Movies: First Man

(Drivebycuriosity) - "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" - Neil Armstrong (wikiquote).  The US astronaut became a legend for being the first one who stepped onto the moon. The movie "First Man" describes how he prepared as a test pilot, shows his famous moon flight and tells how his family dealt with the risks that the husband & father took on ( imdb).

I watched the film in an IMAX theater which was quite an experience (this is a spoiler free blog. You can find a synopsis here  wikipedia). The huge screen and the massive sound system immersed me deeply into the events. I almost had the impression that I was participating in the the extremely challenging test flights and rocket starts. Intense rattling & shaking on the screen, amplified by vicious sound effects, gave me a sense of how much these astronauts must have suffered. The cinematography and special effects also let me feel the claustrophobic situation in the test planes & space crafts. Some scenes were thrilling & dramatic even though the outcome is history. I also could envision the rewards they received when they arrived into zero g and could observe the beauty of planet earth - and then walking on the moon, which I have never before seen as beautiful.

Ryan Gosling performs convincingly as Neil Armstrong. I was fascinated how stoic this man took all these risks & challenges.  I was also impressed by Claire Foy as the wife of someone who was willing to put his life at risk to change history.

"First Man" is a real Oscar contender. Go and watch it!