This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** From “Star Wars” to Sandra Bullock, the intergalactic rescue mission has become one of Hollywood’s most overworked templates. So I was skeptical when I settled in for “Project Hail Mary,” a new sci-fi epic adapted from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name. The film stars Ryan Gosling as a scientist on a last-ditch effort to save the world. The plot is, admittedly, well-worn. And at its weakest moments, the film dips into the prolonged peril and aimless drift of Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity.” But ultimately, “Project Hail Mary” succeeds in offering something new. It is a heartwarming story about friendship, sacrifice, and the grace of finding something worth living and risking your life for. It blends the best of Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” with Weir’s own “The Martian,” and may be the finest performance of Gosling’s career. The plot revolves around a mysterious intergalactic organism discovered spreading across solar systems, draining stars of their fuel, and hastening their collapse. This poses something of a problem for humanity, which relies on the sun for energy even more so than the Strait of Hormuz. With no military solution available, the United States joins forces with the rest of the world to spearhead Project Hail Mary — a literal last-ditch attempt to save civilization. Scientists soon discover that one distant star alone appears immune in an otherwise infected galaxy, prompting a one-way mission to investigate the source of that immunity and relay the findings back to Earth. One of the film’s strengths is its believable hero. A high school science teacher with a PhD in molecular biology who flamed out of academia after a controversial but daring thesis sunk his reputation, Grace is a far cry from the roughnecks turned astronauts who save the world in Michael Bay’s “Armageddon.” Upon awakening from a medically induced coma aboard the interstellar ship lightyears from home, Grace pieces together the mission through a series of flashbacks, alternating between his lonely presence in space and his memories of the events that led him there. The structure works well, gradually filling in both the mechanics of the plot and the contours of Grace’s character without sacrificing momentum. But what gives Project Hail Mary its heart and distinguishes the film in such a saturated genre is the unlikely friendship that forms between Grace and Rocky — a bizarre extraterrestrial life-form resembling an animated boulder formation he encounters along the way. Following an extended and amusing sequence in which Grace, after mapping Rocky’s range of beeps and rhythms to English words, cycles through voice options ranging from a sprightly Irish gentleman to a seductive phone-sex operator, he settles on a charming, faintly Stephen Hawking-like rhythm redolent of Dug from Disney’s “Up.” Their relationship is the film’s emotional center and by far its most rewarding achievement. The early moments of contact between them are suffused with genuine wonder. Grace’s first glimpse of Rocky’s alien ship — an elegant, Art Deco-like vessel the size of the Empire State Building gliding through the void — is enchanting. As are the scenes in which the two cautiously learn to communicate, discovering not only each other’s language and biology, but that their meeting is no accident. Rocky is on a parallel mission to determine why this lone star is immune and use that knowledge to save his own world. In a genre crowded with stories about intergalactic war, conquest, and sheer firepower, there is something refreshing about a science fiction film in which survival depends instead on problem-solving, ingenuity, and cooperation. For all the film’s surface resemblance to “Interstellar” or “The Martian,” its spirit is much closer to Steven Spielberg than Nolan. Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, whose backgrounds are more rooted in comedy (“21 Jump Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) bring a buoyancy and warmth that keep the material from being bogged down by increasingly abstract and high-concept ideas which have plagued Nolan’s more indulgent works – “Interstellar” was borderline affected but “Tenet” was firmly mired by its own conceptual weight. “Project Hail Mary,” by contrast, conveys the unvarnished and unapologetic sense of amazement seen in the iconic scenes of such Spielberg classics as “Close Encounters” or “E.T.” That said, “Project Hail Mary” is not without its own indulgences. At a sprawling two-and-a-half hours, it occasionally drifts and feels unnecessarily languid. The lethargic slow burn of the first act is understandable; the film needs time to build its world and its central relationship. By the climactic third act, you are cheering for Grace and Rocky with enthusiasm tantamount to a live sports game. But there are moments that feel unnecessary. The film could excise multiple scenes of Ryan Gosling sleeping, or an extended karaoke sequence that lingers through several verses of a Harry Styles song without losing a beat. The tension, however, when it arrives, is palpable. One particularly gripping sequence finds Grace and Rocky descending into the atmosphere of a nearby planet to collect samples at the risk of being torn apart by its gravitational pull. Even with the understanding that the film is closer in tone to Disney than to Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” the film still manages to generate gripping suspense. Speaking of Disney, there are also faint echoes of Marvel in the film’s tonal register, particularly in its impulse toward humor — even amid dire circumstances. But where Marvel’s house style often feels glib or emotionally evasive, the levity here is deployed far more intelligently. With such minimalist casting — this is, for the most part, a one-man Ryan Gosling show — the humor becomes a narrative tool rather than a mechanism for undercutting emotion. Gosling plays Grace as a charismatic, endearing goofball, a man with the intellectual gifts of Oppenheimer but the whimsical comic timing of Ken in “Barbie.”  It is a delicate balance, and Gosling makes it look deceptively easy. If the film has a weakness beyond its occasional pacing lethargy, it lies in its music. The jukebox choices, including The Beatles’ “Two of Us,” are serviceable enough, but they lack the transporting emotional force a great original score from a talent like John Williams might have provided. Even so, “Project Hail Mary” triumphs because it understands that spectacle and CGI alone do not make a movie. Its heart and soul lie in the enduring relationship between Grace and Rocky, and in the notion that salvation may ultimately depend less on brute force than on intelligence, loyalty, and the willingness to trust an alien from another world — that he has the personality of a golden retriever certainly streamlines this. At its lowest points, the film drags. But at its highest, it shines. This is populist cinema in the best sense: earnest, crowd-pleasing, and suffused with enough wonder to make even a familiar cosmic premise feel newly alive. Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) is a film critic for the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is a software engineer, holds a master’s degree from the University of Toronto, and writes about wine at BetweenBottles.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Two pilots are dead following a collision between an Air Canada Express jet and an airport firetruck at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, according to officials. The Port Authority said an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle was responding to a separate incident when it was struck by the aircraft. More than a dozen passengers were injured in the crash, with several transported to Elmhurst Hospital and New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital for treatment. Jazz Aviation, which operates Air Canada Express, issued a statement. “Flight 8646 was en route to LaGuardia (LGA) from Montréal (YUL),” the company said. “The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, although this is subject to confirmation. The incident occurred at approximately 11:47 PM on March 22, 2026.” According to NBC News, the aircraft had nearly completed its landing and was traveling at approximately 30 miles per hour when it collided with the firetruck. Early reports suggest a possible communications issue might have contributed to the crash.  Air traffic control audio from the incident appears to capture a controller saying he “messed up,” followed by another voice responding, “Nah man, you did the best you could.” The context and role of those individuals have not yet been officially confirmed. Audio from Air Traffic Control when plane collided with fire truck at New York airport: “Stop Truck 1, stop!” “We were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up” pic.twitter.com/7dJcFov4gq — BNO News (@BNONews) March 23, 2026 The crash comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown enters its 37th day, disrupting air travel and airport operations nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that LaGuardia Airport was shut down at 3:16 am and will not reopen until at least 2 pm. The New York Police Department said: “Due to an emergency incident at LaGuardia Airport, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice. Expect delays and avoid the area if possible.” 

Attacking Iran while pushing affordability at home has put President Trump in a tough spot, but this is the United States of America. We can shoot guns and churn butter at the same time. So far, the President is making all the right moves. Releasing oil from the strategic reserve, considering a temporary suspension of the Jones Act, and offering tankers naval escorts and U.S.-backed insurance for their passage through the Strait of Hormuz will all help keep the oil flowing. If he can wrap the war relatively soon, gas prices could be back to normal before the midterms. They might even be lower if he manages to arm-twist whoever ends up ruling Iran into redirecting their oil exports from China to the West. In the meantime, Trump is traveling the country to tout all the ways he’s already brought down the cost of living: no tax on tips and overtime, lower drug prices thanks to TrumpRx and most-favored nation pricing, mild inflation, lower mortgage rates, and trillions of dollars’ worth of job-creating investments in the American economy. These are all huge wins, but this is no time for the Trump administration to rest on its laurels. It needs a forward-looking agenda that tells voters they’re nowhere near done saving them money and the best is yet to come. These proposals should be easy to shape into compelling campaign messages and should address key sources of cost-of-living anxiety like housing, groceries, and childcare. Bonus points if they involve Congress, since they’re the ones who’ll actually appear on the ballot in November. If Trump wants to preserve voters’ goodwill in the midst of the ongoing conflict, he should start by working with Congress to fix and then pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which aims to bring down home prices by making it easier to build. Letting this bill fail due to GOP opposition in the House would make the party less credible as champions of affordability. Unfortunately, with the bill in its current form, that opposition is justified. The bill would ban investors from constructing new “built-to-rent” (BTR) single-family homes, a key option for many families who long to live in a home as opposed to an apartment. This would remove a key source of new housing inventory from the market at a time when overall home construction is dropping sharply. If the bill is supposed to increase housing supply and lower costs, it should do that, not give with one hand and take with the other. It’s true that BTRs don’t satisfy the dream of home ownership. They could, however, help millions of young couples afford the space they need to start families now instead of putting it off for years while they save for a down payment. Second, Trump should find a way to put money in parents’ pockets as soon as possible. Trump accounts will pay off “bigly” in 18 years or so — especially if more billionaires follow Michael and Susan Dell’s example — but families with young children are struggling right now. There is a proposal floating around among conservative family policy experts that would accomplish this goal. It’s called the Family Income Supplemental Credit (or FISC), and it would essentially increase the Child Tax Credit and distribute it as series of monthly cash payments: $800 a month for the second half of pregnancy, $400 a month from birth through age six, and $250 a month from ages 6 to 18. In the 2024 election, parents with minor children at home voted for Trump by a nine-point margin after breaking for Biden four years earlier. If they’d all stayed home, Harris would’ve won the popular vote 50-48 (and possibly the Electoral College too). Rewarding this key group of swing voters for producing the next generation of Americans would pay huge dividends for Republicans in the 2026 midterms and beyond. Finally, Trump could rack up an easy and immediate win without help from Congress by simply ending his predecessor’s war on bulk pricing. Lina Khan, the radical progressive Biden chose to run the Federal Trade Commission, spent four years trying to punish American companies for the crime of success. Two of her lawsuits, against Pepsi and alcoholic beverage distributor Southern Glazer’s, used an obsolete Depression-era law to argue that suppliers cannot offer bulk discounts to their largest customers. If either of these lawsuits were to succeed, it would drive up prices at some of Americans’ favorite retailers, including Walmart and Costco. The FTC dismissed the Pepsi lawsuit last May, but the other is still pending. Trump should put this question to bed once and for all by urging his FTC Commissioner, Andrew Ferguson, who has already slammed the suit as government overreach, to drop the case. There’s no better way to win the working family vote than to get up on stage and declare, “I saved Costco!” The war with Iran is a complication few political strategists would have wished for this close to the midterms. But if President Trump can keep the oil flowing, end the war quickly, and demonstrate his continued commitment to affordability, voters will happily forgive a little temporary pain at the pump, especially when it creates more world peace. * * * Jason Chaffetz served as a member of the U.S. Congress from 2009 to 2017. He chaired the House Oversight Committee. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Taylor Frankie Paul shows little sign of concern after a video surfaced appearing to show her assaulting her baby daddy, instead sending a tongue-in-cheek message with her outfit following the cancellation of her “Bachelorette” season, which was scrapped before it ever aired. “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” reality TV star was spotted in Salt Lake City over the weekend wearing a blue sweatshirt with the phrase “can’t wait to sleep with you” printed across the back. Taylor Frankie Paul sends cheeky message with shirt following ‘Bachelorette’ cancellation https://t.co/szJzfzjvcT pic.twitter.com/NERQk1fkSf — Page Six (@PageSix) March 22, 2026 ABC’s sudden cancellation comes after a 2023 video surfaced appearing to show a violent altercation involving Paul and her baby daddy and former partner Dakota Mortensen. Paul’s young daughter from her first marriage can be seen nearby in the footage, and reports have claimed the child was struck during the incident. The video quickly spread online and prompted swift action from the network. A spokesperson for Paul said she is now focused on protecting her family and moving forward, pointing to what she describes as a history of abuse. Mortensen has denied those claims and said his focus remains on their child. The dispute has since escalated into an ongoing legal fight. Mortensen sought a protective order, and multiple reports indicate Paul has temporarily lost custody of their young son as the case plays out. The impact is now spreading beyond her personal life. Industry estimates suggest the canceled season could cost tens of millions, raising questions about how the situation was handled behind the scenes. There are also signs of additional fallout. Several contestants from the canceled season are reportedly weighing legal action, claiming they never should have been put in that situation to begin with. For now, Paul appears unfazed in public. But the consequences of what happened behind the scenes are still unfolding.

Absences among transportation security workers this weekend reached their highest since a partial government shutdown began five weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday, as immigration enforcement agents prepared to fill in for them at some of the busiest U.S. airports. Nationwide, about 11.5% of Transportation Security Administration staff were absent on Saturday, DHS said, but that figure soared to 42.4% at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, 33.4% at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and 33.6% at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Overall, more than 9% of TSA employees have been absent from work over the past seven days, leading to lengthy lines for passengers trying to get to their gates, according to DHS. To help fill the staffing gaps, hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will deploy to airports starting on Monday, officials have said. DHS said on Sunday it would not publicly share details about the ICE deployment, in order to preserve operational security. Sources briefed on the matter said the current plan calls for deploying ICE agents to 14 locations, although that figure may change. Tens of thousands of airport security personnel have been working without pay for weeks while congressional Democrats and Republicans argue over a budget for DHS. “Many TSA officers cannot pay their rent, buy food, or afford to put gas in their cars — forcing them to call out sick from work,” a DHS spokesperson said on Sunday. Trump announced on Saturday that ICE agents would be sent to airports unless Democratic lawmakers agree to fund DHS. Democrats have criticized the department’s immigration operations and are demanding a change in rules. For now, ICE agents will not be deployed in areas behind security checkpoints because they lack the specific clearance needed, the sources said. Border czar Tom Homan said on Sunday that sending out immigration agents to bolster short-staffed TSA teams will speed up airport lines, but the union for TSA workers said that does not solve what they see as the underlying problem of pay. In appearances on Sunday news shows, Homan and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy argued that ICE personnel can help with airport security screening, starting on Monday, even though they have not been specifically trained for it. “When we deploy tomorrow, we’ll have a well thought-out plan to execute,” Homan said on CNN’s “State of the Union” program. Hundreds of TSA agents have simply resigned, according to their labor union and TSA. “ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!” Trump wrote in a Sunday morning social media post. Details of how ICE agents would help with the lines were scant, although Homan told CNN a plan would be in place by the end of the day “to move those lines along.” Homan and Duffy, in separate interviews, had different ideas about how the ICE agents might be deployed. Homan said he doubted ICE agents would operate X-ray baggage and passenger screening machines because they did not have experience. Duffy, in contrast, said ICE agents “know how to pat people down, they know how to run the X-ray machines.” The labor union representing TSA workers criticized Trump’s decision, saying their members spend months in training learning to detect explosives and weapons. “Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe,” Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a statement. “They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.” Unlike TSA employees, ICE agents have continued to get paid by the government through a separate funding provision while lawmakers debate whether ICE funding should be tied to new rules and procedures. Democrats have said new rules are needed after masked ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in the streets of Minneapolis earlier this year. The two had come out to protest or observe Trump’s deportation surge in Minnesota. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat and the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, told CNN that his caucus is open to a separate funding agreement for TSA employees while lawmakers debate measures to “get ICE under control.” But there has been little movement on an actual deal so far, especially in the Senate. “We have an obligation to not fund an agency that is acting this lawlessly,” Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, David Shepardson in Washington and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Additional writing by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Aurora Ellis, Sergio Non and Edmund Klamann)