Project Hail Mary & Beyond: Eight Sci-Fi Journeys to Level Up Your Movie Night (Per Polygon's Sam Nelson, Smart Bloke)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Polygon's Sam Nelson has curated a stellar list of eight sci-fi films perfect for a double feature with *Project Hail Mary*, offering everything from psychological space thrillers to heartwarming alien encounters for your next cosmic viewing quest, mate.
Right, listen up, you cosmic adventurers! If you’ve been floating in the glorious afterglow of *Project Hail Mary* – that absolute stunner of a film based on Andy Weir's novel, with Ryan Gosling charming his way through space – *Polygon's* Sam Nelson (a clever bloke, that one) has dropped some serious intel. Apparently, that movie was such a hit, Amazon MGM gave it an IMAX encore – fair dinkum! It’s now chilling on VOD, ready for your home viewing pleasure. You know, the one where Ryland Grace teams up with an alien to save Earth? Yeah, that one. It's a proper blend of goofy buddy comedy, brainy science, and eye-popping visuals. But here’s the kicker, mate: if you’re anything like me, after finishing a solid narrative, you're immediately wondering, 'What's the next quest?'
Sam’s got us covered with eight cracking sci-fi recommendations for a double feature. Whether you're into figuring out alien comms, high-stakes 'save the world' missions, or just watching a bloke slowly lose his marbles in the void – these cinematic experiences might just scratch that interstellar itch. Let’s dive into what Sam's picked out, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll spot some hidden achievement analogues, eh?
**1. Sunshine** First up, we've got Danny Boyle’s 2007 thriller, *Sunshine*. Now, if *Project Hail Mary* had you feeling all warm and fuzzy about humanity's ingenuity, *Sunshine* is here to remind you that flying too close to the sun isn't just a metaphor for ambition; it's a potential jump-scare simulator. Same premise – Sun's dying, crew's gotta save it – but *bloody hell*, does it take a left turn into horror. Imagine a co-op mission where your comms keep cutting out, and your crewmates start acting… peculiar. With Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, and Michelle Yeoh, you've got an NPC roster that’s practically a legend-tier raid party. But be warned, this ain’t no feel-good narrative; it's more 'can we survive this encounter?' than 'let's sing kumbaya with the sun.'
**2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial** From sun-fried horror to classic heart-warmers, Sam then points us to Steven Spielberg’s 1982 masterpiece, *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*. If Rocky from *Project Hail Mary* gave you warm fuzzies, then E.T. is the OG cute alien companion, complete with the glowing finger healing ability. Forget your gritty space marines; this is the ultimate 'kids-on-bikes' stealth mission to help an alien escape government agents. It basically wrote the playbook for wholesome interspecies bonding. You know, like when you find that rare critter in an open-world game and just HAVE to protect it. *Stranger Things* ripped it off? Nah, mate, they just knew a good questline when they saw one.
**3. Moon** Alright, if *Project Hail Mary* had its moments of Gosling talking to himself (and a rocky friend), then Duncan Jones’ 2009 film *Moon* is that experience cranked up to 11. Sam Rockwell (who, let's be real, puts in an absolute legendary performance here) is a miner, doing a solitary three-year contract on the Moon. His only company? An AI assistant (whose voice actor, Kevin Spacey, has aged like milk, but the AI itself is still chilling). This is the ultimate 'survival sim with a psychological horror mod' – you’re counting down the days, but then things start to get proper weird. Your perception starts buggering about. If *Hail Mary* lifts your spirits, watch *Moon* first for that dose of existential dread, then let Gosling bring you back from the brink. Talk about a narrative arc, eh?
**4. Annihilation** Now for something a bit more... psychedelic and unsettling. Alex Garland, the wizard behind *Sunshine* and *28 Days Later*, directs *Annihilation*. This isn't your standard 'alien invasion' plot; it’s more like a glitch in reality that keeps expanding, twisting everything within its grasp. Natalie Portman and her crew enter 'Area X,' a place that looks like someone spilled a cosmic paint pot and then added some truly disturbing creatures. It’s visually stunning, yeah, but also genuinely unsettling. Think of it as an immersive horror experience where you’re not just fighting monsters, but your own sanity. Fair dinkum, your character's 'resolve' stat gets a real workout here.
**5. Ad Astra** If you liked the idea of Gosling wrestling with isolation in *Hail Mary*, then *Ad Astra* (2019) starring Brad Pitt takes that 'lone wolf in space' vibe and dials it up to a profoundly moody level. Both films feature astronauts using virtual environments to cope, which, frankly, sounds like a proper Web3 metaverse coping mechanism, doesn't it? But while *Hail Mary* is about finding connection, *Ad Astra* is a bleaker look at what deep space colonisation might actually feel like – less 'shiny new worlds,' more 'existential void.' It's like the difference between a high-energy co-op game and a single-player walking simulator where the destination might just be... more loneliness. Prepare for some serious introspection, mate.
**6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind** Back to Spielberg for another classic: 1977’s *Close Encounters of the Third Kind*. Before laptops and voice-recognition software made interspecies communication a mere software update (looking at you, Grace!), folks had to get a bit more... musical. This film is all about the human drive to understand the unknown when UFOs show up. It’s less 'save the world' and more 'what the bloody hell was that?!' Given Spielberg’s got another UFO flick, *Disclosure Day*, dropping this summer, it’s a brilliant time to revisit where his lifelong obsession with alien contact truly began. Think of it as the prequel lore for his entire sci-fi universe.
**7. Arrival** Denis Villeneuve's 2016 *Arrival* is another absolute gem that Sam highlights, and it reignited everyone's interest in truly *brainy* sci-fi. Instead of blasting aliens, the focus here is entirely on communication – specifically, how to talk to visitors when a dozen spacecraft suddenly pop up around Earth. Amy Adams plays a linguist trying to decipher their intentions, all while dealing with rising international tensions and some proper strange visions of her own. It's a masterclass in tension and thoughtful storytelling about language and perception. If *Project Hail Mary* had you wondering about the universal translator, *Arrival* explores the terrifying, beautiful depth of what that actually means. A fantastic narrative-driven experience; no combat required, just pure linguistic puzzle-solving.
**8. The Martian** And finally, the most obvious (but no less brilliant) pairing: Ridley Scott’s 2015 adaptation of Andy Weir’s *other* absolute banger, *The Martian*. This is basically *Project Hail Mary's* older, slightly dirtier, but equally charming brother. Both films are true to Weir's style: hard science, laugh-out-loud wit, and protagonists who just refuse to die, no matter how dire the circumstances. Matt Damon as Mark Watney stranded on Mars is the ultimate survival sim protagonist, constantly crafting, growing potatoes (seriously, the ultimate farming sim!), and problem-solving his way out of impossible situations. Like *Hail Mary*, it’s a fiercely optimistic tale of human ingenuity against the odds. If you love a good crafting mechanic and a 'never say die' attitude, this one's your jam, mate. It’s practically a blueprint for a fantastic Web3 survival game, come to think of it!
So there you have it, mate. Eight stellar picks from Polygon's Sam Nelson to extend your *Project Hail Mary* vibe into a full-blown cosmic quest. Whether you’re after survival, deep philosophical chats with aliens, or just a good old-fashioned space horror, there's a cinematic journey here for you. Go forth, explore these digital realms (from your couch, obvs), and remember: the best stories, much like the best games, often leave you wondering 'what if?' and craving more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to see if I can mod my toaster into a space shuttle. What could possibly go wrong?
Tags: Sci-Fi, Movies, Gaming Inspiration, Space Exploration, Narrative
Original article: Polygon