Top 10 Space-Themed Films (outside of 'Alien'/'Aliens' and the SW universe)

I've talked a bit about quite a few of the films on here already, so I'll leave extended thoughts to the newbies...

10. Interstellar (4.5/5)

I've bumped this up after a recent re-watch. It's still a very flawed film in many regards in terms of the overcomplicated writing, and subsequently the diminishment of certain characters' depth. Nevertheless, in terms of visual panache and sheer epic scale this is one of Christopher Nolan's finest moments, and he has at his helm a marvelous lead performance from Matthew McConaughey that's certainly proved to be fairly influential over the past two years, with the whole array of space-bound great lead performances around.

9. Silent Running (4.5/5)

A film which might not look all that great on the packaging, but take a peek inside and you'll find something quite special: a dated 70s sci-fi film that nevertheless still packs quite the punch in the modern day. An excellent Bruce Dern plays Freeman Lowell, a dedicated botanist/ecologist who tends to a variety of plant specimens on board a space freight greenhouse. When orders come in to have the greenhouse domes destroyed, Lowell goes on a rogue mission to essentially, save the plants. Dern's performance is fascinating and utterly engrossing as he portrays the man's almost singlehanded devotion to the plants as something initially quite unnerving, but ultimately quite poignant. The film's aesthetic is a bit on the pulpy side and the theme songs are really cheesy 70s sync, but I personalyl think it works perfectly. The goofy looking robots in particular, while far from being as iconic looking as say the Star Wars droids, do have a personality to themselves altogether which makes their fates equally palatable as a human's. It's a rather fantastic film altogether.

8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (4.5/5)

One of Speilberg's most idealistic, wonderful films, a flaw it does have is that its initial build-up, while stunning to look at, does drag a bit. Once it really gets going though, it's a compelling science-fiction odyssey on Earth as we watch Richard Dreyfuss' everyman do everything he can to communicate with the aliens, all leading up to a stunning and emotionally poignant finale.

7. Apollo 13 (4.5/5)

A rather exciting, heartfelt film based on a fascinating true story of survival, about the ill-fated but ultimately uplifting story of three astronauts on board the Apollo 13 who spiralled towards imminent death, only to save themselves with their expertise and the helping hands on earth. The film is technically handled in a very straightforward, workmanlike manner by Ron Howard. What raises it above films of this sort which came afterwards is the sense of camaraderie between the crew members (played well by Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton), its understated but effective visual scheme, crisp editing and engaging script which fires off exposition and scientic mumbo jumbo in a very accessible fashion.

6. Woman in the Moon (5/5)

Fritz Lang was a genius; anyone who directed M is, really, but in addition to that he had a whole filmography of rather impressive films that I've been slowly making my way through. Woman in the Moon is the best of the lot I've seen so far. It makes for an interesting comparison to M's underworld, even though there certainly is aspects of that here, in its more positive reflections of human nature, represented by the selfless Helius (Wily Fritsch) who's certainly a far more simple and likable figure than Peter Lorre. Anyway, the film centres on an expedition to the moon in search of gold, the complications on the journey via a love triangle, gangsters

5. Gravity (5/5)

Even if you didn't like the film, or found it boring, you have to marvel at it from a technical standpoint. Those shots, those angles, how did they do all of that? Alfonso Cuaron and Emmanuel Lubezki are simply geniuses whose work in this match each other perfectly; you'll feel like you're really, really deep in space. Beyond that all, on a storytelling level the film is quite simple. Sandra Bullock's terrific lead performance helps carry you the whole way through, and makes you invested in the film even when her plight is going nowhere but downwards, and it makes a potentially cold and inaccessible film a poignant tale of survival.  

4. The Right Stuff (5/5)

A film that's, well, made of all the right stuff. The story of seven military pilots selected for Project Mercury, the first manned spaceflight by the United States, is a brilliant story, excellently directed by Philip Kaufman and incredibly well cast on all fronts. All characters, the pilots, the pilots' wives and the kooky NASA recruiters (played by none other than the dependable character actors Harry Dean Stanton and Jeff Goldblum), all have their individual standout moments. The highlight though of the film is Chuck Yeager, one of the most fascinating characters in all film history, played by Sam Shepard in a great, quiet and understated performance. The film's story is one of triumph against the odds, and is refreshingly good-natured and fun, not in a saccharine and sickly sweet way, but by just being such an honest-feeling movie that never strikes a false note.

3. The Martian (5/5)

I've written way too much about this already, so...basically, Matt Damon utilizing everything that's great about his screen persona on Mars, rescue mission initiated on earth by a stellar ensemble, a perfect blend of comedy and poignant drama, Cast Away in space but more fun, essentially a flawless film on every front. It's never 'amazing', so to speak, but you cannot fault it in any regard from the flawless, humorous script by Drew Gooden, to the efficient, to-the-point and realistic special effects.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (5/5)

Truly a film that has not only stood the test of time, but transcended it; 2001 is a film that has some serious issues with pacing, and I wouldn't say it's exactly accessible without some prior reading, but give it a few goes and like me you'll find something special in there. It's perhaps Kubrick's most daring and all-encompassing achievement as a director, every frame has his preoccupation to detail stamped all over it, and he really takes the viewer on a journey like no other. Although I'll admit my favourite segment of the film might be the one set on earth, the prehistoric man section, the outer space bits are all visually stunning, and actually, contrary to what one might think of the 'soulless' post-Dr Strangelove Kubrick, he does actually put a bit of heart and emotion into the proceedings via the 'character' of HAL-900.

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (5/5)

My favourite of Speilberg's 'feel good' movies, few films have consistently touched me over the years like E.T. has. I'll admit some might find it overly simplistic or cheesy, but I find it comes by its sweet innocence quite honestly, and never cheats in making you like its endearing characters or laugh at their sweet antics. The relationship between the titular alien and Henry Thomas' Elliot that comes by so beautifully is the great combination of a Melissa Mathison's screenplay, Speilberg's direction and some great special and practical effects, and if the ending doesn't evoke any emotion in you, then I guess you're entitled to your own opinion, but I can't see why.

Alternatively, if we don't count either 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' or 'E.T. because they're not at any point set in outer space, then add these two animated films in: Wall-E, which I'll be writing more about in the future; and A Grand Day Out which features good ol' Wallace and Gromit on a cheese-surfaced moon, and a rather menacing 'antagonist' in the robot 'The Cooker' who ends up being a rather sympathetic character.

Hon. Mentions:

Pitch Black, an underrated space thriller. It does have a somewhat noticeably low budget which does hold it back on several fronts, but it's a thrilling action set of setpieces with a rather solid Vin Diesel in the lead as the role he was born to play (move aside, Dominic Torreto).

Moon. Not quite a great film, but certainly a good one. Duncan Jones would move on to greater heights with Source Code, but I do find this to be a compelling enough, atmospheric one-setting film with a rather terrific one-man show by Sam Rockwell.

Oblivion, another underrated Tom Cruise film in recent years. I kind of love the establishing scenes of the film and its desolate landscape of Earth, and find its gradual transition into an action film to be convincing and well-done, plus Cruise and a surprisingly good Olga Kurylenko give it quite a moving human centre.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (both versions). The 1951 original is a very timely and interesting piece of cinema reflective of the attitudes of the time towards outsiders and extraterrestrial prospects, but the 21st Century version is also a rather solid film in itself.

I'm also going to see Solaris soon.

As for my promised article on Arrival...more than four days after seeing it, I'm still ruminating over it, so I'll just give a few thoughts that are bumbled into my head:

• The script and the daring directions it takes, is sitting really, really well with me now. 
• As is Amy Adams' lead performance; in fact, she might be among my favourite female leads of the decade now. I also think she'll get in for the Oscars.
• The more I think about it, the more I think the film's best comparison is actually, funnily enough, a film I don't care all that much for: American Beauty, and another film I really like, Life of Pi.   
• There's an aspect of the film I have a slight reservation with, but to discuss it would be spoiler-y, so I'll wait until more people have seen it.