First Man [DVD]

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.

Good movie!

I'm retired and read & watch History for fun. Although this movie was good, it contains many inaccuracies. Some may have been to shorten the movie, but I can't accept that, since there is so much bragging in the "bonus features" about its accuracy. -- When the first Gemini-Agena docking occurred, it was extremely difficult due to the speed/orbit radius change that Armstrong explained to his wife earlier in the movie. Ground control had ordered Armstrong to quit trying as they were nearly out of fuel, but he disobeyed and made one last attempt. A more complex story is that after Armstrong realized that docking was complex, he made many "attempts" to primarily "explore" the handling methods. When NASA told him to stop, he wanted to finally apply the lessons of his research. This "learn what the heck is going on here" tactic made him stand out among other astronauts. -- When Armstrong had to take manual control of the moon lander, it was due to the complete failure of the onboard computer. It failed because there was far too much data for it to process. It's a major statement of how lame computers were at the time. (My watch has far more computational power than they had.) -- When Armstrong crashed the practice lander on Earth, it was not done in a field of dried grain, which would've been set ablaze and burned Neil every bit as dead as the Apollo One astronauts. -- When Armstrong waited for his first interview for the Gemini program, he told another candidate that he was a civilian. That was true, but earlier he was a Naval & Naval Reserve aviator from 1949 to 1960. After that, he was a civilian test pilot for NASA. He flew over 200 different types of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters, and gliders, making him a virtuoso of the entire "flying machine" technology, a bragging right that the movie could have mentioned. -- There are other "errors" that could have made the movie more interesting, but it was already 141 minutes long. -- What I liked best is the insight into his charm, or lack of it, and the clear depiction of what a jerk Neil could be with his wife. I consider this a side effect of his combat and test-pilot experience. I've known many former combat pilots (I was an Air Force officer), and I knew one former test pilot, who explained that people like him are crazy to begin with, they live with an expectation of death, become crazier, and are hard to live with. The movie should have emphasized this, and Neil would not have been shown as a “bad man” at home… as much. AND… the movie Did show the loss of his second child. There is damage to the body, mind, and soul of any parent who’s gone through that. I’ve never experienced it, but I feel I understand the pain he was in. What I disliked most about this movie is the trend in Hollywood of casting actors who look NOTHING like the actual people. Perhaps the producers insisted on a Known Actor, but it seriously caused me to downgrade this movie by Two Stars. They came closer to a look-alike for Janet Armstrong because she didn’t have to be a famous actor.

This movie was really interesting and informative. And the bonus features provide even more interesting information. The actors were wonderful and made it seem so real. I remember when all of this actually happened, so it was nice seeing it happen again in this movie.

This movie is about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. The movie has elements and images that remind you of former movies about the space program such as The Right Stuff and Apollo 13. In spite of the occasional reminders of those movies, this one is significantly different. There is no real emotional connections to the space race or the successful moon landing. You see only small references to the Soviet space program and essentially no references to the massive public attention that was paid to the moon landing. Much of the movie focuses on Armstrong himself. Most of the emotional hooks relate to the death of his daughter and some of his friends in the space program. The movie starts out when Neil is a test pilot in the early 1960s and moves along fairly briskly, making jumps of years at a time. About the last hour or so is dedicated to the sequence of going to the moon. In the movie, Armstrong is portrayed as someone who was quite serious and a bit anti-social in some ways. Perhaps that's an accurate description of him, but it doesn't necessarily make for a terribly compelling movie to have him be so stoic. There is a fair amount of attention paid to his wife who only seems to smile about three times in the movie. The movie almost seems to portray the whole thing as a constant personal crisis laced with tension. Again, perhaps that's how things really were. It seems out of place though since most Americans associate the moon landing with pride and euphoria in the massive accomplishment. The movie is fairly well-done from a technical standpoint, and the acting isn't bad overall. I'm just not a huge fan of the subdued emotional tones and the focus on personal issues. Perhaps that's what the producer wanted to focus on, preferring a movie about the personal journey of Armstrong rather than something that showed what he and his trip meant to the public. If you want a rousing, emotional movie about the space program, you are probably better off with The Right Stuff or Apollo 13.

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.

Neil and Janet Armstrong’s life together was poetic, tragic, and beautiful. Neil’s life reminds us of a classic Joseph Campbell Hero’s Journey, and one that deserves to be a myth of our time. This film does just that, paints a mythological narrative with artistic license and flair. You’ll be disappointed if you are simply seeking out a traditional 20th century Hollywood version of this 20th century historical figure. No, it’s a telling of the myth for the 21st century with the sensitivity and kindness it deserves in this new century by a director who wasn’t even born during the Space Race/Cold War. This is an emotional film and if your emotional maturity isn’t ready to deal with the topics of the pain of losing a child, friends dying, and the awareness of one’s own mortality than this might not be your film. The film’s cinematography, music, and sound design are gorgeous. Shot on film, the look throughout the movie is almost an art house film. It was nominated for 4 Academy Awards for the look and sound aspects of the film, which is no surprise. The acting though, is also top notch. This is the best I’ve seen Ryan Gosling, but Claire Foyle (from The Crown) steals the show. Her acting is amazing and was nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy Film Awards) for Best Supporting Actress. The 4K/Blu-Ray discs come with a series of short, but intriguing vignettes about the making of the film, the highlight being footage of the actors spending 3 days at NASA, where some of the scenes were shot. The real gem of the disc is the director commentary in which we get to hear the level of depth the filmmakers went to portray the life of the Armstrong family as accurately as possible ,and talk openly about when they deviated for narrative license. The filmmakers speak throughout the commentary about things they learned interviewing Janet and their sons (both sons star as extras in one of the Mission Control scenes.) This film is reviewed by critics on Rotten Tomato at 88% but I am going to bump it up a notch to 5 stars for the depth I personally got from watching the film multiple times and enjoying the extra content on the discs. Truly one of the best films I’ve seen in awhile.

One of the best

An interesting look at the behind the scenes training and trauma that had to be achieved to reach the Moon

Lato tecnico, immagini ottime e audio buono per questa edizione in 4K, buoni e interessanti anche i contenuti speciali. Il film di per se mi è piaciuto molto, ma questo è un gusto personale

Everyone knows who Neil Armstrong was. And why he has such a place in history. But nobody really knows much about Neil Armstrong the man himself. Not least because he was a very private individual. Director Damien Chazelle brings us a biopic movie on the subject, with Ryan Gosling in the lead, that aims to shed some light on the man who was the first to walk on the moon. This is not a biopic that covers his entire life, though. Just the decade before the Apollo eleven mission. During which time Neil Armstrong flew many different craft, often coming very close to catastrophe in some primitive and dangerous experimental machines. When he suffered personal loss. And when he became part of a mission that the whole world would watch. That could very easily have failed. How does some cope with all this? First man has cinematography that makes it look like something from the era. The sound design is incredible, and it really makes you feel as if you are in these machines that are rickety and might come apart at any moment. But it also has human perspective. Ryan Gosling's Neil is a fascinating watch, a man who doesn't seem to be able to articulate his feelings, even though he clearly has them, and a man of incredibly intense focus. Claire Foy also stands out for her portrayal of his wife Janet, who mans the home front under all the pressure while her husband is doing all this. There's a lot of other figures from the history, some of whom you might blink and miss if you don't know the subject. But Corey Stoll [Eph from TV show 'the Strain] does manage to make an impression as Buzz Aldrin. And fans of tv show Gotham watch out for Riddler Corey Michael Smith as astronaut Roger Chaffee. Even though you know how the sequence will go, the lunar landing ends up being one of the tensest bits of cinema you will ever see. And although it doesn't show the flag planting, it doesn't show the difficulties they had in take off either, so it's not as selective as it was accused of being. This is a portrayal of one remarkable man who was at the centre of one remarkable achievement, and it brings it all to life in a manner you will never forget. With a subtle but memorable score as well. Well worth five stars. The dvd has the following language and subtitle options: Languages: English. English audio description. Subtitles; English. It goes into the menu when loaded without trailers or ads to get through. Extras; Deleted scenes. Two of these, which can be watched individually or in a row. One is four minutes long. The other no more than thirty seconds. There's a commentary from the director, the writer, and the editor. Plus a few short featurettes. Which run from two to six minutes. Shooting for the moon. One of those general overview of the movie featurettes. Preparing to launch. About the genesis of the film. Giant leap in one small step. About Neil Armstrong himself. This one is really good. Mission gone wrong. About filming the sequences of flying the machines. Putting you in the seat. More about general filming. Recreating the moon landing. Which speaks for itself. Shooting at NASA. some fascinating film of NASA locations. Astronaut training. more of the above.

Desde mi primera infancia (es decir desde que tuve uso de razón), fuy un fanático admirador de los avances que el hombre, reelizaba en el Espacio... Aún recuerdo como si fuese hoy (por entonces tenía nueve años), como aquella madrugada contuve la respiración, tras el visionado de aquellas borroras imágenes en blanco y ngro del televisor de la época, como aquel Astronauta pisó por primera vez la Luna. Lástima grande que ese sueño se desvaneciese en aquel momento... Pues en realidad tan solo se trataba de una carrera espacial, enmarcada dentro de la Guerra Fria, y la U.R.S.S. abrumada por las "facturas" de dicha carrera, tiró la toalla y acto seguido los vencedores hicieron exactamente lo mismo... en fin que el Sueño se habia acabado... Y 50 años después, el ser humano tan solo ha sido capaz de alejarse a unos 200 Kms. de la superficie de la Tierra: "QUE VERGüENZA PARA TODOS" . La pelicula en sí es excelente, pues se trata centra en el drama intimista de aquel héroe, y carece del chauvinismo, típico de este tipo de películas.

Llego en tiempo y en perfectas condiciones. La película es con buena calidad de imagen y sonido.