Here are fifteen movies which encapsulate that never-ending quest for meaning, our mission to better understand ourselves and our place in the universe. These films also chart the evolution of visual special effects, as well as the ebb and flow of hope and cynicism that comes alongside our extraterrestrial ambitions. A few caveats: for the purposes of this feature, we’ve generally avoided space-set franchises. We’re also attempting - as mentioned above - to focus on pictures where the action mostly takes place in space, leaving behind their comparatively earthbound counterparts.