade.
20th Century Fox
Where to watch: Disney+
Description: “‘Avatar’ takes us to the amazing world of Pandora, where a man embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save both the people he loves and the place he now calls home.”
What the critics say: “‘Avatar’ is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that,” Roger Ebert wrote in 2009. “It’s a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message. It is predestined to launch a cult. It contains such visual detailing that it would reward repeating viewings. It invents a new language, Na’vi, as ‘Lord of the Rings’ did, although mercifully I doubt this one can be spoken by humans, even teenage humans. It creates new movie stars. It is an Event, one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation.”
Sandra Bullock starred in the 2013 film “Gravity,” which follows an astronaut as she drifts into deep space.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to watch: Amazon Prime for $3.99
Description: “Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Director! Astronauts Ryan Stone and Matt Kowalski are on a routine spacewalk when disaster strikes. Their shuttle is destroyed, leaving them alone in space — tethered to nothing but each other.”
What the critics say: “Director and co-writer [Alfonso] Cuarón brilliantly manages to create both awe at his glorious space vistas, and knuckle-gobbling tension at what’s happening in the foreground,” the Guardian wrote. “It’s like a bank heist in Reims cathedral – in space. You could find yourself asthmatically gasping with rapture and excitement at the same time. After it was over, I was 10 minutes into my tube ride home before I remembered to exhale.”
Christopher Nolan’s 2014 film “Interstellar” earned five Academy Awards. It tells the story of a space mission’s journey through a wormhole.
Paramount Pictures
Where to watch: Amazon Prime for $3.99
Description: “From director Christopher Nolan (‘Inception’) comes the story of ex-pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), who must leave his family and Earth behind to lead an expedition beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind has a future among the stars.”
What the critics say: “To infinity and beyond goes ‘Interstellar,’ an exhilarating slalom through the wormholes of Christopher Nolan’s vast imagination that is at once a science-geek fever dream and a formidable consideration of what makes us human,” Variety wrote at the time.
Director Ridley Scott returned to the space genre in 2015 to make “The Martian” starring Matt Damon.
20th Century Fox
Where to watch: Amazon Prime for $3.99
Description: “From legendary director Ridley Scott (‘Alien,’ ‘Prometheus’) comes a gripping tale of human strength and the will to survive, starring Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars.”
What the critics say: “‘The Martian’ delivers on both intergalactic spectacle and feet-in-the-soil character drama. Like Duncan Jones’s ‘Moon,’ much of the film’s running time finds its leading man basically talking to himself, with video diaries and delayed digital communications providing a handy dramatic framework for his quip-filled soliloquies,” the Guardian wrote about the film. “Damon makes the most of this ‘me time,’ engaging our interest, winning our sympathy and teasing our anxieties about his perilous predicament.”
When it comes to TV, “Star Trek” is one of the longest-running space franchises, dating back to 1966.
NBC
Where to watch: CBS All Access
Description: “In the 23rd century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.”
What the critics say: “‘Star Trek’s’ optimistic view of the future stands as a contrast to the bulk of science fiction,” Forbes wrote about the franchise. “Most television and cinematic science fiction depicts varying dystopian futures. Dystopia provides writers with shortcuts to conflict; it’s easier. When just making it through the day provides conflict, writers don’t have to generate as many new ideas. ‘Star Trek’ thrives on those new ideas.”
Although “Firefly” only had one season in 2002, it has recently gained a cult following.
Fox
Where to watch: Hulu
Description: “The crew of a starship travel through outer space after Earth’s resources have diminished and forced us to look elsewhere in 2517. Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) steers his bandit-crew through anything to keep them alive, and keep flying.”
What the critics say: “Combining the space adventure with the Western was always going to test the limits of primetime television, but Joss Whedon’s one-season wonder was doomed from the start thanks to network indifference,” Rolling Stone wrote. “Still, the show’s diehard fans helped make this ambitious series about a band of rebels fighting both a galaxy-wide government and cannibalistic ‘reavers’ a posthumous cult hit.”
“Battlestar Galactica” originally premiered as a series in 1978, but it was revived in 2004 and aired four seasons.
Sci-Fi
Where to watch: Syfy
Description: “‘Battlestar Galactica’ is an intriguing take on the classic adventure of a ragtag fleet of humans, the sole survivors of a devastating nuclear attack by the robot Cylons. Faced with an un-winnable battle against a deadly enemy, they are forced to flee under the protection of their one remaining warship, the outdated Battlestar Galactica. Pursued by the Cylons-some of whom have now taken human form-Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) and President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) lead these last remnants of humanity in search of a new home – a planet called Earth.”
What the critics say: “As anyone who has actually committed to it will tell you, BSG has evolved into one of the most sophisticated, compelling and original shows that’s ever been made,” the Guardian wrote.
“The Expanse” is a popular Syfy series that premiered in 2015.
SyFy
Where to watch: Amazon
Description: “The disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist Julie Mao links the lives of Ceres detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane), accidental ship captain James Holden (Steven Strait) and UN politician Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars and the Belt, they unravel the single greatest conspiracy of all time.”
What the critics say: “There is a great science fiction show currently airing new episodes Wednesday nights on SyFy. You’re just not watching it. It’s called ‘The Expanse.’ And it deserves your attention ASAP,” Rolling Stone wrote back in 2017.
“Lost in Space” originally premiered in 1965, but Netflix brought the series that followed the Robinson family through space back to life in 2018.
Netflix
Where to watch: Netflix
Description: “After crash-landing on an alien planet, the Robinson family fights against all odds to survive and escape. But they’re surrounded by hidden dangers.”
What the critics say: “With a gigantic budget that seems to put the ’60s TV series and ’98 movie to shame, Netflix’s reimagination of the classic series aims to change the course of ‘Lost In Space’ while keeping in the spirit of the original,” Deadline wrote about the series. “It’s progressive, it’s flashy, the ‘Danger Will Robinson!’ robot looks super-sophisticated, and most of all, the 10-episode series shows that family dysfunction is the same no matter where you go — even in space.”
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