Two Hollywood talents helm a mystery, a sci-fi adventure and a moving human drama packaged in one extraordinarily ambitious and entertaining opus. Co-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary (A+) stars Ryan Gosling as a man who finds himself alone on a spacecraft light years from earth and must summon the bravery and resourcefulness to help avert a disaster with intergalactic stakes. With a superb shape-shifting and time-bending adapted screenplay by Drew Goddard, Lord and Miller commandeer a whimsical journey scored to Daniel Pemberton’s majestic music along with some nifty needle drops. The film is a visual feast thanks to Greig Fraser’s cinematography and Paul Lambert and Mags Sarnowska’s stunning blend of visual effects with practical photography. Gosling brings charisma and humor to a lead role summoning all his mad skills. Sandra Huller is a delight and a solid foil, and audiences will get great joy from the puppeteering and voice talents of James Ortiz. The film’s first hour is leisurely paced and sets the scope and scene; then the plot picks up rather rapidly soonafter. The movie proves again and again an impressive feat of larger-than-life showmanship and the intimacy of well-honed characterization. This is an absolute excuse for those who haven’t been to a movie theatre in a while to witness something revelatory and crowd-pleasing on the big screen.