The Last Man on the Moon (2016)

[Skitch]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS3uldKUx90

[Skitch]

Obviously a documentary about an astronaut is right up my alley, but I was immediately taken aback by how great this film looked. I don't know what kind of process it takes to make archival footage look this damn good, but it is stunning. That goes for the old pictures as well. Honestly the old footage looks so good it almost looks like a fake movie version, more real than real. Its great. Its not all old footage, though, and the current interview shots as well as the inter-cutting of cheeky animation functions perfectly.

It was apparent right from the get-go that the score was very strong as well. It changed tone to match the highs and lows of the story as well as had a playful attitude during the scenes of levity. Not much else to say, it was pitch perfect to mirror the emotions of the visuals, which is exactly what a score is supposed to do.

I love all things NASA, and much of Eugene Cernan's story is (obviously) wrapped in NASA, so they showed lots of old launches from the Gemini missions leading up to the Apollo landings. I adored these scenes the most. Space is both terrifying and exciting for me; unfathomable in size yet yearning to be explored. Seeing how the space programs developed and some of the safety protocols that weren't in place because they didn't know they'd need them (like, oh, I don't know, handholds and footholds for spacewalks) was fascinating.

There's an aspect of unity for scientific advancement that can push my buttons for a lone single tear. Its not a sad thing in any way, but taking joy in the beauty of people of all walks coming together for a single goal. Since our desire for space travel has waned (or rather the governments willingness to fund it), I don't think it will be sparked to life except by an outside threat such as an asteroid headed our way, or you know, aliens. If you don't think either is likely just wait a few years, we've got some big ass rocks coming damn close. You'd be shocked how quickly resources get freed up from the bureaucracy when God chucks a small mountain at your face.

The Last Man on the Moon is equal parts a love letter to NASA's golden age and a photo album/home movie of what it means and what sacrifices it takes to be an astronaut. You see Mr. Cernan age has his story progresses, as well as NASA's technology, and to some degree I felt my own age. Its heartwarming and heartbreaking, its wonderful and scary, its inspiring and sad that we aren't putting more effort into space exploration while wasting billions on completely wasteful nonsense. This is the best documentary I've seen so far in 2016 and highly recommend checking it out.

A+

P.S. - I just realized I watched this doc while wearing my Finders Keepers shirt. Awesome.

[Milky Joe]

Honestly the old footage looks so good it almost looks like a fake movie version, more real than real. Its great.

well you know why that is... ;)

[Skitch]

well you know why that is... ;)

Hahaha I know what youre joking at, but that comment was honestly pointed at non-moon based stuff. Just some of the random 1950s street scenes/whatever look incredible.

[Lazlo]

Watched this last night and loved the hell out of it. Cernan is such a great character and the way they interweave some of the stuff he's doing today with the old footage is really strong.

Definitely got me choked up with the melancholy of all the things wrapped up in the fact that it's almost been fifty years since anyone's been to the moon.

[Skitch]

He just passed away too. :(