From the author of The Martian, Andy Weir, comes a bold twenty-first century space odyssey full of gut wrenching emotion, mind-bending science and edge-of-seat thrills. Project Hail Mary stands as a love letter to science fiction and space exploration stories before it while applying a fresh coat of paint to the genre. The film follows a middle school science teacher, portrayed by Ryan Gosling, and an alien as they attempt to save their respective home planets from imminent destruction at the hands of a star-killing amoeba. The film is a beautiful example of an unlikely friendship in the face of destruction and the indomitable strength of the human spirit when pushed to its absolute limits. With five years of production and thousands of hours under its belt, the film is a, while not entirely faithful, fantastic adaptation of the novel while taking its own liberties. Gosling, who worked as not only a lead actor but as a producer, worked alongside Weir to bring the character of Ryland Grace and the world of Project Hail Mary to life. The crowning jewels (in my opinion) of this film are the friendship we see develop between Ryland Grace and the alien, Rocky, and the beauty of the movie itself not only in its breathtaking visuals but in its unique characterization. Grace is faced with not only the pressure of saving earth, his own imminent and guaranteed death and the fact that he’s discovered forms of alien life twice but the reality of his circumstances aboard the Hail Mary. Without completely spoiling it, I can’t recommend this film and the novel enough. Both adaptations are fantastic and if you have the time to see the film during its extended theatrical run, rent it or read the novel or even listen to the incredible voiced acted audiobook, I implore you to do so.