Project Hail Mary
2026
****
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Milly Alcock, James Ortiz, Ken Leung, Blake Anderson, Isla McRae, Ruth Madeley, Hugh Laurie, Ariana Greenblatt
Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of his mission. Through flashbacks, we learn that he is a molecular biologist turned science teacher, who forms an unlikely connection as he attempts to stop the sun from dimming. This highly entertaining intergalactic buddy comedy is based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel. It presents a science fiction story influenced by Interstellar, Arrival, and The Martian (incidentally based on Weir's earlier novel). Ryan Gosling gives an impressive performance, and the film is visually stunning and consistently funny, so much so that I could have used less banter and goofing, given what is at stake. Drew Goddard's screenplay struggles to wrap things up elegantly, resulting in about five endings in a row.
