I love space movies! Whether they claim to be set in the near or distant future, or “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” I love them.

I believe that the stars have always provided humanity with sparks for the imagination. How many stories have been told around campfires as listeners stare up into the Milky Way? How many voyages have our dreams taken to distant worlds?

The movies—from the very beginning—have been along for the ride. One of the first commercial films made took us to the moon, and countless motion pictures since then have carried us to Mars, Venus, and beyond our own solar system. Space travel of any kind fascinates us. It holds fast to that corner of our mind and occasionally sends us on daydreams of wonder.

What are your favorite space movies? Are you a fan of the Alien franchise? Star Wars?  Star Trek? Maybe you like the classic serials like Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers? I love the characters and the human relationships that give these star-set adventures universal appeal.

Some have garnered critical attention and A-list actors. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) took on the traditionally campy space adventure and focused on the serious silence of space. Gregory Peck and Richard Crenna headlined Marooned (1969).

My October picks for space alien romps embrace the goofy, pre-Apollo missions. I adore classics like Rocketship XM and Destination Moon, both from 1950, and Cat-Women of the Moon from 1953. All of these movies send their courageous characters into undiscovered countries beyond our atmosphere and throw alien creatures, meteors and other dangers their way. Are they serious character studies with profound life-lessons? Not at all! Are they fun for the whole family? Absolutely! Pop a big bag of corn, put on your footy-pajamas, and let the credits roll!

That’s a wrap for this Toast to Cinema. Thanks for reading.