Film
Escape from Planet Earth
- Science fiction
- Action
- Light-hearted
A bright, silly animated space adventure about a hotshot astronaut who gets tricked into landing on a hostile alien planet and has to rely on his nerdy brother to save him. It's earnest and colorful, built for kids who love jokes, space, and the idea that being smart is just as heroic as being cool. Fast-paced enough that adults won't suffer through it.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy brisk, gag-packed animated sci-fi where the jokes come thick and fast and the cast's voice work does most of the heavy lifting, in the loose-limbed spirit of Hotel Transylvania-style family romps.
Skip it if you want an animation with real emotional weight or visual ambition, since this one leans on quick riffs and cheerful silliness rather than wonder or lasting character depth.
What it asks of you: Under ninety minutes, it moves at a steady clip and asks only that you keep up with the banter; there is nothing dark to brace for and little you need to hold in your head.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Wreck-It Ralph2012
A video-game-world adventure that's just as much about found family and self-acceptance as it is about laughs. Genuinely clever writing, a perfect voice cast, and real heart beneath the mayhem. You'll care about these characters.
But If you're not charmed by arcade nostalgia and meta video-game humor, the premise might feel thin. Some of the emotion leans hard on sentimentality.

The Lego Movie2014
Anarchic, rapid-fire jokes layered for both kids and adults, a hero who learns his weakness is actually his strength, and a surprisingly subversive message about creativity and conformity. Legitimately inventive filmmaking.
But The relentless pacing and pop-culture references can feel exhausting. If you're not in the mood for constant stimulation, it'll wear you down.

How to Train Your Dragon2010
A coming-of-age adventure that respects your intelligence. The animation is gorgeous, the relationship between boy and dragon is genuinely moving, and it has real stakes without being grim. A modern animated classic.
But The Viking-world setting and dragon training might feel overly familiar if you've seen much animated fantasy. Some will find it safer than they'd like.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Escape from Planet Earth
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Adventures of Tintin2011
Both are high-energy adventure comedies about unlikely heroes getting dragged into dangerous situations where brains matter as much as courage. Same DNA, executed at triple the budget.
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson animated a classic comic-adventure with the scale and frenetic energy of a live-action blockbuster. The chase sequences are phenomenal, the voice cast is stellar, and it moves like a rocket. A wildly underrated gem.
But The motion-capture animation looks weightless in ways that bother some viewers. The plot is overstuffed, and Tintin himself is less interesting than the world around him.

More like this (8)
Despicable Me2010
A supervillain comedy that actually works. Steve Carell's accent is ridiculous, the minions are endlessly entertaining, and there's a surprisingly touching core about found family and redemption. Balances absurdity with genuine warmth.
But The minion humor dominates and can feel one-note. If you don't find gibberish cute, the film will lose you repeatedly.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012
Gleefully anarchic animation comedy where the characters are genuinely likable disasters. The circus setting gives it visual variety, the voice acting is committed and funny, and it commits fully to being ridiculous without apology.
But The plot barely exists; it's just set pieces and gags strung together. If you need narrative coherence, you'll spend the film frustrated.

Monsters vs Aliens2009
A big, dumb, lovable adventure that knows exactly what it is. Great voice work, fun alien designs, and it genuinely enjoys its B-movie premise. Moves quickly and doesn't overstay its welcome.
But It's not trying to be clever or surprising. If you want emotional depth or originality, this will feel hollow.

Turbo2013
An underdog story about a snail who dreams of racing, which sounds disposable but isn't. The animation is vibrant, the voice cast sells the absurdity, and it commits to its weird premise with genuine heart.
But The central conceit—a snail in the Indy 500—is so goofy that some viewers will check out immediately. The emotional beats can feel manipulative.

Meet the Robinsons2007
A Disney time-travel adventure with genuine inventiveness, a chaotic future family that's weirdly endearing, and a message about failure and moving forward that actually lands. Underrated and charming.
But The middle section is baggy and unfocused. The animation style is dated, and the plot twists can feel unearned if you're not paying attention.

Space Chimps2008
A space adventure with chimps who are likable disasters. It's harmless, moves along briskly, and the voice work is game. If you want something completely undemanding and vaguely space-themed, it delivers.
But It's aggressively mediocre. The humor is generic, the story forgettable, and you'll likely forget you watched it by tomorrow.

Galaxy Quest1999
A story about misfits who don't believe they're heroes until they have to be, discovering their actual strengths. Same emotional architecture, vastly different delivery and tone.
A live-action sci-fi comedy that's genuinely smart about fandom, loyalty, and the difference between performing heroism and living it. Tim Allen is perfect, the alien designs are inspired, and it's funny without winking at you constantly.
But It's from 1999 and doesn't hide it. The comedy is broad and sometimes corny, and the plot is utterly predictable if you've seen any space adventure before.

Klaus2019
Both explore what it means to be seen and valued despite being dismissed as useless. One does it through space comedy; the other through isolated beauty and radical kindness.
An animated feature that looks like oil paintings moving. It's a Santa origin story that's actually about connection, redemption, and whether one person can change a community. Gorgeously crafted, genuinely moving, and surprising at every turn.
But It's somber in a way that contrasts sharply with the bright aesthetic. If you're after the cartoon chaos of Escape from Planet Earth, this will feel slow and contemplative.

People
Cast
Rob CorddryGary Supernova (voice)
Brendan FraserScorch Supernova (voice)
Jessica AlbaLena (voice)
Steve ZahnHawk (voice)
Sarah Jessica ParkerKira Supernova (voice)
Ricky GervaisMr Bing (voice)
Gregg BinkleyRalph (voice) (uncredited)
Sofía VergaraGabby (voice)
Kaitlin Olson3D Movie Girl (voice)
Ashley EcksteinAlien (voice)
Craig RobinsonDoc (voice)
Jane LynchIo (voice)
Directing
- Cal BrunkerDirector
Writing
- Cory EdwardsOriginal Story
- Tony LeechOriginal Story
- Scott UnderwoodStoryboard
- Bob BarlenWriter
- Cal BrunkerWriter
Production
- Bob WeinsteinExecutive Producer
- Harvey WeinsteinExecutive Producer
- Tony LeechExecutive Producer
- Jonathan ShestackProducer
- Preston StutzmanProducer
- Barry E. JacksonProduction Manager