First Man

Space films are very hit or miss for me. They’re either really great or awful. There never seems to be an in between. First Man is not getting a lot of buzz or recognition, but I loved it. You get to follow the journey of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) and his wife Janet (Claire Foy) as the United States participates in the space race. I’m hard pressed to think of a really really bad Gosling performance. He is usually very solid and he continues this trend in First Man. Claire Foy blew me away with her performance of Janet, and I’m very upset that she isn’t getting more recognition for what I feel is one of the best supporting actress roles of the year. Damien Chazelle crafts a very intense story and somehow makes Neil Armstrong an interesting and compelling character. The camera work is excellent with DP Linus Sandgren utilizing close and shaky shots that make the space crafts feel claustrophobic and terrifying. I kept thinking, “How on earth did NASA make this work and actually send people into space?” Some people won’t see this film because of the controversy of not planting the American flag. I think avoiding this one is a mistake because it’s a really excellent portrayal of a man’s journey to do the impossible despite all of the odds. I don’t know what could be more American than that.

Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You like space adventures
2. You like intense films
3. You don’t get motion sickness easily