7 Fantastic Recent Space Films You Might Have Missed
Unlocking the Cosmic Frontiers of Science Fiction Cinema
Not all science fiction prizes science, but we’ve included a blend of both kinds of movie. So, welcome, fellow enthusiasts of the cinematic cosmos! If you’re a fervent follower of science fiction films and are on a quest to discover hidden gems in the vast galaxy of space-themed cinema, you’ve come to the right place. Our mission here is to catapult you into the star-studded unknown, where interstellar adventures, cosmic mysteries, and futuristic wonders await.
As science fiction aficionados, we all share a common yearning: to explore the boundless realms of imagination through the lens of cinema. While blockbuster franchises like “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” have illuminated our screens for decades, there is an entire constellation of lesser-known but equally captivating space films that have slipped under the radar. These films, usually created with passion, ingenuity, a profound love for the genre and occasionally a real eye on the science, deserve their moment in the spotlight, or on your TV.
Let’s delve into seven recent space films that you might have missed. Whether you seek mind-bending paradoxes, emotional interstellar odysseys, or eerie extraterrestrial encounters, our selection is sure to ignite your curiosity and take you on a cinematic voyage through the farthest reaches of space.
While you’re here, check out some of our other stuff too.
Or check out some older watchlistable trailers from week 12 2023.
Or did you miss any of the best underseen movies from the last 5 years?
Here’s the latest movies from our YouTube channel.
Linoleum (2022)
When the host of a failing children’s science show tries to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut by building a rocket ship in his garage, a series of bizarre events occur that cause him to question his own reality.
Directed by: Colin West
Stars: Jim Gaffigan (17 Again, Three Kings, Hotel Transylvania 3), Rhea Seehorn (Inside Man: Most Wanted, Linoleum, I Hate Kids), Katelyn Nacon (Breathing Happy. Tristan, Linoleum. Nora Edwin., Another Assembly. Mya )
A Million Miles Away (2023)
Follows Jose Hernandez, the first migrant farmworker to travel to space. A tale of perseverance, community and sacrifice to accomplish an impossible dream.
Director: Alejandra Márquez Abella
Stars: Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel, Alita: Battle Angel, Bird Box), Michael Peña (Fury, Narcos: Mexico, Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Garret Dillahunt (The Last House on the Left, Raising Hope, Sprung)
Apollo 11 (2019)
OK, we talked about science fiction a lot in the intro, but we did say the post is about space films. Apollo 11 is a magnicent documentary. The kind of film that needs to be seen on the largest screen with the best sound.
A look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. If this ever shows up in a cinema you really need to go and check it out. The 70mm footage is unbelievable. Reception: 99% on Rotten Tomatoes (it really is that good), 88 on Metacritic Watch this if you liked: The Right Stuff, space, Apollo 11.
Aniara (2017)
A spaceship carrying settlers to Mars is knocked off course, causing the consumption-obsessed passengers to consider their place in the universe.
Director: Pella Kagerman, Hugo Lilja
Stars: Emelie Garbers, Bianca, Cruzeiro, Arvin Kananian
Prospect (2018)
A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote alien moon, aiming to strike it rich. They’ve secured a contract to harvest a large deposit of the elusive gems hidden in the depths of the moon’s toxic forest. But there are others roving the wilderness and the job quickly devolves into a fight to survive. Forced to contend not only with the forest’s other ruthless inhabitants, but with her own father’s greed-addled judgment, the girl finds she must carve her own path to escape.
Director: Christopher Caldwell, Zeek Earl
Stars: Sophie Thatcher, Pedro Pascal, Jay Duplass
High Life (2018)
A father and his daughter struggle to survive in deep space where they live in isolation.
Director: Claire Denis
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Andre 3000
Proxima (2019)
An astronaut prepares for a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station.
Director: Alice Wincocur
Stars: Eva Green, Zélie Boulant, Matt Dillon