A Look Back At: Apollo 13

"Houston, we have a problem"

 

Released in 1995 and based on real events, Apollo 13 is one of those rare movies that I recommend to anyone and everyone who hasn't seen it.

If you are one of those who is not familiar with the film, it focuses primarily on the crew of NASA's Apollo 13 mission which was supposed to land on the moon. However, after an oxygen tank explosion, the astronauts aboard soon find that their spacecraft is low breathable air, experiencing power failure, and the mission is no longer to land on the moon but to make it back to Earth alive. It's one of those movies where even though you know how it ends, it's still a thrilling road to get there and it's very rewatchable as well.

 In addition to being a very compelling story, the film really succeeds on pretty much every level. Ron Howard who directed the film did a great job, the cinematography is really good, James Horner's score compliments the film perfectly, and the movie it's full of exciting moments, drama, tension, and humor. Add into that some great acting: this is one of the best performances of Tom Hanks' career (This one took the #3 spot on my "10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See" list that I posted in October) but, in addition to him, Gary Sinies, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, and all the other actors in the film are all really solid.

Again, I highly recommend this one and I'd put it up there with some of my very favorite space-based films. I give this one a 5 out of 5.

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