6 Space Movies Better Than Apollo 13

Space has always captured our imaginations, and many stories about real events in space are particularly compelling. Ron Howard’s film Apollo 13 is a great example, telling the story of the famous, and ultimately disastrous, mission to the moon.

In 1970, a three-astronaut mission launched to the moon with the goal of improving upon earlier trips. Almost immediately, things started to go wrong, and after just two days, the crew’s life support systems began to malfunction. The film based on this real event was a thrilling story of overcoming the immense dangers of space. While captivating, this wasn’t the only movie about space that captured the public’s imagination.

The Martian Uses Fiction to Portray Fact

While Apollo 13 dramatized a true story, Ridley Scott’s The Martian took a different approach. Inspired by Andy Weir’s first novel, the film presents a plausible scenario: an astronaut, Mark, is a botanist sent to Mars. After a mishap, he’s mistakenly believed to be dead and left alone on the barren, lifeless planet.

The movie The Martian felt incredibly realistic. Mark Watney’s resourcefulness in growing food and his journey to reach a communication rover were key to his survival. The film’s blend of accurate science and humor made it very enjoyable and worth watching again and again. While Apollo 13 was based on a true story, The Martian had the freedom to create its plot, yet still felt convincingly real.

Interstellar Has Incredibly High Stakes

Everyone trusts that he’ll come through with a great film. Similar to his 2014 movie The Martian, Interstellar felt very realistic, but in a different way. Interstellar is set in the future, when Earth is dying. With farming as the only remaining industry, the world is facing another Dust Bowl. As a final attempt to save humankind, pilot Cooper embarks on a one-way mission to find a new home for humanity.

Cooper faced an impossible choice: leave his family, including his young daughter, to embark on a mission to save humanity. The further he traveled into space, the more time passed on Earth, meaning precious moments with his daughter slipped away. At its heart, Interstellar explores a…

Gravity Is an Even More Anxiety-FIlled Space Feature

Alfonso Cuarón, a celebrated filmmaker, created a truly remarkable space film with his 2013 release, Gravity. It’s widely considered one of the best in the genre, and it’s easy to understand why. While Apollo 13 hinted at the dangers of space, Gravity fully captured the sheer terror of being stranded there. The film stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as two astronauts left helpless after their space shuttle is destroyed.

Lost and spinning in the darkness of space, new astronaut Ryan Stone and experienced veteran Matt Kowalski were connected by nothing but a tether. It was a story, and as such, its outcome remained uncertain.

Sunshine Was an Immaculate Masterpiece

Following the success of 28 Days Later, the team created Sunshine, a more intense and captivating film. Starring a talented cast, Sunshine centers on the Icarus II, a desperate mission to save Earth from a dying sun. A previous attempt, Icarus I, had failed, and the second launch aimed to reignite the sun, but also uncovered the disturbing fate of the first crew.

The film Sunshine explores thought-provoking questions about sacrifice, asking what someone would do to save the world, even if they wouldn’t live to see the results. It’s a compelling blend of character study and thriller that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves within the larger filmography of its director. Beyond the story, the film is notable for showcasing the talents of a cast who would later become very successful.

Alien Changed the Space Genre Forever

While not the very first movie set in space, Ridley Scott’s first feature film was a groundbreaking horror story that also explored themes of gender and economic systems. It famously introduced one of cinema’s most memorable monsters. The original Alien centers on the crew of the Nostromo, a ship that makes a fateful decision to investigate a mysterious distress signal.

The moment the Xenomorph was awakened is considered the biggest mistake in the entire film series. It became even more problematic when Ripley discovered the company prioritized capturing the creature over the safety of her crew, and this pattern of reckless behavior continues.

2001: A Space Odyssey Is One of Stanley Kubrick’s Best

No discussion about space films is complete without mentioning 2001: A Space Odyssey. This ambitious film, while initially controversial when released in 1968, remains a landmark achievement. Inspired by several short stories, it famously follows an astronaut’s journey to investigate a strange object, aided – and challenged – by the unsettling computer, HAL 9000.

2001: A Space Odyssey is a deeply influential film that continues to resonate with audiences today. Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking vision and thought-provoking ideas still spark conversation. It’s more than just a science fiction movie; it represents the very best of cinematic achievement.

2025-12-18 04:38