Apollo 11 2019

     This film looks at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon.  Commander Neil Armstrong and pilots Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins went into space on this mission.  The filmmakers for this film were given almost unrestricted access to the NASA film archives.  Much of the footage used here contains alternative camera angles and footage not used before.  NASA preserved film footage in ideal archival conditions and the moon landing was 50 years ago.  Todd Douglas Miller and his crew decided if it didn’t happen on that day at a specific time, they didn’t use the footage.

     Everything about this film is very interesting because it is about what actually happened during this historic launch and landing by three Americans.  On the ground, hundreds of thousands of NASA employees, contractors and volunteers worked together as a team.  There is a LOT of tension when different events take place such as the launch and the separation of two of the propulsion units.  Then the final third stage took them to the moon.  They separated from the third stage and traveled three days until they entered lunar orbit.  Armstrong and Aldren used the Eagle portion to land on the Sea of Tranquility.  The Eagle was used again to return to Collins in the command module.  Only the command module returned to earth.  4 ½* (I really liked this movie) 

93 min, Doc directed by Todd Douglas Miller with Buzz Aldrin, Joan Ann Archer, Janet Armstrong, Neil Armstrong, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, Clifford E. Charlesworth, Michael Collins, Water Cronkite, Charles Duke, Lyndon Baines Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Gene Kranz, Jim Lovell, Glynn Lunney.

Note:  Imdb 8.3 out of 10, Rotten Tomatoes 99% critic 90% audience, Roger Ebert 4* Matt Zoller Seitz, The Guardian 5* Peter Bradshaw, EmpireOnline 4* Ian Freer, RollingStone 5* David Fear, Amazon 4.7* out of 5* with 385 reviews, Common Sense Media age 5+, 3* out of 5* Tara McNamara, educational 4*, positive 5*, role models 4*, language 1*, consumerism 1*, drinking, drugs & smoking 2*.  

Special Note:  Filmed at Sea of Tranquility, The Moon, Space; Cape Canaveral, Florida; Kennedy Space Center, Brevard, Florida; Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.  During the shots of the crowds waiting to the launch, you can see Johnny Carson in the audience.  Also, science fiction author Isaac Asimov can be seen being interviewed.