When Ryan Gosling interacts on screen with his alien buddy, which he does for more than half of “Project Hail Mary,” he wasn’t staring at a green screen as cameras rolled. Instead, he was playing off

Ryan Gosling anchors Project Hail Mary, a visually striking, character-focused sci-fi about an unlikely alien friendship that shines despite some rushed late-film science.

This time, it's Ryan Gosling who takes the lead in the extremely likeable adventure Project Hail Mary, with directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm. There have