I've mainly been in the mood for comedy lately, so I decided to go back to an old favorite since I've been reading the book it's based on: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The story follows Arthur Dent, a man from Earth who is swept off on an adventure in space mere moments before the planet is destroyed.
It's a fun and silly sci-fi with great film performances. One of my favorites is Sam Rockwell. Sam is probably my favorite actors, having played a range of characters over his years of acting. His take on President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox is kind of stupid, incredibly self-centered, but still charming. He's easily one of the more over-the-top funny parts of the movie.
Another performance I really enjoy is Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) as Ford Prefect, a galactic hitchhiker and alien journalist who serves as Arthur's guide to the galaxy. He's incredibly smart, witty, and eccentric. Yasiin captures this perfectly. If you're familiar with his rap career, this probably isn't surprising. The rapper/actor is known for his brand of conscious hip hop, using word play and insightful commentary to speak on social and political issues.
The cast is rounded out with other well-known figures such as Alan Rickman (as the voice of Marvin the paranoid android), Stephen Fry (as the narrator), Zooey Deschanel (as Trillian), and Martin Freeman (as Arthur Dent).
Another cool piece of trivia is that the screenplay was co-written by author Douglas Adams before his death. Unfortunately, he passed before the film ever went into production. Karey Kirkpatrick stepped in and finished the script, cleaning it up but still sticking with the notes Adams had left.
Even if you don't watch a ton of sci-fi, I can see almost anyone who appreciates British humor enjoying the film. A word of warning, though: you will most likely leave with "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" stuck in your head.