Moonshot

An odd couple hurtle through space before falling in love in this fresh twist on the romcom from director Christopher Winterbauer. The year is 2049, and college students Walt (Cole Sprouse) and Sophie (Lana Condor) make it their mission to get to Mars, where their respective partners have settled into a new life. Cash-strapped Walt intends to smuggle himself onto a shuttle, and Sophie quickly finds herself embroiled in his plan. Bringing bags of charisma to their roles, Sprouse and Condor are hugely compelling as the bickering pair whose antagonism blooms into affection, while Michelle Buteau is a scene-stealer as the shuttle's laidback captain. Despite the futuristic, out-of-this-world setting, there's an appealingly quirky and low-key feel to the film - the retro aesthetic is delightful, while a nice line in absurdist humour means every awkward encounter and idiosyncratic robot helper is a joy. Although the story is a little slung together, the mashing of sci-fi and romance feels like a giant leap for a genre in desperate need of new ideas.