Reaching for the Stars
with Project Hail Mary

Thank God for original movies. Don't get me wrong, the superhero flicks, 90s reboots, sequels to 2000s classics, and more are good, but I wish there were just as many unique films. And this year, we saw a lot of them! One of my favorites was Ryan Gosling's new hit, Project Hail Mary.

Based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel of the same name, the film follows Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who wakes up in a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. He discovers he's the only survivor of a three-person crew, and now has to navigate space as he tries to remember what happened.

I loved everything about it, from the intriguing plot to the sci-fi elements. This is just my cup of tea, and the best part is that everything about it feels fresh. Apart from the fact that it's an adaptation of a novel, there are no familiar characters, product placements, or anything like that. It's pure cinematic fun, and I love it!

My excitement for this film reached an all-time high, so I went to its New York premiere at Lincoln Center in March. Luckily, the temperature had already risen a bit, so I didn't have to suffer through the cold as I watched the cast pass by. And what a cast it was!

Ryan Gosling was riding high after his glorious streak with Barbie in 2023. I liked him in The Fall Guy in 2024, but Project Hail Mary was his next big hit. I won't be surprised if he gets an Academy Award nomination here too. He killed it as Ken, but he knocked it out of the park as Ryland Grace.

As if that wasn't enough, they also got the great Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the force behind Project Hail Mary. I appreciate her starring in a mainstream movie like this. She's best known for arthouse dramas like Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest, so I'm glad she took on something this big. She and Gosling had great chemistry here.

And you know what? She's very nice in person. I greeted most of the cast members at the premiere, and she was the most delightful. I was intimidated at first because of the intense roles she's known for, but she's actually very down-to-earth. She gave me such a warm smile when she signed my poster.

Ryan Gosling was as fun as ever that night, too. It's as if he knew the movie would be a hit, and he looked like he was having the time of his life. He looked sharp in a patterned suit and pink shirt and was very personable when he signed my poster. His positive energy made me even more excited to see the film.

The movie ended up being my favorite of 2026, and possibly my favorite Ryan Gosling film ever. I'm telling you, I've never seen him this good before. And no matter how many roles he plays down the line, I'm sure Ryland Grace will go down as one of his best performances.