Warning: This article contains spoilers for Fly Me to the Moon.

The Apple Original movie Fly Me to the Moon serves as the perfect reminder to watch a 2016 NASA Space Race movie, which holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fly Me to the Moon is a zany retelling of the Apollo 11 mission to land a man on the moon, which takes massive creative liberties. Fly Me to the Moon‘s reviews have been relatively positive, with critics praising the chemistry between Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. The movie embodies the spirit of a screwball rom-com because the two main characters bounce off one another.

However, the other part of Fly Me to the Movie‘s strength comes from its historical foundation. While nostalgia typically occurs in 20-year cycles, the memory of the space race defies all rules by perennially staying relevant in the public’s mind. After watching Fly Me to the Moon, Space Race fans should check out another NASA movie from 2016 with a small connection to the 2024 movie.

Fly Me To The Moon’s Apollo 11 Story Holds A Small Connection To Hidden Figures

The Hidden Figures Women Worked At NASA During Apollo 11

In Fly Me To The Moon, Kelly and Ruby go to Wolfie’s Restaurant, where the waiter tells them about John Glenn spending time there and taking one of their pens to space. The movie Hidden Figures focuses on three Black women named Mary Jackson, Katherine G. Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan, who had a pivotal role in helping Project Mercury send John Glenn into space, where he became the first man to orbit the planet.

The connection to Hidden Figures goes even further, though. Kelly confronts Cole about his lack of knowledge about women working at NASA, giving Margaret Hamilton and JoAnn Morgan as examples. While Kelly doesn’t name any of the Hidden Figures “human computers,” this moment points to the sexism that impacted Jackson, Johnson, and Vaughan – though these women also faced racism.

Additionally, these two movies have a third connection. All three iconic, powerful women worked on the Apollo 11 mission in Fly Me to the Moon‘s true story. Katherine Johnson calculated the trajectories for the Apollo trip. After becoming an expert FORTRAN programmer, Dorothy Vaughan worked on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program. Finally, Mary Jackson worked as an aeronautical engineer for NASA from 1958 to 1985, gaining an Apollo Group Achievement Award in 1969.

Why Hidden Figures Is The Perfect Movie To Watch After Fly Me To The Moon

Hidden Figures Is A Dramedy Centered Around Black Women Working At NASA During The Space Race

After watching Fly Me to the Moon, fans should check out Hidden Figures, which is available on Disney+. Besides the small connection in the narratives, these two movies have many similarities in their themes, narrative perspectives, and style. Like Fly Me to the Moon, Hidden Figures focuses on women working at NASA. While Kelly leads public relations, Mary Jackson, Katherine G. Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan work in mathematics and programming. All four of these characters are crucial to the success of their projects.

Additionally, both movies harness nostalgia for the Space Race and the popularity of biopics to tell a largely unknown story. Fly Me to the Moon and Hidden Figures also infuse history with humor. The former movie is presented explicitly as an enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy, whereas the latter is more of a dramedy. Despite the heavy themes of sexism and racism in Hidden Figures, the movie frequently infuses humor to lighten the tone.

Lastly, both movies excel in establishing the time period through the script, costuming, and production design. Fly Me to the Moon and Hidden Figures rarely feel anachronistic, which is challenging to achieve in a period piece. Instead, all the elements come together to feel like a time capsule of the 1960s, with the two movies landing on opposite sides of the decade. As such, the films feel like bookends to the space race that complement one another perfectly.

Hidden Figures’ Success Explained

Hidden Figures Was Nominated For The 2017 Best Picture Oscar

Hidden Figures was one of the most celebrated movies of 2016 by both audiences and the critics, gaining a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both groups. The movie flooded the box office and garnering numerous accolades. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie was created on a $25 million budget and grossed $235 million during its original release, making it an undeniable box office hit. The movie out-grossed Moonlight, La La Land, Hell or High Water, Arrival, and Lion – all of its competitors for the 2017 Best Picture Oscar, despite losing the Oscar to Moonlight.

The movie received numerous nominations and awards at shows like The Oscars, The Grammy’s, The Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards, and many more. The biggest nominations include Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. The most notable wins for the movie were Best Action/Adventure Film at the Saturn Awards and Best Movie at the BET Awards. Ultimately, with the incredible cast, cinematography, and script, it’s no surprise that Hidden Figures found so much success at both the box office and the award shows.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes and Box Office Mojo