Space: 96

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) is the second part of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, written and directed by Rian Johnson. It is the eighth episode in the Skywalker saga, following The Force Awakens (2015). General Leia Organa leads the Resistance forces in evacuating their base after the battle of Starkiller Base. Despite her orders, Poe Dameron initiates a costly counterattack that destroys a First Order dreadnought. The Resistance escapes into hyperspace, but the First Order has a tracking device and attacks again. Kylo Ren hesitates to fire on the lead ship upon sensing ...

In an animated sci-fi comedy film, Ratchet & Clank (2016), produced by Rainmaker Entertainment and distributed by Gramercy Pictures, Chairman Drek and his Blarg people are systematically destroying multiple planets in the Solana Galaxy to build their new home, New Quartu. This plan is necessary as their current home, Quartu, has become uninhabitable due to pollution. However, the destruction catches the attention of the Galactic Rangers – a group dedicated to maintaining peace. A broken warbot from Drek’s factory on Quartu escapes during a power outage and goes to Kerwan to warn the Rangers about his builder’s intentions. After crash-landing on Veldin, ...

Passengers (2016) is an American science-fiction romance film directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts. The spaceship Avalon, carrying 5,000 colonists and 258 crew members in hibernation pods, embarks on a 120-year voyage from Earth to the planet Homestead II as part of a mass exodus due to environmental destruction. However, after only three decades, an asteroid collision causes damage to the ship’s defenses and results in mechanical engineer Jim Preston awakening ninety years too soon. Alone except for the android bartender Arthur, Jim becomes ...

The American science fiction action film, Star Trek Beyond (2016), directed by Justin Lin and written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, is based on the popular television series created by Gene Roddenberry. The Federation starship USS Enterprise has arrived at starbase Yorktown for a resupply and shore leave for its crew. In the midst of their five-year exploration, Captain James T. Kirk has applied for a promotion to vice admiral and has recommended Spock as his replacement. ...

Rogue One (2016), an American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards, follows research scientist Galen Erso and his family as they evade Imperial weapons developer Orson Krennic on the planet Lah’mu. Krennic seeks to force Galen to complete the Death Star, a destructive superweapon. During their confrontation, Galen’s wife Lyra is killed and their daughter Jyn escapes with the help of rebel extremist Saw Gerrera. Fifteen years later, cargo pilot Bodhi Rook defects from the Empire and delivers a holographic message from Galen to Gerrera on the desert moon Jedha. Upon learning of Rook’s ...

Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness (2015) is the twenty-fourth film in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films, released in 2015. Daphne is attempting to obtain her driver’s license while behind the wheel of the trusty Mystery Machine. Despite Velma’s reassurance, Daphne ends up crashing into a tree and failing the test. Later on, the pair strike it lucky with a lottery prize that takes them on a journey into outer space. They join forces with billionaire Sly Baron, trained astronaut Shannon Lucas, retired astronauts Zip Elvin and Colt Steelcase, alien hunting specialist Ridley, football player Uvininous ‘U-boat’ Botango, news reporter ...

Home (2015) is an animated film from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox. The Boov, a timid alien species led by Captain Smek, have invaded Earth under the guise of being friendly. They relocate humans to the Australian Outback and settle into their new homes. Oh, a free-spirited Boov with a knack for accidents, decides to throw a housewarming party at his apartment. However, no one shows up. Meanwhile, Tip and her cat Pig, who managed to avoid capture during the invasion, search for Tip’s mother Lucy in the city. Oh visits Kyle, a grumpy Boov traffic officer, to invite him to the party. Inadvertently, Oh sends the invitation to every alien race in the ...

The science fiction film, The Martian (2015) was directed by Ridley Scott and starred Matt Damon. It was adapted from Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name by Drew Goddard. In the year 2035, the Ares III mission to Mars was exploring Acidalia Planitia on sol 18 of their 31-sol expedition. However, a severe dust storm threatened to topple their Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). During the evacuation, astronaut Mark Watney was hit by debris and presumed dead. With the MAV in ...

The American epic space opera film, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens  (2015), was co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. Three decades after the Battle of Endor, the once-defeated Galactic Empire has been replaced by the First Order, determined to overthrow the New Republic. In opposition, General Leia Organa leads the Resistance with support from the Republic. Searching for her missing twin brother Luke Skywalker, Leia enlists help from an old ally on Jakku, where Resistance pilot Poe Dameron receives a map to Luke’s whereabouts. However, their plans are interrupted when Kylo Ren ...

Interstellar (2014), an epic science fiction film by Christopher Nolan, follows humanity in the near future as it faces extinction due to ecocide-induced global famine. Cooper’s family, including his children Tom and Murph, and father-in-law Donald, works on a farm like most of the surviving population. One night during a dust storm, Cooper and Murph stumble upon a strange gravitational disturbance in her bedroom. This anomaly ultimately leads them to NASA’s secret facility, long thought to be defunct. There they discover that NASA is planning a mission through a wormhole near Saturn to reach three ...

Star Wars: Rebels (2014–2018), a 3D animated science fiction TV series produced by Lucasfilm Animation, is set in the Star Wars universe. Taking place 15 years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), it leads up to the events of the original Star Wars (1977). The show follows the last of the Jedi being hunted by the Galactic Empire as a fledgling rebellion against them emerges. Drawing inspiration from Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art for the original trilogy, Rebels introduces new characters alongside familiar faces from both the previous animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020), and the original ...

Elysium (2013), an American sci-fi action film written, produced, and directed by Neill Blomkamp, depicts a dystopian future where Earth is overcrowded, plagued by disease and pollution. The wealthy inhabitants of the planet live in luxury on Elysium, an orbiting space station just beyond Earth’s reach. Spider, a skilled hacker residing in Los Angeles, operates three shuttle flights to Elysium in order to smuggle individuals seeking access to Med-Bays; advanced devices that can cure any ailment. Unfortunately, Elysium Defense Secretary Delacourt takes down two of the shuttles in space, causing the death of all ...

Oblivion (2013), an American post-apocalyptic film, was produced and directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Karl Gajdusek and Michael deBruyn. The movie is set in 2077, when repair technician Jack and communications officer Victoria seem to be the only survivors on Earth. In 2017, an alien invasion destroyed the Moon and rendered the planet uninhabitable due to nuclear warfare. Now, Jack’s job involves fixing combat drones that protect the hydrothermal platforms converting seawater into fusion energy. Their ...

Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi thriller, Gravity (2013), follows the journey of the Space Shuttle Explorer as it orbits Earth to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Commanded by veteran astronaut Matthew ‘Matt’ Kowalski, the ship is joined by Dr. Ryan Stone, who is on her first space mission to perform hardware upgrades on the telescope. However, their peaceful mission is interrupted when Houston reveals a dangerous situation caused by the Russian government shooting down a presumed defunct spy satellite. As more communication satellites are disabled by debris, Mission Control orders the crew to return to ...

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) is a sci-fi action film directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. As the twelfth installment in the Star Trek franchise, it serves as a sequel to the 2009 film and the second entry in a rebooted series. In the year 2259, Captain James T. Kirk’s command of the USS Enterprise is revoked after he ignores protocol by exposing the ship to primitive beings on Nibiru to save them from a ...

A film Escape from Planet Earth (2012), created by Rainmaker Entertainment and distributed by The Weinstein Company in the US and Entertainment One in Canada, follows the story of two brothers on Planet Baab. Scorch Supernova, a daring astronaut seeking glory, works at BASA with his brother Gary who supports him on their missions. When BASA’s head, Lena, sends a message that Scorch must go to the ‘Dark Planet’ (known as Earth to the Baabians) due to an SOS call, Gary strongly disagrees because no alien has ever returned from Earth. Despite this, Scorch agrees to go without Gary’s permission causing a heated argument between them. In ...

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (2012) is the newest addition to the Battlestar Galactica franchise, serving as a prequel to the reimagined series. Originally created as a web-series, it later transformed into a pilot for potential continuation of William Adama’s early experiences. Taking place during the tenth year of the First Cylon War, we witness Adama’s first assignment after graduating from Academy: joining the crew of Galactica, one of the battlestars in the Colonial fleet. This installment offers important context for events that occurred between Caprica and Battlestar Galactica.

Prometheus (2012) is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and co-written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. Serving as the fifth installment in the Alien franchise, the movie follows a group of astronauts on a mission to investigate a distant planet. As they depart, they witness a humanoid alien consuming a liquid that causes its body to disintegrate. Meanwhile, archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway uncover a star map that matches those from various ancient cultures. They believe it ...

Mars Needs Moms (2011) is an American animated sci-fi movie co-written and directed by Simon Wells, produced by ImageMovers Digital and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Unbeknownst to humans, there exists a highly advanced society of Martians living beneath the surface of the Red Planet. The Martians’ Supervisor, while observing Earth, witnesses a mother encouraging her son, Milo, to complete his household duties. The Martians decide to bring her to Mars to extract her “mom-ness” and implant it into their next-generation nanny-bots. Meanwhile, Milo, who has been sent to his room for disobeying rules ...

The American documentary film, Hubble 3D (2010), follows Space Shuttle missions to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Narrated by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie features footage from various sources, including IMAX cameras brought into space on Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions via the Space Shuttle. This provided close-up shots and footage of maintenance tasks on the satellite. The first use of IMAX cameras on a servicing mission was during STS-61 in December 1993, with a subsequent use on STS-125 in May 2009 – which marked the final Space Shuttle mission to the Hubble. The IMAX 3D camera ...