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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Journeys Inside the Solar System

This refers to any films concerning journeys within the Solar System with the exception of more popular venues such as The Moon, Mars and Venus, which all get their own separate entries.

Journeys of Space Exploration, while plentiful in genre cinema, have tended to focus on the immediate neighbours Mars and Venus. Mercury and the outer planets have not been visited as much, although there are some examples. The most common destinations are Jupiter and Saturn, each no doubt due to their distinctive looks and features.

One or two films of the 1950s/60s era of Space Exploration featured landings on these worlds but most depictions come adherent with modern known scientific realities. Some films feature explorations and colonisation of Jupiter and Saturn’s moons, while alien objects or artefacts have been known to turn up in their orbits.

The asteroid belt is another locale. There are some films about asteroid mining, although asteroids that appear in genre works are usually ones whose paths are disturbed sending them on a collision course with Earth, along with assorted meteors and comets.

There have been a several works dealing with the discovery of a Counter-Earth – a planet that is in the same orbit as Earth on the opposite side of the sun, where this is frequently (unscientifically) seen as a parallel or mirror Earth. There are also one or two other works dealing with the discovery of a tenth planet.


2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

26 April 200121 April 2025

Rating: ★★★★★

Stargate/Amok AI/Human Evolution/Space Mission

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Actors: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Douglas Rains
Category: Science Fiction

2010 (1984)

5 May 200113 May 2025

Rating: ★★★★

2001: A Space Odyssey Sequel

Director: Peter Hyams
Actors: Roy Scheider, John Lithgow, Helen Mirren, Bob Balaban, …
Category: Science Fiction

3022 (2019)

2 October 20209 April 2024

Rating: ★★

Space Station Crew Survive the Destruction of Earth

Director: John Suits
Actors: Omar Epps, Kate Walsh, Angus MacFayden, Miranda Cosgrove, …
Category: Science Fiction

Ad Astra (2019)

14 December 201912 April 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Mission to the Outer Reaches of the Solar System

Director: James Gray
Actors: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga, …
Category: Science Fiction

Age of Tomorrow (2014)

29 October 201524 June 2025

Rating: ★½

The Asylum Mockbuster/Alien Invasion

Director: James Kondelik
Actors: Kelly Hu, Robert Picardo, Lane Townsend, Matt Mercer
Category: Science Fiction

A.I. Rising (2018)

25 May 202028 June 2022

Rating: ★★★

Human-Android Relationship on a Space Mission

Director: Lazar Bodroza
Actors: Sebastian Cavazza, Stoya, Marusa Majer, Kirsty Besterman
Category: Science Fiction

Alien Cargo (1999)

14 April 200114 January 2022

Rating: ★★

Paranoia-Inducing Alien Virus

Director: Mark Haber
Actors: Jason London, Missy Crider, Elizabeth Allen, Alan Dale, …
Category: Science Fiction

All-Star Superman (2011)

23 July 20126 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Comic-Book Superhero/Animation

Director: Sam Liu
Actors: James Denton, Christina Hendricks, Anthony LaPaglia, Steve Blum, …
Category: Science Fiction

The American Astronaut (2001)

6 October 200115 August 2019

Rating: ★★

Gonzo Musical Space Western

Director: Cory McAbee
Actors: Cory McAbee, Rocco Sisto, Gregory Russell Cook, Annie Golden, …
Category: Science Fiction

Aniara (2018)

1 February 202119 August 2024

Rating: ★★★

Spaceflight Goes Off Course

Director: Pella Kägerman, Hugo Lilja
Actors: Emilie Jonsson, Arvin Kananian, Bianca Cruzeiro, Anneli Martini, …
Category: Science Fiction

Another Earth (2011)

12 August 20113 January 2024

Rating: ★★½

Mirror Earth

Director: Mike Cahill
Actors: Brit Marling, William Mapother, Robin Lord Taylor, Jordan Baker
Category: Science Fiction

Armageddon (1998)

31 July 199929 January 2024

Rating: 0­

Asteroid on a Collision Course with Earth

Director: Michael Bay
Actors: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Steve Buscemi, …
Category: Science Fiction

Astronaut: The Last Push (2012)

24 August 202324 August 2023

Rating: ★★

Space Mission Gone Wrong

Director: Eric Hayden
Actors: Khary Paton, Lance Henriksen, Alec Gillis
Category: Science Fiction

Attack of the Monsters (1969)

2 April 200626 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Noriaki Yuasa
Actors: Nobuhiro Kajima, Christopher Murphy, Reiko Kasahara, Kon Omura
Category: Science Fiction

Battle Beyond the Sun (1963)

21 October 200723 November 2024

Rating: ★★½

Space Expedition/Russian SF Film

Director: Francis Ford Coppola, M. Karzhukov, Aleksandr Kozyr
Category: Science Fiction

Battle for Pandora (2022)

16 September 20244 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Planetary Exploration/Alien Body Snatchers

Director: Noah Luke
Actors: Natalie Storrs, Tom Sizemore, Mark Andrew Ricketson, Kristos Andrews, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Beyond (2017)

15 March 202222 November 2024

Rating: ★★

Mysterious Portal Appears in Earth Orbit

Director: Hasraf ‘HaZ’ Dulull
Actors: Jane Perry, Nigel Barber, Noeleen Cominskey, Ezra Faroque Khan, …
Category: Science Fiction

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)

14 August 200317 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Anime/Future Bounty Hunters

Director: Shinichiro Watanabe
Category: Science Fiction

Don’t Look Up (2021)

8 January 202210 September 2023

Rating: ★★★★

The End of the World/Satire

Director: Adam McKay
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, …
Category: Science Fiction

Doomsday Machine (1972)

27 August 202020 November 2024

Rating: 0­

Astronauts Survive the End of the World

Director: Harry Hope, Lee Sholem
Actors: Bobby Van, Grant Williams, James Craig, Mala Powers, …
Category: Science Fiction

Doppelganger (1969)

21 December 200222 April 2021

Rating: ★★

Mirror-Reversed Counter-Earth

Director: Robert Parrish
Actors: Roy Thinnes, Ian Hendry, Patrick Wymark, Lynn Loring, …
Category: Science Fiction

Europa Report (2013)

24 November 201311 September 2022

Rating: ★★

Space Expedition

Director: Sebastian Cordero
Actors: Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Anamaria Marinca, Daniel Wu, …
Category: Science Fiction

Event Horizon (1997)

29 June 20085 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Haunted Spaceship

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Actors: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, …
Category: Science Fiction

Fire Maidens of Outer Space (1956)

3 February 201420 March 2023

Rating: ½

Astronauts Discover All-Female Planet

Director: Cy Roth
Actors: Anthony Dexter, Susan Shaw, Harry Fowler, Sydney Tafler
Category: Science Fiction

The Galaxy Destroyer (1986)

29 August 202429 August 2024

Rating: ½

Earth After an Alien Invasion

Director: Brett Piper
Actors: Matt Mitler
Category: Science Fiction

Galaxy Express 999 (1979)

16 December 20001 April 2021

Rating: ★★★

Anime Space Opera

Director: Rintaro
Actors: Saffron Henderson, Kathleen Barr, Janyse Jaud, Terry Klassen, …
Category: Science Fiction

Galaxy Turnpike (2015)

13 April 201713 October 2023

Rating: ★★

Intergalactic Burger Bar Comedy

Director: Koki Matani
Actors: Shingo Katon, Haruka Ayase, Yuka, Zen Kajiwara, …
Category: Science Fiction

Gods of Egypt (2016)

5 March 20166 October 2024

Rating: ★★½

Ancient Egyptian Mythology

Director: Alex Proyas
Actors: Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Elodie Yung, …
Category: Fantasy

Gor (1987)

20 August 200514 May 2021

Rating: ★★

Barbarian Planet

Director: Fritz Kiersch
Actors: Urbano Barberini, Oliver Reed, Rebecca Ferratti, Paul L. Smith, …
Category: Science Fiction

Gorath (1962)

21 June 201730 January 2024

Rating: ★★½

Rogue Planet on a Collision Course with Earth

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Ryo Ikebe, Akira Kubo, Yumi Shirakawa, Ken Uehara, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Green Slime (1968)

9 October 200321 May 2021

Rating: ★★

Alien Nasty

Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Actors: Richard Jaeckel, Luciana Paluzzi
Category: Science Fiction

Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)

9 September 201610 December 2020

Rating: 0­

Animation/Prehistoric Talking Animals

Director: Mike Thurmeier, Galen Tan Chu
Actors: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, …
Category: Fantasy

If You Were the Last (2023)

12 April 202412 April 2024

Rating: ★★

NASA Space Mission Romantic Comedy

Director: Kristian Mercado
Actors: Anthony Mackie, Zoe Chao, Natalie Morales, Geoff Stults, …
Category: Science Fiction

An Impossible Voyage (1904)

23 September 20114 November 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Train Journey Into Space

Director: Georges Melies
Category: Science Fiction

The Incredible Melting Man (1977)

16 May 199929 August 2021

Rating: ★★½

Melting Astronaut

Director: William Sachs
Actors: Burr DeBenning, Alex Rebar, Myron Healey, Michael Alldredge
Category: Science Fiction

Interstellar (2014)

8 November 201417 December 2024

Rating: ★★★★½

Space Expedition

Director: Christopher Nolan
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, …
Category: Science Fiction

Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961)

3 November 200816 November 2021

Rating: 0­

Alien Invasion/Japanese Space Opera

Director: Koji Ota
Actors: Sonny Chiba
Category: Science Fiction

Io (2019)

24 November 201929 November 2019

Rating: ★★

Environmentally Devastated Future

Director: Jonathan Helpert
Actors: Margaret Qualley, Anthony Mackie, Danny Huston
Category: Science Fiction

Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962)

3 September 200218 December 2024

Rating: ★★½

Planet of Illusions

Director: Sidney Pink
Actors: John Agar, Greta Thyssen, Carl Ottosen, Ann Smyrner
Category: Science Fiction

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

7 February 20151 January 2022

Rating: ★★★½

Space Opera

Director: The Wachowskis, Lilly/Andy Wachowski, Lana/Larry Wachowski
Actors: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, …
Category: Science Fiction

King Dinosaur (1955)

9 June 202130 October 2024

Rating: ★½

Planet of Dinosaurs

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Douglas Henderson, Bill Bryant, Marvin Miller
Category: Science Fiction

Last and First Men (2020)

6 June 20204 April 2021

Rating: ★★★½

The Future Evolution of Humanity

Director: Jóhann Jóhansson
Actors: Tilda Swinton
Category: Science Fiction

Last Journey of Paul W.R. (2020)

20 February 202520 February 2025

Rating: ★

Earth Endangered by an Oncoming Moon

Director: Romain Quirot
Actors: Hugo Becker, Lya Oussadit-Lessert, Paul Hamy, Jean Reno, …
Category: Science Fiction

Mars et Avril (2012)

5 February 20139 September 2022

Rating: ★

Expedition to Mars/Future Music Making and the Meaning of It All

Director: Martin Villeneuve
Actors: Jacques Languirand, Caroline Dhavernas, Paul Ahmarani, Jean Marchand, …
Category: Science Fiction

Melancholia (2011)

20 November 20117 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Depression and the End of the World

Director: Lars von Trier
Actors: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgård, …
Category: Science Fiction

Melies Cinemagician (2011)

12 June 200221 July 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Compilation of Georges Melies Shorts

Director: Georges Melies
Category: Fantasy

The Midnight Sky (2020)

8 January 202124 August 2024

Rating: ★★½

Last Man on Earth Tries to Communicate with a Space Mission

Director: George Clooney
Actors: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Caoilinn Springall, …
Category: Science Fiction

Monster Zero (1965)

17 November 20103 December 2020

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash/Space Opera

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Nick Adams, Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Jun Tazaki, …
Category: Science Fiction

Moon Rainbow (1983)

19 May 201610 January 2025

Rating: ★

Soviet SF/Mysterious Alien Zone

Director: Andrei Yermash
Category: Science Fiction

Moon Zero Two (1969)

6 May 20027 February 2020

Rating: ★★★

Lunar Adventures

Director: Roy Ward Baker
Actors: James Olson, Catherine Schell, Warren Mitchell, Adrienne Corri, …
Category: Science Fiction

The ? Motorist (1906)

14 May 201326 March 2020

Rating: ★★★

Motorcar Travels Into Space

Director: Walter R. Booth
Category: Fantasy

The Night Caller (1965)

21 June 201623 October 2024

Rating: ★★

Aliens Abduct Models

Director: John Gilling
Actors: John Saxon, Maurice Denham, John Carson, Aubrey Morris, …
Category: Science Fiction

On the Comet (1970)

21 June 201715 October 2024

Rating: ★★½

Jules Verne Adaptation/Swept Away on a Comet

Director: Karel Zeman
Actors: Emil Horvath, Cestmir Randa
Category: Science Fiction

Outland (1981)

7 February 200124 November 2019

Rating: ★★★

Action Set on One of Jupiter’s Moons

Director: Peter Hyams
Actors: Sean Connery, Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, James B. Sikking, …
Category: Science Fiction

Saturn 3 (1980)

9 June 20031 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Robot Amok

Director: Stanley Donen
Actors: Kirk Douglas, Farrah Fawcett, Harvey Keitel
Category: Science Fiction

Silent Running (1972)

27 April 200313 November 2021

Rating: ★★½

Saving the World’s Last Forest in Space

Director: Douglas Trumbull
Actors: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint
Category: Science Fiction

Slingshot (2024)

22 November 202422 November 2024

Rating: ★★★

Space Expedition/Onboard Paranoia

Director: Mikael Håfström
Actors: Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Tomer Capone, Emily Beecham, …
Category: Science Fiction

Solar Crisis (1990)

1 June 201519 March 2025

Rating: ★★★

Space Mission

Director: Richard C. Sarafian
Actors: Tim Matheson, Charlton Heston, Jack Palance, Corin Nemec, …
Category: Science Fiction

Solis (2018)

20 June 201922 February 2022

Rating: ★★

Space Rescue Mission

Director: Carl Strathie
Actors: Steven Ogg, Alice Lowe
Category: Science Fiction

Somnus (2016)

8 October 201826 October 2018

Rating: ★

Space Mission Problems/The End of the World

Director: Chris Reading
Actors: Marcus McMahon, Cullum Austin, Rohit Gokani, Meryl Griffiths, …
Category: Science Fiction

Space Sweepers (2021)

19 February 202219 February 2022

Rating: ★★★

Space Junk Collectors/Korean Space Opera

Director: Jo Sung-Hee
Actors: Song Joon-ki, Kim Tae-n, Jin Seon-kyu, Yoo Hae-jin, …
Category: Science Fiction

Space Truckers (1996)

17 April 200118 July 2019

Rating: ★★★

Interstellar Adventures

Director: Stuart Gordon
Actors: Dennis Hopper, Stephen Dorff, Debi Mazar, Charles Dance, …
Category: Science Fiction

Spaceman (2024)

16 March 202416 March 2024

Rating: ★★

Astronaut Befriends an Alien

Director: Johan Renck
Actors: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Stranger (1973)

3 August 201712 October 2020

Rating: ★★

Counter Earth

Director: Lee H. Katzin
Actors: Glenn Corbett, Cameron Mitchell, Sharon Acker, Lew Ayres, …
Category: Science Fiction

Sunshine (2007)

19 April 20071 April 2025

Rating: ★★★

Solar Expedition

Director: Danny Boyle
Actors: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, …
Category: Science Fiction

Teleios (2017)

8 August 201917 July 2020

Rating: ★★

Space Rescue Mission

Director: Ian Truitner
Actors: Sunny Mabrey, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Weetus Cren, T. J. Hoban, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Terrornauts (1967)

22 July 201319 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Communications from Space

Director: Montgomery Tully
Actors: Simon Oates, Zena Marshall, Charles Hawtrey, Patricia Hayes, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Titan (2018)

14 April 201830 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Bio-Engineering Humans to Live on Titan

Director: Lennart Ruff
Actors: Sam Worthington, Taylor Schilling, Tom Wilkinson, Agyness Deyn, …
Category: Science Fiction

Valley of the Dragons (1961)

25 August 20142 December 2024

Rating: ★

Jules Verne Adaptation/Prehistoric Lost World on a Comet

Director: Edward L. Bernds
Actors: Sean McClory, Cesare Danova, Joan Staley, Danielle De Metz, …
Category: Science Fiction

Venus (2022)

7 July 20237 July 2023

Rating: ★★★

Occult Horror/Sinister Apartment

Director: Jaume Balaguero
Actors: Ester Exposito, Ines Fernandez, Angela Cremonte, Magua Mira, …
Category: Horror

Vixen Highway 2006: It Came from Uranus! (2010)

18 December 201125 September 2024

Rating: 0­

Gonzo Exploitation Homage

Director: Tony Watt, Vivita
Actors: Tony Watt, James Taggart, Vivita, Bogart D'Jointe, …
Category: Horror

The Wandering Earth (2019)

26 May 201930 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Moving the Earth/Mass Destruction Spectacle

Director: Frant Gwo
Actors: Qu Chuxiao, Wu Jing, Zhao Jinnai, Ng Man Tat, …
Category: Science Fiction

War Between the Planets (1966)

19 September 200816 January 2020

Rating: ★★

Italian Space Opera

Director: Antonio Margheriti
Actors: Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Ombretta Colli
Category: Science Fiction

Warning from Space (1956)

12 October 202012 October 2020

Rating: ★

Japanese Alien Visitors Film

Director: Koji Shima
Category: Science Fiction

Within the Rock (1996)

18 May 199911 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Alien Nasty

Director: Gary J. Tunnicliffe
Actors: Xander Berkeley, Caroline Barclay, Bradford Tatum, Duane Whitaker, …
Category: Science Fiction

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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