More Movies To Watch With Wilson
Castaway is one of Tom Hanks’ best movies, taking a simple desert island survival plot and fleshing it out with some excellent themes. If you’ve finished streaming this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks. Of course for all the movies we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 movies to check out when you’ve finished watching Castaway.
127 Hours
Based on a true story, 127 Hours is another gripping survival movie. It’s also a film that teaches everyone, everywhere to let your loved ones know where you are at all times! For those unaware, 127 Hours centers on an adventurer called Aron Ralston. One day, he ventures out deep into the heart of Moab, Utah on a canyoneering trip. Unfortunately, disaster strikes and Aron becomes trapped under a boulder. Panic soon turns to harsh realization. No one is coming to save him and Aron only has minimal time left to plot an escape from his impossible situation. Gripping and absolutely intense, 127 Hours is a great movie.
Life of Pi
Life of Pi is a wonderful movie that backs up some solid storytelling with a keen eye for visual flair. This movie is a real looker too and some of the scenes out at sea are absolutely stunning. The story here revolves around an Indian storyteller called Pi Patel. When he’s interviewed by an aspiring Canadian Author, Pi recounts his life’s story, including a failing family business and an unforgettable sea voyage to Canada in a bid to start a new life. One thing leads to another and Pi is forced to team up with a host of zoo animals – including a menacing Bengal Tiger. Although a survival movie at heart, Life of Pi has some solid themes around friendship, hope, faith and comradeship that certainly make this a really good film.
The Beach
The Beach is a wonderfully surrealist movie, one that takes a simple treasure hunt plot and turns this dream into a living nightmare. On vacation in Thailand and desperate to avoid the numerous tourist traps lying dormant around the country, Richard sets off on a quest to find an island rumoured to be a solitary beach paradise. Only, he soon comes to learn this paradise comes at a cost. One that could see him sacrifice everything The movie does get quite trippy and dark toward the end, although it definitely scratches that itch for anyone who’s ventured further afield from the usual tourist spots.
The Martian
The Martian is a solid movie set on the bleak desert wasteland of Mars. With some compelling science and a well paced storyline, this movie extends beyond its survival plot to deliver an inspiriting story about never giving up hope. The story revolves around Astronaut Mark Watney who finds himself stranded on Mars. A fierce storm blows across the landscape and he’s declared dead by NASA. With little in the way of supplies and only his ingenuity and spirit to cling to, Mark does his best to survive while sending a signal to NASA, informing them that he’s still alive. As NASA scramble to try and save him from his plight, Watney is forced to try and survive long enough to be rescued. With surprising touches of comedy, The Martian balances that out with a great story armed with solid themes of comradeship and courage.
Moon
Moon is a much more intimate story than one may expect from such an expansive premise. While small in scope, this film packs one heck of an emotional punch. It’s helped too by some excellent acting from Sam Rockwell. The story sees astronaut Sam Bell nearing the end of his three year contract of harvesting Helium-3 on the far-side of the moon. With communication on Earth limited to pre-recorded messages, and his only assistant a computer called GERTY, isolation begins to take its toll. With only a few weeks left of his time on the moon, Sam’s journey takes a turn for the worse when he starts to uncover some startling home truths about his mission. Haunting and well written, Moon is a really gripping sci-fi tale.
The Grey
The Grey is a typical man VS nature movie, with Liam Neeson in the driver’s seat. The movie itself revolves around six oil workers, led by a skilled huntsman called John Ottway. As they try to make their way to safety, a pack of merciless wolves hunt the group and wait for an opportune time. Although it’s not wholly accurate to how wolves actually behave, it’s an enjoyable and exciting thriller nonetheless. If you’re looking for a more straightforward horror/thriller about the wilderness and surviving against the odds, The Wild definitely fits the bill.
Into the Wild
Based on a true story, Into the Wild is a well written movie about living in solitude. The story centers on uni graduate Christopher McCandless. Disillusioned with his current life, he abandons all of his possessions and gives up his life savings to charity. Hitchhiking to Alaska, Chris decides to go off the grid and live in the wilderness. Along the way though Chris meets several different people, including Tracy Tatro. To give much more away would be a disservice to this movie but the journey – even if it’s not wholly truthful at times – is enough to make for a really enjoyable ride.
Robinson Crusoe
There have been a number of different versions of Robinson Crusoe on the big and small screen over the years. This is always the go-to desert island movie but perhaps none are as iconic as the 1954 version. For those unaware, the movie depicts the classic story of Robinson Crusoe, a man dragged to a desert island after a shipwreck. However, the movie adds its own unique spin on this tale, leaning into the movie’s central premise while exploring themes around fear, loneliness and survival. This absolute classic is a must-watch.
All Is Lost
Keeping with the theme of shipwrecks, All Is Lost is another solid movie that depicts an unnamed man waking up to find his 39 foot yacht taking on water after a collision out at sea. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also sailing into the path of a violent storm after his communication equipment is knocked out. All Is Lost essentially boils down to a classic man VS nature survival match, with very common themes to movies like Jungle in the way it showcases one man’s struggle to overcome seemingly impossible odds. Tense and well-paced, this is another great movie to check out.
Castaway on the Moon
Korean movie Castaway on the Moon is a 2009 picture about two people who decide they don’t want to interact with society – or other people – anymore. A failed suicide attempt atop a bridge serves as the catalyst for what follows, as a man washes up on a desert island in the middle of a river. Meanwhile, a reclusive young woman, who takes close-up shots of the moon and hasn’t left her apartment in years, spies the man on said island and begins to take an interest Te interaction between the two characters from a distance makes for some wonderful scenes, while the movie has a wicked way of commenting on modern society and the pitfalls of the rat race. In terms of thematic relevance, Castaway on the Moon is absolutely on the money. It may not be for everyone, but if you can take to the premise then this one is a sure-fire winner. So there we have it, our 10 Movie picks to keep you busy after watching Tom Hanks’ Castaway. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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