Countdown to Artemis II: 5 must-watch films on space, survival and the unknown

For the first time in over half a century, humanity is poised to circle the Moon once again. NASA’s Artemis II marks a defining return to deep space, designed to test life-support systems far beyond Earth’s orbit.

At Kennedy Space Center, the countdown has begun for liftoff at 3:45 am IST on April 2.

Four astronauts will journey around the Moon and back, the first crewed lunar mission since 1972, reviving an ambition that once defined an era. As the world looks up again, space is no longer just a frontier; it is a narrative unfolding in real time. If that sense of wonder has you thinking about the cosmos, here are five films that capture the peril, poetry, and possibility of space exploration.

Consider this your mid-week escape: a cinematic orbit to accompany the real one.

Gravity (2013)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity is a taut survival drama set against the vast indifference of space. Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a novice astronaut on her first mission, alongside seasoned commander Matt Kowalski, portrayed by George Clooney. When a catastrophic debris storm obliterates their shuttle, the two are left adrift, untethered from Earth and any possibility of immediate rescue.

As oxygen dwindles and isolation deepens, survival demands a perilous journey further into the void, where hope lies not in retreat, but in moving forward.

First Man (2018)

Helmed by Damien Chazelle, First Man offers an intimate, unsentimental portrait of the space race through the eyes of Neil Armstrong, played by Ryan Gosling. Set against the high-stakes ambitions of 1960s NASA, the film traces Armstrong’s transformation from engineer to astronaut, capturing the psychological toll and physical peril of pioneering space exploration.

The narrative culminates in the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, not as spectacle, but as the quiet, monumental achievement of human resolve.

Apollo 13 (1995)

Directed by Ron Howard, movie dramatizes one of NASA’s most harrowing near-disasters. Tom Hanks stars as astronaut Jim Lovell, leading a crew that includes Fred Haise and Jack Swigert. What begins as a routine lunar mission is abruptly derailed by a catastrophic oxygen tank explosion, transforming the voyage into a desperate fight for survival.

The film masterfully interweaves technical ingenuity and human endurance, as both crew and ground control race against time to bring the astronauts safely back to Earth.

The Martian (2015)

In this Ridley Scott’s film, Matt Damon portrays Mark Watney, an astronaut presumed dead and left behind on Mars after a violent storm forces an emergency evacuation. Stranded with limited resources, Watney relies on scientific ingenuity and irrepressible wit to sustain himself in an unforgiving environment.

Meanwhile, NASA and an international coalition work tirelessly to orchestrate a rescue, turning a solitary struggle for survival into a global effort defined by collaboration and resilience.

Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan, Interstellar is an ambitious exploration of humanity’s place in a dying world. As ecological collapse renders Earth increasingly uninhabitable, a team led by former pilot Cooper—played by Matthew McConaughey, ventures through a wormhole in search of viable new worlds. Guided by the theoretical work of Professor Brand, portrayed by Michael Caine, the mission transcends conventional space travel, grappling with time dilation, love, and the existential stakes of survival.

The result is both a scientific odyssey and a deeply human meditation on sacrifice and hope.