Space with Sam Neill
These top 10 astronomy movies are must see for all those who want to understand the universe we live in.
The Privileged Planet (2004). Imdb rating 7.0/10. Directors: Ladd Allen, Wayne P. Allen. Utilizing stunning computer animation as well as the visual archives of NASA, the Hubble Space Telescope Institute, the European Space Agency, and other leading observatories throughout the world, The Privileged Planet presents a spectacular view of our planet, our galaxy, and the entire universe, and shows us that not only is the Earth perfectly suited for intelligent life, but that the Earth is in the perfect location in the galaxy for man to make scientific discoveries.
9. BBC: The Planets (1999). Imdb rating 8.8/10. Director David McNab.
During the last 40 years, human beings have broken free of the Earth and traveled out to other worlds orbiting the Sun. Spaceships have visited every planet , discovered dozens of new moons and put to rest the myths that have been accepted for centuries. This series chronicles our planetary travels, explains the creation and evolution of each planet and tells how our understanding of the Solar System has developed from ancient times to Galileo and up to the present.
8. Roving Mars (2006). Imdb rating 7.0/10. Director: George Butler.
The feature tells the story of NASAs Mars Rover mission, which saw the construction of two incredibly complex robotic vehicles (The total technology involved in the rovers exceeds the brain capacity of any one person – best useless fact of the film) named Spirit and Opportunity and sent them to the surface of Mars, where they landed successfully in the summer of 2003. There is extensive footage of the surface of Mars, where both carefully accurate CGI and actual Rover footage, is used to give the viewer a nice visit to another world. Amazingly, the planned mission of 90 days has now gone on for over seven years and continues to this day.
7. Space (2001). Imdb rating 8.9/10 . Hosted by Sam Neill.
Also called “Hyperspace”, this three hour BBC astronomy documentary consists of six self-contained topical programs, each one about 30 minutes in length: 1) Star Stuff, 2)Staying Alive, 3) Black Holes, 4) Are We Alone…?, 5) New Worlds, and 6) Boldly Go.
The photography, visual effects, and computer graphics are stunning. And the sound effects and music are appropriately cosmic. All of which combine to create a production that entertains, and encourages interest in space exploration.
6. National Geographic: Journey to the Edge of the Universe (2008). Imdb rating 8.2/10 . Director Yavar Abbas.
National Geographic presents the first accurate non-stop voyage from Earth to the edge of the Universe using a single, unbroken shot through the use of spectacular CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) technology. Building on images taken from the Hubble telescope, Journey to the Edge of the Universe explores the science and history behind the distant celestial bodies in the solar system. This spectacular, epic voyage across the cosmos, takes us from the Earth, past the Moon and our neighboring planets, out of our Solar System, to the nearest stars, nebulae and galaxies and beyond – right to the edge of the Universe itself.
5. The Elegant Universe (2003). Imdb rating 8.2/10 . Directors: Julia Cort, Joseph McMaster. 2 Emmy awards.
Eleven dimensions, parallel universes, and a world made out of strings. It’s not science fiction, it’s string theory.
4. Cosmos (1980). Imdb rating 9.6/10. 3 Emmy awards.
Astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan is host and narrator of this 13-hour series. Dr. Sagan describes the universe in a way that appeals to a mass audience, by using Earth as a reference point, by speaking in terms intelligible to non-scientific people, by relating the exploration of space to that of the Earth by pioneers of old, and by citing such Earth legends as the Library of Alexandria as metaphors for space-related future events. Among Dr. Sagan’s favorite topics are the origins of life, the search for life on Mars, the infernal composition of the atmosphere of Venus and a warning about a similar effect taking place on Earth due to global pollution and the “greenhouse effect”, the lives of stars, interstellar travel and the effects of attaining the speed of light, the danger of mankind technologically self-destructing, and the search, using radio technology, for intelligent life in deep space.
Al Gore's Inconvenient truth
3. Ecology thrillers: An Inconvenient Truth and The 11th Hour
An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Imdb rating 7.9/10. Director: Davis Guggenheim. Won 2 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 5 nominations. A longtime advocate for the environment, Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way. An Inconvenient Truth is not a story of despair but rather a rallying cry to protect the one earth we all share. “It is now clear that we face a deepening global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, quickly, and wisely,” said Gore.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s The 11th Hour (2007). Imdb rating 7.0/10 . Directors: Nadia Conners, Leila Conners Petersen. Turn mankind’s darkest hour into its finest. It’s our generation that gets to change the world… forever. A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet’s ecosystems.
2. Stephen Hawking’s Universe (1997, Imdb rating 8.5/10) and Into The Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010).
Stephen Hawking’s Universe is 6-part documentary series from arguably the greatest scientific mind in the world, the wheelchair-bound Stephen Hawking, which describes all current thinking on the Big Bang, origins of the universe, dark matter, black holes, etc. Includes interviews with leading astronomers and scientists, some commentary from the great man himself, and computer models of the theories. Into The Universe with Stephen Hawking is a 2010 science documentary TV mini-series: 1) Are We Alone? , 2) Is Time Travel Possible, 3) The Story of Everything.
1. The Universe Seasons 1-4 (2007-2010). Imdb rating 8.8/10. Director: Douglas J. Cohen, Luke Ellis.
This educational show explores many scientific questions and topics about the universe (Big Bang, the Sun, the 9 planets, cosmic holes, other galaxies, astrobiology etc.) through latest CGI, data and interviews with scientists.
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“Home” is my favorite!