First Man [Blu-ray]

Absolutely phenomenal filmmaking combined with the tale of one of mankind's most epic achievements makes "First Man" one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. On a pure technical level alone, it is a remarkable effort. Superior production values including editing, production design, sound mixing & editing, music, and photo-realistic Oscar-winning visual effects combine to immerse us into the excitement and risks of 1960's space travel and propel this biopic to classic status."First Man" features a stellar cast led by another very fine, understated performance from Ryan Gosling as the titular astronaut. Gosling gives us a Neil Armstrong who is always fascinating to watch, regardless of whether he's flying an experimental spacecraft or listening to a lecture. Claire Foy is equally compelling in what could have been a much more formulaic role such as Kathleen Quinlan in "Apollo 13". Similarly, the rest of the ensemble- especially Kyle Chandler, Jason Clarke, Corey Stoll, and Lukas Haas- effectively play their historical characters as "real people" and never seem to be acting like, well, actors. They disappear into their roles and do not show off in ways most lesser actors would.There are a surprisingly fair amount of detractors for this film, so I can't say as confidently as I should be able to that everyone and their mother's uncle needs to see it. The "flag/ patriotism controversy" was nothing short of moronic. I have seen critics from far-right and far-left perspectives tear this movie apart; hilariously and ironically, these two radical opposites seemed to work together in putting a dent in this film's performance, and may well have succeeded: while reviews were largely stellar for "First Man", it fell short of box office analysts' forecasts and was unable to recoup its relatively modest budget theatrically. This all echoes the odd fate of 1983's "The Right Stuff"; it too was a well-reviewed, Oscar-winning film about NASA's early days, and it too was ignored by audiences in its initial release.*How* you watch this is vital for your appreciation of it. I recommend not watching this on anything less than a 40" TV and Blu-Ray; I saw it on a 50" on 4K UHD and was blown away by many sequences. I can't imagine watching it on a laptop or on DVD. While the documentary-style naturally prohibits "First Man" from being a definitively beautiful-looking film, the added details from 4K including ample film grain in the non-IMAX footage immerse us even further into the experience.The film may take minor liberties with history (especially for Hollywood), yet due to strong performances, documentary-style filmmaking, and impeccable production values, "First Man" is a stunning achievement. Last but far from least, the score by Justin Hurwitz is one of the best original scores I have ever heard, and that's a lot of praise coming from a soundtrack aficionado; it is a sin this was not nominated by the Oscars in favor of far more unoriginal music.

I felt compelled to write about this fine movie after reading other disparaging reviews on Amazon. This is one of my favorite films of 2018. I say that as a huge fan of films like Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. First Man is neither of those movies. This film takes a more focused and personal approach to the space program, telling the particular story of Neil Armstrong as a father, husband and astronaut. It is also brutally honest in the way it portrays the dangers and challenges of the Gemini and Apollo programs, and the many human sacrifices that were made. If you want to know what it really felt like to be a man hurtled into space during the 1960's, this is the movie for you! If you only want a glamorized version of the story that makes it all feel like magic, you might feel let down.The truth is that a miraculous human achievement like landing a man on the moon was a process fraught with peril and never in any way a sure thing. And many Americans questioned the wisdom of using the enormous financial resources that were required to get the job done, especially at a time when the country was literally being ripping apart in the wake of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. I, for one, am glad we made it happen!But ultimately, First Man should only make you more proud to be an American, and particularly of NASW and all the astronauts involved in the space program. It is a testament to human ingenuity and determination. And if your beef is that you need to see some American flags in such a film, you will have ample opportunity in First Man. I think the politically charged reactions to the film are sadly a sign of the highly divisive times we find ourselves back in, some 50 years after the events of the movie. My guess is that if this film had been released even four or five years ago, most of the hubbub would not have occurred.At the core of First Man is a very simple idea--that all humans, even our greatest heroes, have a backstory. And that even our heroes, like Neil Armstrong, somehow carry that story with them; in this case all the way to the moon!!. It in no way diminishes Neil Armstrong as a man or as an American. It simply makes him more human. And in my opinion, it makes the journey all the more powerful. I would give the film my highest recommendation as a human drama about the American space program. Audio and video on the 4K disc are terrific, if not quite reference quality. Don't let political agendas keep you away.