The blue planet has become uninhabitable? It is the premise of several science fiction films, including Polaris, Who just took the poster? Here are five feature films to quench your thirst for an apocalyptic escape this weekend…
The midnight sky (2020)
Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney) is the last person on the planet. He was sick and refused to evacuate Earth. When he notices a ship, the Aether, returning to Earth from a moon of Jupiter, he goes to great lengths to warn the crew members (consisting of Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Tiffany Boone, Demián Bichir, and Kyle Chandler) to return to where they came here. The feature film, which was released in the middle of a pandemic – in December 2020 – received an Oscar nomination for its special effects.
Available on Netflix.
George Clooney and Caoilinn Springall in “The Midnight Sky.” Photo provided by Netflix
Interstellar (2014)
The Earth is sick and humanity is on the verge of extinction in the year 2067. Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former NASA pilot turned farmer, will travel into space in search of a new habitable planet. The particularly intricate plot of Interstellar is the work of Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, the former having spent four years studying the theories of relativity. The feature film was also praised by researchers for the accuracy of the scientific elements. “Interstellar” was selected for the Oscars no fewer than seven times and grossed $715 million at the box office.
Available on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar. Photo provided by Warner Bros.
Elysium (2013)
Second feature film by Neill Blomkamp (District 9), whose Gran Turismo is currently in cinemas, Elysium with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster as well as Sharlto Copley and Alice Braga. We find themes and social commentary close to the filmmaker’s heart, who here follows a former criminal on this polluted and almost uninhabitable Earth of 2154, left behind by the rich to live on the orbital station Elysium.
Available on Apple TV.
Matt Damon in Elysium. Photo courtesy of Columbia TriStar
Don’t look up (2021)
What happens if a comet crashes into Earth? Nobody cares and astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) try in vain to convince people of the impending danger. A fierce critique of today’s society, Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up (The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Vice) is a devastating comedy with a powerful message – the climate change allegory is obvious – which also stars Cate Blanchett and Ron Perlman co-stars as Meryl Streep as the unforgettable President of the United States.
Available on Netflix.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in “Don’t Look Up.” Photo provided by Netflix
Wall E (2008)
In the year 2805, Earth is a huge abandoned garbage dump. Only the Wall-E robot is busy cleaning. When he meets EVE, a robot sent to the planet to detect possible traces of life, he falls in love with her and decides to follow her to the ends of the universe. Andrew Stanton’s animated film, which takes a critical look at the consumer society we live in, won an Oscar and was nominated in five other categories.
Available on Disney+, Prime Video and Apple TV.
Wall-E and EVE in “Wall-E”. Photo provided by Pixar