Life Of Pi (2012)
Suraj Sharma Is Pi Patel
Ang Lee’s movie is visually stunning with a majestic Bengal Tiger playing opposite the lead actor and some stunning settings throughout.
Pi is a young boy traveling with his family to Canada before the ship sinks. He is the lone human survivor and becomes stranded on a lifeboat for over 200 days.
While on his escape boat, Pi finds himself trapped with some beastly companions who also survived the crash, wild animals from his father’s zoo. Ultimately, it comes down to just Pi and a tiger, traveling together desperate to find land and civilization. The story is deeply thought-provoking and complex as themes of survival are explored and reality is put into question.
Gravity (2013)
Sandra Bullock Is Ryan Stone
For the first 30 minutes of Gravity, it appears that the film will follow two astronauts on their mission aboard a small spacecraft, however, right around the 30-minute mark, Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) sacrifices himself to save his younger colleague.
The rest of the film follows Bullock’s character as she attempts to safely get back to Earth after their space shuttle is severely damaged. Bullock delivers an emotional performance experiencing highs and lows set against the breathtaking backdrop of space.
Moon (2009)
Sam Rockwell Is Sam Bell
Another solo adventure story set in space sees Rockwell portray an isolated astronaut who is on a three-year mission on the moon to help farm a precious resource. When nearing the end of his contract, Bell discovers a dark secret of his employers.
Sam is a clone and the company he works for has been using multiple copies of the same original astronaut to carry out work on the Moon without ever needing to train, hire, and transport new astronauts to replace the original.
Rockwell does an incredible job performing opposite himself and making a high sci-fi concept into something grounded and emotional.
All Is Lost (2013)
Robert Redford Is Our Man
All is Lost is likely the most focused film on this list as Robert Redford is the sole character in the film with no flashbacks or external stories being explored. Redford is a sailor who wakes up to find his boat punctured by an abandoned shipping container.
Redford relies on his wits, instincts, and clever innovations to repair his boat, before a storm overtakes him, and he is forced into a life raft.
Redford cleverly pieces together ways to overcome the insurmountable challenges.
Ultimately, through will and determination, All Is Well concludes on a hopeful note.
