A Glean movie guide
Survival in the Stars
Problem-solving under pressure
Hard science fiction and gripping tales of human ingenuity in the face of the unknown.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Apollo 13
The gold standard for technical problem-solving under pressure, based on the true story of a stranded lunar mission.
The true story of technical troubles that scuttle the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970, risking the lives of astronaut Jim Lovell and his crew, with the failed journey turning into a thrilling saga of heroism. Drifting more than 200,000 miles from Earth, the astronauts work furiously with the ground crew to avert tragedy.
- 02
Gravity
A visceral, high-stakes survival thriller that captures the terrifying isolation of drifting in space.
Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.
- 03
Moon
A grounded, intimate look at the psychological toll of long-term isolation on a solitary lunar miner.
With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. Stationed alone at a Moon-based facility with his computer assistant GERTY, an unexpected accident sets off a series of unsettling events that shake his isolation.
- 04
Interstellar
An ambitious, scientifically-grounded epic about humanity's desperate search for a new home among the stars.
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
- 05
Hidden Figures
An inspiring look at the brilliant mathematicians who used science and grit to launch America into space.
The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history – the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.
- 06
Europa Report
A realistic, documentary-style approach to a high-stakes mission searching for life on Jupiter's moon.
A crew travels to Europa, Jupiter’s icy moon, to investigate signs of life in its subsurface ocean, but disaster cuts them off from Earth, leading to a tense and dangerous exploration.
- 07
Contact
A thoughtful, intellectual exploration of the scientific process and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.
- 08
First Man
A gritty, immersive portrayal of the engineering challenges and personal sacrifices behind the moon landing.
A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.