Ryan Gosling makes science fun in 'Project Hail Mary'

It’s been a minute since we've had a big screen space epic that’s as fun as it is awe inspiring.

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The last memorable one might have been “The Martian,” so perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising that the drought is ending with another Andy Weir story adapted by Drew Goddard. “Project Hail Mary,” directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, is the kind of spectacular cinematic adventure that we've been missing: A clever, sincere, most-ages crowd-pleaser that’s full of life, energy and a love of science, quirky T-shirts and “Interstellar.” It's the kind of movie Disney really should be making, but, in this case, we have Amazon MGM to thank. And it will probably just get better with age and repeat viewings.Ryan Gosling is put to the ultimate movie star test as the only person on the screen for a large part of the picture. It begins with his character, Ryland Grace, waking up from an extended sleep in a spaceship. His long hair and bushy beard suggest he’s been sleeping for quite some time (his highlights may tell a different story, but maybe I should repeat to myself it’s just a show and really just relax). Even worse, he's alone and he has no idea how he got there or who he is.