Project Hail Mary
Is it too early to call a 2026 movie a classic? When Project Hail Mary landed in cinemas earlier this year, the sci-fi adventure was met with overwhelming acclaim, with many already tipping it as a major Oscar contender.

Ryan Gosling stars as science teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up alone aboard a spacecraft with no idea of how he got there. As his memories return, he realises that the Sun is dying from a mysterious organism called the ‘Astrophage’, and that he’s humanity’s last hope against that scourge. The only question is: can a mild-mannered science teacher really save the Sun (and consequently, humanity)?

The beauty of Project Hail Mary isn’t just its thrilling interstellar adventure. It’s the wonderful and moving friendship at its core, between Ryland and a faceless, five-limbed alien named Rocky (performed by James Ortiz). Adrift in space with no one else, these two form a partnership. More than just working together, they become each other’s companions.

Their unlikely relationship is emblematic of why the movie has resonated so deeply. Project Hail Mary is the rare kind of movie that makes you feel more connected to humanity (and your own humanity). As Rocky says to Ryland during the movie, “Rocky happy not alone”. So are we.

Read more about Project Hail Mary.

Interstellar
Here’s one modern sci-fi masterpiece that’s only grown in stature with time. Christopher Nolan’s sweeping epic rewards repeat viewings, revealing new layers with every trip through its wormholes.

Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is a widowed former NASA pilot whose quiet life as a farmer is upended when he’s recruited for the Endurance mission — humanity’s desperate attempt to find a new home as Earth slowly becomes uninhabitable. But as the crew ventures deeper into space, the true cost of their journey begins to reveal itself.

Interstellar dazzles with its breathtaking visions of black holes, wormholes, and the far reaches of the cosmos, but its greatest strength lies in its emotional core. At heart, it’s a story of a father determined to protect his family — including his daughter, Murphy (Jessica Chastain), and son, Tom (a young Timothée Chalamet) — and that is what has lent the film its enduring appeal.

Gravity
Few films capture the terrifying vastness of space quite like Gravity. What begins as a routine mission quickly spirals into a desperate fight for survival, reminding us just how unforgiving the final frontier can be.

Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a medical engineer, is on her first trip into space. Alongside her is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is on his final mission before retirement. During what should have been a routine spacewalk, a devastating debris storm leaves them stranded, separated from both their shuttle and each other. Suddenly, survival becomes their only mission.

Bullock did the heavy lifting in a film where she was largely alone onscreen. The actor later revealed she spent countless hours filming solo on a massive soundstage, enduring what she described as “frustrating, painful isolation”. She pulled off a performance that required emotional dexterity, shifting from fear to relief and despair to hope from scene to scene. For that, she earned an Academy Award Best Actress nomination.

2001: A Space Odyssey
More than 50 years after its release, 2001: A Space Odyssey remains one of cinema’s most astonishing achievements. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the landmark sci-fi epic presents space as simultaneously beautiful, terrifying, and utterly unknowable.

When a mysterious alien monolith appears in space, a crew of astronauts embarks on a mission to investigate. But the film’s iconic opening sequence reveals the monolith’s influence stretches back to prehistoric Earth, hinting at mysteries far older — and stranger — than humanity can comprehend.

Far more than a space adventure, 2001: A Space Odyssey evolves into a hypnotic meditation on evolution, consciousness, and artificial intelligence, and continues to spark debate on those themes even to this day. Its influence on filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Christopher Nolan is immeasurable, helping shape the sci-fi blockbusters that followed.

First Man
Ryan Gosling returns to this list in a very different role, portraying one of history’s greatest pioneers: Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon.

Directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash), First Man chronicles the years leading up to the Apollo 11 mission launch as Armstrong grapples with personal tragedy, immense pressure, and the weight of representing NASA during the height of the Space Race against the Soviet Union.

The Moon landing changed history forever, but not without tremendous sacrifice. Based on James R. Hansen’s authorised biography of Armstrong, First Man offers an intimate portrait of the man behind one of humanity’s greatest achievements, pairing stunning special and practical effects with one of Gosling’s most restrained and powerful performances.

Ad Astra
Upon its release in 2019, Ad Astra flew somewhat under the radar. Critics, however, recognised it as a “superb space opera” distinguished by its rare emotional depth and thoughtful storytelling.

Brad Pitt stars as US Space Command major Roy McBride, a man haunted by the disappearance of his father, Clifford (Tommy Lee Jones), who vanished decades earlier while leading a mission beyond Neptune in search of intelligent life. When mysterious power surges begin emanating from the outer reaches of the solar system, Roy embarks on a deeply personal journey to find out if his dad is still alive.

In the years since its theatrical release, Ad Astra has earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most introspective sci-fi films, favouring realism and quiet contemplation over explosive spectacle.