📽️📽️📽️ Project Hail Mary (2023) 💥 – Movie Review

Project Hail Mary (2023), adapted from Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, is a thrilling and emotionally charged sci-fi adventure that blends high-stakes survival with deep intellectual curiosity and moments of profound human connection. Directed with a perfect balance of suspense and wonder, the film stars Ryan Gosling as Dr. Ryland Grace, an astronaut who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. As Grace slowly pieces together his past, he discovers that he is humanity’s last hope, tasked with a dangerous mission to save Earth from an imminent disaster caused by a mysterious interstellar threat.

Gosling delivers an exceptional performance, expertly balancing Grace’s scientific genius with a raw vulnerability that grounds the story in emotional depth. His portrayal of a man faced with not only the fate of the world but also his own personal reckoning is captivating. The film’s visual effects are breathtaking, vividly depicting the vast emptiness of space and the claustrophobic environment aboard Grace’s isolated ship. This tension-filled atmosphere heightens the emotional stakes, forcing Grace to confront the profound loneliness of space survival.

One of the film’s most compelling elements is Grace’s unexpected alliance with an extraterrestrial being, Rocky. This unlikely friendship becomes the heart of the story, offering both warmth and humor in an otherwise intense and solitary journey. Their dynamic provides a refreshing contrast to the tension, as they learn to trust and rely on each other. The relationship between Grace and Rocky explores themes of inter-species cooperation, sacrifice, and the potential for connection across unimaginable distances, making their bond one of the most heartwarming aspects of the film.

Staying true to Andy Weir’s signature style, Project Hail Mary blends hard science with accessible explanations, ensuring that the technical details enhance rather than overwhelm the story. The narrative is rooted in the reality of scientific problem-solving, but it never loses sight of its human elements. Grace’s quest to save humanity is as much about understanding the science of the mission as it is about his emotional journey, with moments of introspection that reflect on survival, hope, and the nature of human connection.

The film excels as both a sci-fi thriller and a deeply human drama. It offers thrilling space exploration while delving into the emotional and psychological toll of isolation, responsibility, and the need for cooperation. The stunning visuals, combined with a compelling storyline and Gosling’s nuanced performance, create a powerful cinematic experience that resonates beyond the genre. Project Hail Mary is not just about saving the world—it’s about the enduring human spirit, the power of unlikely friendships, and the lengths we will go to for survival.

In conclusion, Project Hail Mary is a thought-provoking, visually stunning film that offers a perfect blend of science fiction thrills and emotional depth. Whether you’re a fan of high-stakes adventure or character-driven storytelling, this film is a must-watch. It’s a journey that will make you reflect on hope, survival, and the connections that bind us, even across the stars.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.