THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008)
In 2008 Keanu starred in the big-budget remake of the classic 1950s sci-fi The Day the Earth Stood Still. The original, directed by legendary filmmaker Robert Wise, who also made Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Andromeda Strain, has gone down in sci-fi history as one of the finest movies ever produced. The film incorporated Cold War era fears into the tale of an alien visitor who arrives on earth with an important message for mankind. The remake replaced the original’s warning about the destructive power of Cold War nuclear warfare with a grave concern for environmental damage to the planet, with Keanu’s well-meaning alien visitor decidinf whether humans can change their destructive ways or if he must eradicate them from the planet. A must-see for sci-fi fans with a sober warning about humanity’s future. Klaatu barada nikto!
ANYONE CAN QUANTUM (2016)
It’s not strictly a movie, but this fun short made by US University Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter is worth a mention. Made to kick off a celebration of quantum science the promo video sees Hollywood actor Paul Rudd forced to grapple with the concepts of quantum mechanics in order to beat professor Stephen Hawking in a game of chess. And why does Paul Rudd have to beat Stephen Hawking at chess? Keanu Reeves visits him from 700 years in the future and tells him the fate of mankind depends on it… Not only does the short feature a cameo from Marvel’s Ant Man, it’s directed by Keanu’s old Bill and Ted buddy Alex Winter! As Ted would say, ‘Whoa..!’
