Great (& Realistic) Physics Movies

In 1970, astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) is commanding a "routine" mission to the moon, Apollo 13. With the famous words "Houston, we have a problem." begins a terrifying true journey of survival, as the three astronauts attempt to survive in space while scientists and engineers on the ground work to find a way to bring the damaged spacecraft back to Earth safely.

Apollo 13 has a phenomenal cast, including Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, and others, and is directed by Ron Howard. Dramatic and moving, it retains scientific integrity in exploring this significant moment in the history of space travel.

A film, based on a true story, about a teenager (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who becomes fascinated with rocketry and, against all odds, becomes the inspiration of his small mining town by going on to win a national science fair.

The Abyss is one of my personal favorite films, and though more science fiction than science fact, there's enough realism in the portrayal of the deep sea, and its exploration, to keep the physics fan quite interested.

This fun romantic comedy features Albert Einstein (played by Walter Matthau) as he plays cupid between his niece (Meg Ryan) and a local auto mechanic (Tim Robbins).

2001 is the definitive classic space film, considered by many to have ushered in the era of space action special effects. Even after all these years - several years after the supposed date of the film has passed - it holds up quite well. If you can deal with the pacing of this film, which is a far cry from the whiz-bang of modern science fiction films, it's a great film about space exploration.