Summary
Amazon Prime Video’sSpace Cadethas earned comparisons to movies that came before it, and there are many movies viewers can watch after finishing the2024 romantic comedy.Space Comedystars Emma Roberts as Tiffany “Rex” Simpson, a woman who gets inspired at her 10-year high school reunion to return to her dream of being an astronaut. Despite her lack of qualifications, with the help of her friend who falsifies her resume behind her back, Rex gets accepted into a training program at the NASA Johnson Space Center.
TheSpace Cadetcasthelps bring the unrealistic space plot to life with their comedic talent.Roberts shines as Rex, and her chemistry with Tom Hopper makes their romance come across as naturaldespite him being her superior and complete opposite. Unfortunately,Space Cadetcontinued Emma Roberts’ bleak Rotten Tomatoes trend. The movie currently holds a 26% on the Tomatometer and a 38% Audience Score onRotten Tomatoes.Space Cadetmay not have received the best reviews, but there are similar films that have better reputations.
Space Cadet Ending Explained
Space Cadet ended with Rex seeing her hard work, passion, and determination pay off in an unrealistic sequence that still had viewers rooting for her.
Legally Blonde (2001)
PerhapsSpace Cadet’smost obvious inspiration is Reese Witherspoon’s 2001 feminist romantic comedyLegally Blonde. Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, a sorority girl who decides to follow her ex-boyfriend, Warner, to Harvard Law School after he breaks up with her. As he insultingly told her, he needed to “marry a Jackie, not a Marilyn.” Elle’s personality and appearance didn’t suit his image as a future senator, so she applied to Harvard to prove she could be what Warner wanted and needed.
Eventually, Elle becomes more passionate about law and cares more about winning their case than Warner. Like Rex inSpace Cadet, Elle’s peers judge her for not appearing like a “typical” lawyer. Both characters smash the stereotypes with their out-of-the-box thinking that saves the day. They prove they aren’t “dumb blondes,” andLegally Blondehas been lauded as a feminist masterpiece because of this.
Amazon’s New Space Comedy Cleverly Pays Tribute To Reese Witherspoon’s Iconic Movie From 23 Years Ago
Emma Roberts stars in Amazon Prime Video’s new space comedy, Space Cadet, which has been compared to an iconic 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie.
9Wild Child (2008)
An Emma Roberts Cult Classic
Another Emma Roberts movie,Wild Child, is a greatSpace Cadetcompanion. Roberts made her acting debut at just 10 years old and, not long after, began her rise to fame with the Nickelodeon television seriesUnfabulous, which aired from 2004 to 2007. Shortly after the sitcom ended, Roberts starred in the British filmWild Child. Itmay not be one ofEmma Roberts’ best movies, but like she did inSpace Cadet, she gives a memorable performance.
Wild Child also stars Natasha Richardson as the school’s headmistress. It was her final film before her 2009 death.
Roberts plays Poppy Moore, a rich, spoiled American girl who gets sent to a boarding school in England against her will. Though she initially wants nothing to do with the other students, she eventually embraces them, the school, and a new lifestyle. Though Rex and Poppy start their respective movies in different places,Wild ChildandSpace Cadetfollow the journey of someone seeming out of place and eventually finding where she belongs.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Cast
Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill. Abducted from Earth as a child, Quill navigates intergalactic adventures, becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb coveted by Ronan the Accuser.
One of the most popularspace comedy moviesof the 2010s isGuardians of the Galaxy, the first of the trilogy that ended in 2023.Space Cadetisn’t a traditional space comedy movie, as it mainly takes place on Earth with Rex and her fellow Ascans (astronaut candidates) training to hopefully go to space. Though most of them eventually make it to space, very little time in the 2-hour runtime is set in space.
Despite the different settings, there are some similarities between the movies. The mainGuardianscharacter, Peter Quill, shares some of Rex’s charm, though he’s considered more roguish. What best ties the films together are their ensembles.Space Cadethas a unique ensemble of characters, not all of which who get along at first, but they come together by the end. At its core,Guardians of the Galaxyis about a hilarious, beautiful found family.
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Some have criticizedSpace Cadetfor being too childish, even with its PG-13 rating.Erin Brockovichisn’t a comedy, and with an R-rating, it’s inappropriate for youngerSpace Cadetviewers. However, as withLegally Blonde,Erin Brockovichis a great companion piece because of its strong, underestimated lead female character.Erin Brockovichis considered one ofthe best underdog movies, and for good reason.
If you want to have a Roberts family movie marathon, Julia Roberts is Emma Roberts' aunt.
Erin Brokovichis based on the true story of the legal case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for their role in contaminating the Hinkley, California groundwater. Roberts plays the titular character, and her performance is nothing short of powerful and admirable, earning her an Academy Award. She embodies Erin Brockovich, the driven single mother who convinces her lawyer to give her a job in his office and passionately takes on the Hinkley case, becoming instrumental despite her lack of experience in law.
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As aforementioned,Space Cadetis an untraditional space comedy as it isn’t really set in space.Space Cadetmight fit better in the astronaut movie subgenre, but most of those movies are drama films, many of which areabout real-life astronauts, likeFirst ManandApollo 13. There is no doubt thatSpace Cadetis more comedy than drama, just like the 2005 sci-fi space movieThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which stars Martin Freeman as Arthur Den.
While trying to stop his house from being bulldozed, Arthur is saved by his friend, Ford Prefect. He learns Ford is actually an alien and that he was the only human who survived Earth’s destruction. With Ford and others, he travels the universe to find the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.“LikeSpace Cadet,Hitchhiker’s Guidehas its issues, with the film widely considered confusing. Still, it’s seen as a rite of passage for many sci-fi comedy fans.
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality is a 2000 comedy starring Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant to prevent a potential terrorist attack. Directed by Donald Petrie, the film features Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, and Candice Bergen. Gracie’s initial contempt for the pageant world evolves as she bonds with the contestants, balancing her tough persona with newfound grace.
Miss Congenialitykicked off the 2000s as one of the decade’s best romantic comedies. The movie starsSandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who is asked to go undercover as a Miss United States contestant when a terrorist threatens to bomb the pageant. As a tomboy, Gracie feels like a fish out of water in the world of beauty pageants. Though she’s initially reluctant, Gracie winds up becoming friends with other contestants.
Space CadetandMiss Congenialitycan be categorized as “chick flicks,” and both movies feature a strong central female character who doesn’t get the respect she deserves.Miss Congenialityoffers one of Sandra Bullock’s most popular performances, and despite average reviews, it was a box office hit that earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. LikeSpace Cadet,Miss Congenialityalso features a great romantic subplot.
Accepted
Accepted follows Bartleby Gaines, a high school graduate who, after facing multiple college rejection letters, creates a fake university to gain parental approval. Without anticipating the consequences, Bartleby ends up managing a populated campus with a diverse group of students who were also rejected from traditional colleges, leading to unexpected challenges and adventures. Starring Justin Long, the film delves into themes of alternative education and individuality.
While Rex is smart and driven enough to be an astronaut, her friend Nadine completely made up her resume, which got her accepted into NASA’s training program inSpace Cadet. When Rex learns this, rather than coming clean, she decides to go along with the lie and see how far it can take her–hopefully all the way to space. InAccepted, Justin Long plays Bartleby Gaines, an unconventionally smart recent high school graduate who gets rejected from every college he applies to.
To avoid disappointing his father, Bartleby creates a fake college, South Harmon Institute of Technology (SHIT), with a functional website. Bartleby goes to great lengths to keep up his lie, which only gets worse when other rejected students start enrolling. What starts as a way to avoid telling his father the truth becomes a positive educational experience that allows Bartleby and the other students to find where and how they belong.
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She’s the Man
She’s the Man is a teen comedy directed by Andy Fickman. The film stars Amanda Bynes as Viola Hastings, who disguises herself as her twin brother Sebastian to join a boys' soccer team, navigating teenage romance and identity. Co-starring Channing Tatum, the storyline is loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, blending humor and sports in a high school setting.
She’s the Manis ateen movie adapted from the Shakespeare playTwelfth Night. Amanda Bynes plays Viola Hastings, a high school soccer player who dreams of playing in college. When her school cuts the girls’ team, she and some of her teammates try to join the boys’ team, but the coach won’t let them. When her twin brother, Sebastian, is enrolled in an elite boarding school and secretly goes to London instead, Viola sees an opportunity. She pretends to be Sebastian, attending Illyria in his place and playing for their boys’ soccer team.
She’s the Manwas Channing Tatum’s first major film role. The movie’s release was followed a few months later byStep Up, which was a much bigger box-office success.
Part of the thrill of movies likeSpace CadetandShe’s the Manis knowing the main character will eventually get caught in their lie, leaving viewers waiting for the fallout. This keeps viewers on their toes, with multiple close calls that fill viewers with relief, anxiety, and excitement. LikeSpace Cadet,She’s the Manis ultimately about someone whose dreams weren’t taken seriously and who went to great lengths to achieve them.
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The Devil Wears Prada
Based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel, The Devil Wears Prada stars Anne Hathaway as Andrea Sachs, an aspiring journalist who, after landing a job with top New York fashion designer Miranda Priestly, gets drawn deeper and deeper into the cutthroat world of the fashion industry. Meryl Streep stars alongside Hathaway as Miranda Priestly, with a further cast that includes Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Simon Baker.
One of the most popular comedy-drama movies of the 2000s isThe Devil Wears Prada, based on the 2003 novel of the same name. The 2006 movie has a star-studded cast that includes Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, and Gisele Bündchen, as well as cameos from famous figures in fashion. Hathaway plays Andrea “Andy” Sachs, a journalist who begrudgingly takes a job atVogue-inspiredRunway, where she becomes the junior personal assistant to the cold editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Streep).
The Devil Wears Pradahas been deemed one ofAnne Hathaway’s best movies, with everyone in the cast bringing their A-game. ThoughSpace Cadet’sRex andThe Devil Wears Prada’sAndy may appear opposites, viewers can watch them both try to find out how to fit in and thrive in uncharted territories.Space CadetandThe Devil Wears Pradaalso share lessons about the opportunity to change while remembering the importance of staying true to yourself.
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Galaxy Quest
An homage to classic science fiction and its fandom, Galaxy Quest follows a group of actors from a fictional cult classic sci-fi series who are unwittingly embroiled in a real space conflict when aliens who believe the series is real abduct them and ask for their help defeating a tyrant threatening their people. Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Daryl Mitchell, and Sam Rockwell, the film features many references and parodies of classic sci-fi films and shows, mainly Star Trek.
The 1999 sci-fi comedyGalaxy Questrevolves around a fictional show of the same name and its actors who get roped into an actual space mission by aliens. The fictional 1970s show is a parody and tribute to sci-fi movies and series, most notablyStar Trek, with the soap opera-esque series having inspired a cult following. The actors get involved in a real quest when aliens mistake their show for a documentary, creating great comedy.
The premise may seem ridiculous, but the film was met positively by critics and audiences. The movie’s star-studded cast, featuring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell, were lauded for their performances. Now, 25 years later, there’s talk about apotentialGalaxy Quest 2.Space Cadethad some ridiculous sci-fi space aspects to it, especially with its ending, andGalaxy Questexecutes and parodies those kinds of plots on a higher level.
Space Cadet
A young woman with no formal training unexpectedly finds herself in a space program after a series of fortunate events. As she navigates rigorous training and high-stakes challenges, she must prove her capabilities to skeptical teammates and instructors.
