I really think that Project Hail Mary is truly an important movie to come out at this exact time with all that it going on in the world. Take AI for instance and all the growing dependence on it and its presence in creative works. Then, look at this movie that refused to even use CGI or green screen. They made an intricate puppet and hired five puppeteers. They even had one of them do the voice for the puppet despite not being "famous." They took the time to make a whole space ship to bring authenticity to the movie. So much of this was done out of pure love of film, love of storytelling, and love of art. We need that now more than ever, and to have it in such an instantly popular movie is even better. That's not even to talk about how important the story itself is right now. It shows people coming together in the face of hardship. It shows the power of empathy and hope. It shows people helping each other despite differences and working to save people who haven't done anything for them personally. Ryland Grace has been given no reason to want to help Stratt's mission go through from the way he has been treated, but he does it anyway because humanity at its core is good. Rocky is trying to save his own world, but he doesn't hesitate to help Grace save his own too. They find each other in the face of solitude and are able to connect through their shared mission. They repeatedly choose to help each other even when it isn't in their own best interest, and they both choose not only to save their own world but each other's. It's so hopeful. It's so full of love and sacrifice, and it shows that sacrifice doesn't always have to mean you don't get to live. It's about empathy and helping others, and I think the world needs to hear about that right now. This movie is so important especially in the context of now. It gives me hope. This is a movie that shows that there is hope for humanity and that humanity can be good, and it shows that humanity is necessary in art and film to get a result like this.
