
And so begins a new segment I'm titling "Throwback Thursday" because I'm a millennial and this is my blog. Every Thursday, we'll discuss a movie that isn't so new because sometimes the oldies are the besties. We're going to take a look at what makes a timeless classic and whether it holds up today.
This week, we're looking at Galaxy Quest (1999), possibly one of my favorite comedies from the '90s. It's one of those movies I still quote to this day. There are some iconic lines and iconic performances and it's definitely the perfect rainy day/sick day/pick-me-up movie.
Briefly, and Without Spoilers
Twenty-five years after its last episode, the cast of a cult-classic sci-fi television show (a la Star Trek) find themselves thrust back into the world of intergalactic adventure--only this time, it's real. The last survivors of an alien world mistake entertainment for reality and believe the cast are the only people who can save them from another alien race intent on their destruction.
Directed by Dean Parisot, starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman, Galaxy Quest is a classic parody movie that somehow manages to be much more than a simple parody movie.
By Grabthar's Hammer...(Spoilers Ahead!!)
I love this movie. This is one of those movies that I watched with my family as a kid, and I loved it then and I love it now. It's almost certainly where I developed my crush on Justin Long, who plays "Galaxy Quest" superfan Brandon.
But it's only as an adult that I've started to appreciate why it's a good movie. The cast and the acting play a big part in that, but it's also well written. The jokes are good, the characters are real, and while there aren't that many surprises, the growth is clean and satisfying. It's clearly a parody film, and in that sense, it doesn't take itself too seriously, but there are still moments of poignancy and humanity.

The relationship between Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman) and Quellek (Patrick Breen) as well as the relationship between Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen) and Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni) bring out a more emotional and heartfelt side to the story, to an extent that some dramas can't pull off.
That isn't to say that it isn't incredibly silly at times. The Guy (Sam Rockwell) storyline is top tier comedy and the fact that Sam Rockwell went full Sam Rockwell for the role made it so much better. For anyone who's wondering, "We've gotta get out of here before one of those things kills Guy," is a quote I say regularly.
It's also always fun to watch an older movie and see an actor who is now considered very famous, but was relatively unknown back then. I guess Justin Long counts, but also one of the aliens is played by Rainn Wilson.
More Sigourney Weaver. Always.

If I had one big qualm with this movie, it's the fact that there wasn't more Sigourney Weaver. Even being the queen of sci-fi that she is, her role kind of still gets relegated to love interest, especially at the end, and there's not much growth for her. She absolutely has some iconic lines, and the ongoing joke that she had a dumb role on the show is great. I just think she should have had a better contrasting role in the movie in juxtaposition with her character's TV role.
Is it Worth Watching Again?
Yes! I love this movie and I think it's incredibly entertaining. It's fun, it's nostalgic, it's a good time, I'm a big fan. And if you haven't seen it before, it's definitely worth the watch.
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