A selection of the 10 best films on the eve of Cosmonautics Day
Cosmonautics Day is celebrated in Russia on April 12. On the eve of the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight, Izvestia recalled 10 films that show space in different ways: from philosophical parables to spectacular blockbusters and Soviet fiction. The selection includes foreign and domestic films that are worth seeing for anyone who has ever wanted to look beyond the stars.
"Interstellar" (2014)
In the world of Interstellar, the Earth is experiencing a food crisis. At the same time, former NASA pilot Cooper gets a chance to go on an expedition through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity. The story quickly goes beyond the usual space flight movie and turns into a big journey combined with reflections on time, choice and the price of life.
Perhaps the choice of "Interstellar" will seem trivial for such a selection, but this tape cannot be ignored when talking about space in pop culture. Exciting visual effects (winning this Oscar nomination), high-quality cinematography and the iconic soundtrack by Hans Zimmer will help to feel the tense atmosphere of the impending disaster. And even the great timing (2 hours 49 minutes) will not make you bored. If you haven't seen Interstellar yet, it's time to fix it.
The rating on IMDb is 8.7 points, on Kinopoisk — 8.7.
"Kin-dza-dza!" (1986)
The plot centers on foreman Vladimir Mashkov and student Gedevan, who accidentally find themselves on the desert planet Plyuk. There they have to deal with other people's rules, language, and social hierarchy. Technically, this is a fantastic adventure about space, but it is arranged as a story about ordinary people getting into an alien and absurd system.
Soviet classics by the great director Georgy Danelia. This film is suitable for those who appreciate satire, dystopia and auteur cinema with a recognizable visual style. An important bonus is that the film has long gone beyond the screen: phrases from the tape, including phrases in a fictional language, have become part of Russian-speaking culture.
The rating on IMDb is 7.8 points, on Kinopoisk it is 8.1.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
After the discovery of a mysterious artifact on the Moon, the crew of the Discovery spacecraft is sent to Jupiter along with the HAL 9000 supercomputer. Then the film turns into a slow and fascinating exploration of contact with the unknown, asking questions about the meaning of evolution and the place of man in the universe.
This film by the legendary Stanley Kubrick has long marked a milestone in the development of science fiction cinema. Many other directors were inspired by their work, making not only films about space. Thanks to the technical solutions that were revolutionary for the late 1960s, the film has aged well - space can be experienced through the screen in 2026. In addition, Kubrick had already raised the question of the role of artificial intelligence in human life. If you like thoughtful, intelligent cinema in an unconventional form, "Space Odyssey" is the perfect choice.
The rating on IMDb is 8.3 points, on Kinopoisk — 7.9.
"Solaris" (1972)
Psychologist Chris Kelvin goes to the station that studies the planet Solaris to understand what is happening and decide the fate of research. On the spot, he is confronted with an alarming atmosphere, strange behavior of scientists and phenomena that cannot be explained by conventional logic.
It is Solaris that is considered Andrei Tarkovsky's main work in terms of its influence on cinema. After his release, he made a splash at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the main award — the Palme d'Or. This film became revolutionary in the genre of science fiction drama, inspiring, for example, Christopher Nolan's Interstellar.
The film is suitable for those who are looking for more human reflections on love, memory and the pain of loss in space cinema. The cosmos in Solaris appears to the viewer as a living intelligent being with its own feelings, not wanting to let such imperfect people into its ideal world.
The rating on IMDb is 7.9 points, on Kinopoisk — 8.
"Passengers" (2016)
On board a space liner that takes colonists to a new planet, due to a system failure, one passenger wakes up 90 years ahead of schedule. In order not to spend eternity alone, he deliberately wakes up another girl — against her will. From this simple artistic assumption grows a story about the difficulty of isolation, the value of time, and difficult moral choices.
It's not the most obvious choice when it comes to the best space movies. There are too many artistic conventions in "Passengers" that are knocked out of history and make you wonder — how did this happen in the first place? Perhaps that's why the film did not achieve large-scale box office receipts and was eventually forgotten about.
However, one of the advantages of the tape is the good chemistry between the characters of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, despite the illogical actions of the characters. In addition, there are atmospheric high-tech decorations and an unusual look at the theme of loneliness in space. In addition, the title song was written by the rock band Imagine Dragons, which is another reason for fans to remember The Passengers.
The rating on IMDb is 7 points, on Kinopoisk — 7.2.
"Moscow — Cassiopeia" (1973)
A signal from the Alpha Cassiopeia star area launches an interstellar expedition project, which recruits teenagers who can spend decades in flight. The main engine of the plot is not only the space mission itself, but also the feeling of a children's adventurous novel transported to the future.
Not the most famous Soviet film about space, directed by Richard Viktorov. Interesting fact: "Moscow — Cassiopeia" is only the first part of a science fiction dilogy. In 1975, the sequel "Boys in the Universe" was released. Critics noted the good acting of the young actors and the interesting script. Thanks to this, both films won numerous awards at film festivals in the Soviet Union.
Cinema is suitable for those who do not want to watch films that have long been known to the general public and are looking for something new and unknown. In addition, "Moscow — Kasiopeya" is a classic representative of Soviet fiction, which many have loved since childhood. The film has a clear story, adventurous dynamics and an atmosphere of retrofuturism. Viewing will be even better in the company of a family.
The rating on IMDb is 6.6 points, on Kinopoisk — 8.
"Mickey 17" (2025)
In Mickey 17, the action takes place during the colonization of the icy planet Niflheim, where Mickey Barnes goes. He accepted the role of an "expendable employee," and for a reason: participating in colonization could save him from a cruel creditor. Mickey's job involves risk, which forces him to constantly be reborn, die on assignments, and come back to life in a new body.
This is a new work by Korean director Bong Joon-ho, author of the Oscar-winning "Parasites" (2019). After that triumph, he took a break for six years and finally returned with a new project. However, "Mickey 17" could not repeat that resounding success: the film has the polygenre characteristic of Bong Joon-ho, but it no longer works as smoothly and shockingly as in "Parasites".
Nevertheless, the film still has strong advantages: realistic computer graphics, charismatic Robert Pattinson, who played literally dozens of characters, and an unconventional story with black humor and social satire. Fans of this combination will be able to find interesting thoughts and memorable scenes.
The rating on IMDb is 6.7 points, on Kinopoisk — 6.7.
Mira (2022)
The main character of the film is 15—year-old Lera from Vladivostok, who, after a meteor shower, tries to save her loved ones and the city. To do this, the girl keeps in touch with her father, who is on the orbital station. He lost parental contact with his daughter a long time ago, but an emergency situation forces the cosmonaut to be close even from outer space.
The cosmic theme in the film is embedded in a story about family, anxiety and an attempt to keep contact at a great distance. Mira is a strong Russian blockbuster with a good visual that does not forget about history. It lacks stars from the sky, but some of its elements can even work as a therapeutic session. The touching story of Lera's relationship with her father will not leave anyone indifferent.
Recommended for family viewing. An additional plus is the focus on Vladivostok and the Far East, which is rare for Russian fiction.
The rating on IMDb is 5.8 points, on Kinopoisk — 7.5.
"The End of the World Project (2026)
Astronaut Ryeland Grace wakes up aboard a spaceship with no memory of his own mission. Gradually, he realizes that saving the Earth depends on his actions, as Grace is the only surviving member of the crew. The film then builds up as a tense fantasy story about science, loneliness and finding a way out in a situation where there is practically no room for error.
Ryan Gosling, our beloved Ryan Gosling. He may not be a German champion, but he's definitely a champion at finding quality films to participate in. "The End of the World project was released less than a month ago and has already grossed an impressive $420 million. Critics praise the film for its high-quality production, good depiction of alien creatures, strong drama, vivid humor and, most importantly, a sense of hope.
The painting is suitable for those who like a mixture of seemingly incongruous genres. But in this case, such a move works fine, unlike "Mickey 17". And of course, "The End of the World project is a must-see for all Ryan Gosling fans. In this movie, he is charismatic and charming, as always.
The rating on IMDb is 8.4 points, on Kinopoisk — 8.4.
"The Time of the First" (2017)
The film takes place in the 1960s. The USSR is preparing for the first human spacewalk, not wanting to miss out on the primacy in the space race with the United States catching up. There are only a few days left before the launch, despite the accident on the test ship. The plot centers on Soviet cosmonauts Pavel Belyaev and Alexey Leonov, who have to go on a mission under conditions of extreme risk and pressure.
Another film in the collection, directed by Dmitry Kiselyov, was also shot by Mira. This is a large-scale Russian blockbuster biopic starring Evgeny Mironov and Konstantin Khabensky. In many ways, the success of the film is based on their interaction.: They gave their characters recognizable character traits, brought their own vision to the characters, and built chemistry on the screen. The strong story of the feat is enhanced by good camera work with realistic space plans. She engages the viewer in the narrative on an emotional level.
If you prefer films not about fictional events, but about real history, "Time of the First" is a good choice for Cosmonautics Day. Many details are known about Gagarin's flight, while this tape offers information about another significant event of the USSR-USA space race.
The rating on IMDb is 7.2 points, on Kinopoisk — 7.5.
On March 24, Medialogia presented on its website a Russian series rating consisting of the 100 most popular projects of the past year. The South Korean thriller "The Squid Game" took the first place with 42,861 points, the second place was taken by the American science fiction series "Stranger Things" (26,572 points), and the third place was taken by the Russian detective "Sled" (20,361 points).
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