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The night skies have been crisp and clear lately, so I’ve been doing some stargazing. There above us lies an infinite land of possibility, just out of mere mortal touch – for now. I’m not alone in wanting to unlock the secrets of the stars, but since I’m more of a space travel dreamer than an actual astronaut hopeful, I’ll just stay here cozy on my couch watching movies about rocket ships and planets, and leave the science of space to the experts. Come with me!
“October Sky” – The Soviet satellite Sputnik 1 sparks an interest in rockets for Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal), the younger son of a West Virginia coal miner who expects his boys to follow in his footsteps. With the help of an inspirational local teacher (Laura Dern), Homer and his pals set their sights on space instead.
“Hidden Figures” – Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae play a trio of highly influential Black women in the early space program at NASA, who help to create the science, mathematics and engineering necessary to launch astronaut John Glenn into space and bring him home again, all while breaking past racial barriers.
Scene from “Interstellar” (Paramount Pictures photo)
“Interstellar” – An Earthwide drought and overpopulation spark a scientist’s (Michael Caine) plan to rehome our planet’s inhabitants on a new Earth, but first a brave crew – including a brilliant NASA pilot (Matthew McConoughey) – must travel through a wormhole to test the path forward, a move that could pay great rewards but at a tremendous personal cost.
“The Right Stuff” – A Tom Wolfe novel adapted by director Philip Kaufman that stars Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid and Fred Ward as astronauts of the Mercury space program? Yes, please. NASA’s earliest days are explored through the professional and personal lives of these space pioneers.
“Apollo 13” – Ron Howard directs an A-list crew both in the shuttle and on the ground, including Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris, in an intimate look at the Apollo 13 lunar mission’s successes and difficulties. Houston, I did not have a problem with this drama.
“Gravity” – Sandra Bullock and George Clooney star in this space thriller as astronauts who are left stranded aboard a damaged shuttle. The pair must use all of their wits as they leapfrog from disaster to disaster with the peril of empty space surrounding them.
“First Man” – This controversial biopic does a commendable job of putting the viewer inside the rocket while it takes a deep dive into the personal life of astronaut Neil Armstrong, played stoic and restrained by Ryan Gosling. It’s a film that is worthwhile if only for the NASA history lessons that it imparts.
FUN FACT: Actor Ed Harris appears in three of the above films. As astronaut John Glenn in “The Right Stuff” (1983), as flight director Gene Kranz in “Apollo 13” (1995) and as the voice of mission control in “Gravity” (2013).
© 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.
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