Something giant, something that conveys the "vastness of space and time." The Star Wars universe was very small and cozy, kinda like a Western . . . yes, there's a giant desert out there, but there's only one saloon in town.

The only film which ever really made me feel that was the original "Alien". Being a kid, seeing that in 1979 or so . . . wow. Scared the heck out of us, but the sense of mystery was even better than the scare factor.

Two books that have the "vibe" to them:

"Rendezvous with Rama" -- Strangely, Arthur C. Clarke hasn't been filmed since 2001 (though "Independance Day" did owe something to "Childhood's End")

Gregory Benford-- "Against the Sea of Suns" would be a good example, though there are many more.