I was really excited about this movie:




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1wUzd5ZI50

Until I saw this:

http://www.foxnews.com/enterta...efends-decision.html

Ryan Gosling defends Neil Armstrong biopic 'First Man' leaving out American flag in moon landing scene

“First Man,” the Neil Armstrong biopic that tells the tale of the 1969 moon landing, has stolen the show at several international film festivals — but not everyone is happy.

The film fails to show one of the most integral moments of American history – when Armstrong plants the American flag on the moon, according to The Telegraph. Ryan Gosling, the Canadian actor who portrays Armstrong in the movie, defended the decision to not show the flag.

Gosling was asked at the Venice Film Festival whether omitting the scene was deliberate and the actor attempted to sidestep the question by responding that the moon landing “transcended countries and borders.”


This image released by Universal Pictures shows Ryan Gosling in a scene from "First Man." (Daniel McFadden/Universal Pictures via AP)
Ryan Gosling defended the decision to omit the flag planting scene. (Daniel McFadden/Universal Pictures via AP)

“I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement [and] that's how we chose to view it,” he told reporters. "I also think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible.”

Gosling said he didn’t think Armstrong “viewed himself as an American hero.”

“From my interviews with his family and people that knew him, it was quite the opposite. And we wanted the film to reflect Neil."

Gosling jokingly admitted he might have “cognitive bias” being that he’s Canadian.

neil armstrong
Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin plant an American flag on the surface of the moon in July 1969. (NASA)

Before his passing in 2012, Armstrong said that it wasn’t up to him whether the American flag or a United Nations flag should’ve been planted, The Telegraph noted.

“In the end it was decided by Congress that this was a United States project. We were not going to make any territorial claim, but we were to let people know that we were here and put up a U.S. flag,” he said.

“First Man” is set to hit theaters on Oct. 12.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/2670044644

Blast! I think I just searched within Lair.

quote:

Originally posted by matai:

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/2670044644

Blast! I think I just searched within Lair.

where a movie review should be in the first place.

Seems to me that it is a movie about Neil Armstrong, not the Apollo project/team as a whole.

If the director wanted to downplay the "American" role in favor of making the film more about Neil, then I can understand the move. Film makers should do whatever they want.

I wasn't going to pay money to see it anyways.

I think one should first view a film before slagging it off. It could be great. Reviews are good. We’ll see.....

Going to see this tonight. Have a stack of free passes from past theater visits where smartphone users fucked up my films. Actually have the manager’s personal cellphone number so will be calling this afternoon to make sure employees patrol.

I’m like many, completely fascinated with American space travel. I will report in, after viewing, if there is anything to get people riled up about. Reviews are good, I like Gosling, so we’ll see how it goes. I don’t like that it’s been reported of no scene with the flag plant but that is minimal compared to what these men went through to get to the moon. Gosling is on a run of solid films in the past few years, picking the solid ones out of the stacks he gets. Blade Runner 2049 was the best sci-fi film I’ve seen in years. I like Claire Foy as well, just watched her in Unsane this week. Runtime is 141 minutes so it’s long. Hopefully that means the crew took the time to do the man justice. Damien Chazelle, the Director, did an Oscar worthy film in Whiplash and won for La La Land. I didn’t see La La Land as I loathe musicals so I’m going with even expectations and not expecting Apollo 13.

I read the book when it came out

won't be seeing the movie

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Going to see this tonight. Have a stack of free passes from past theater visits where smartphone users fucked up my films. Actually have the manager’s personal cellphone number so will be calling this afternoon to make sure employees patrol.

I’m like many, completely fascinated with American space travel. I will report in, after viewing, if there is anything to get people riled up about. Reviews are good, I like Gosling, so we’ll see how it goes. I don’t like that it’s been reported of no scene with the flag plant but that is minimal compared to what these men went through to get to the moon. Gosling is on a run of solid films in the past few years, picking the solid ones out of the stacks he gets. Blade Runner 2049 was the best sci-fi film I’ve seen in years. I like Claire Foy as well, just watched her in Unsane this week. Runtime is 141 minutes so it’s long. Hopefully that means the crew took the time to do the man justice. Damien Chazelle, the Director, did an Oscar worthy film in Whiplash and won for La La Land. I didn’t see La La Land as I loathe musicals so I’m going with even expectations and not expecting Apollo 13.

I am looking forward to your review. The book was awesome, I hope the movie does it justice.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:

I am looking forward to your review. The book was awesome, I hope the movie does it justice.

Same. Talked to the megaplex manager this afternoon. He cleared out the seats next to us, left and right, just blocked them from purchase

It was good. Very character driven. Director really shows the family stress, the children, basically what happens at home. The multitude of funerals is shown. A big chunk of the film is devoted to Neil’s loss of his daughter. What I came away with was the stress these men and families went through. The American public scrutinization of taxpayer money funding NASA, the incredible and almost unrealistic challenges they faced. This wasn’t Armageddon and it wasn’t Apollo 13. I’d explain it more as family piece augmented by the challenges of space exploration.
There is no whiz bang CGI here. There is also a seriousness to the entire film, deadly serious. The only jokes coming from Gus, and they were funny. He was a no bullshit kind of guy and is portrayed opposite of The Right Stuff. Armstrong’s balls were on full display but more than that his intelligence, adaptability, master of stress, g’s, and willingness to push forward. The lunar landing was presented as a victory not just for America but for the entire planet. There are a few scenes, where you have anti Vietnam war stuff on a black and white TV, showing the political unrest as the Vietnam war heats up. Some barking about the dollars spent by taxpayers and one black leader barking about “whitey” going to the moon. It was very minor and a reality as you had some of that backlash back then as NASA was pushing forward during the war and the civil rights movement. It isn’t a main theme by any stretch and I think the director was just trying to show it wasn’t all roses and daises from that perspective. The film covered Gemini 8, and Apollo 1 which was difficult for me to watch. And obviously Apollo 11.

It was a good film. The pace is slow and steady featuring the stress, the pressure, the resolve, and the outrageous goals of NASA’s program in the 60’s. It’s kind of an independent space film. They show launches, space sequences, but it isn’t wham bam Hollywood with a bunch of cgi. The computers, switches, costume, name it, all had a 60’s feel. So if you go don’t expect anything like Interstellar or Gravity type space sequences. On the ground and everything that goes on is the bulk of the film. The seriousness and consequences of space flight is the main theme. I recommend it but set expectations appropriately. I think, given the era, the director did a good job. I wouldn’t have liked it if they had used a bunch of cgi and made it a rah-rah film. I learned some things such as some of the details of lunar landing going wrong, and the manual intervention. What I came away with most was Neil’s ability to manage stress and how to problem solve on the fly when things went tits up. I’ve always looked st these men and engineers as heroes and the film just strengthened that, finally showing the stress and worry of the wives and children of these astronauts. Claire Foy and Kyle Chandler were excellent. Most notable of the supporting cast was Shea Whigham who did a superb job playing Gus Grissom who provided the only and minor comedic relief. I’ve always liked him in his roles especially Boardwalk Empire and Silver Linings Playbook. Gosling was solid as usual. Not Oscar not bad, even keel. He manages to portray his characters on the mild side which I like as most overdo it. None of the cast were the main vehicles, that belongs to the director. I would give the film 3.5 out of 5 stars but I looked it up and it’s quoted as a 59-70 million dollar budget. Given that fact and the job that Chazelle pulled off it deserves an asterisk or 4 stars. It is long, runtime 141 minutes. If you go, keep your expectations mid grade and you will be rewarded with a solid watch. There wasn’t a scene that blows away the rest of the film. The lunar landing was given its’s due but all the scenes together equal a steady state instead of a whiz bang throw you back in the seat final act. I enjoyed it but I can see others being disappointed that’s it is too character driven, no glitz glam cgi fest with some super finale. The final act brought it home to me, especially Neil at the edge of the crater. It has a very 60’s feel and I think the director did a damn good job and did the program and service justice. YMMV.

As one of the crew members of this film, I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. It was definitely a challenging film to make. I have not seen the final cut yet, but am looking forward to it.

You are absolutely correct about the lack of CGI. We used NO green screen during the filming. All the space sequences were shot with crafts on a large gimble in front of an LED wall about 30ft. X 100ft.

There was a very concerted effort to show the crafts and space sequences as realistically as possible. We even had a 200,000 watt light custom made to simulate the single lighting source of the sun during the lunar landing sequences. Additionally, we had several of the Astronauts that were part of the Apollo program there on set with us during the filming of those sequences in order to be as accurate as possible.

I think it is a shame that so much of the hype around this film is the omission of the planting of the flag on the moon. I understand everyone’s perspective on this, and I personally wish that we had filmed that and included it in the film, but alas, I am but a lowly below the line technician, and not the director.

Thank you for seeing the film, and for your thoughtful review.

I work next door to Third Rail Studios and have watched production.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
It was good.

*snip*

YMMV.

That was an EXCELLENT review. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by sig229owner:
As one of the crew members of this film, I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. It was definitely a challenging film to make. I have not seen the final cut yet, but am looking forward to it.

You are absolutely correct about the lack of CGI. We used NO green screen during the filming. All the space sequences were shot with crafts on a large gimble in front of an LED wall about 30ft. X 100ft.

There was a very concerted effort to show the crafts and space sequences as realistically as possible. We even had a 200,000 watt light custom made to simulate the single lighting source of the sun during the lunar landing sequences. Additionally, we had several of the Astronauts that were part of the Apollo program there on set with us during the filming of those sequences in order to be as accurate as possible.

I think it is a shame that so much of the hype around this film is the omission of the planting of the flag on the moon. I understand everyone’s perspective on this, and I personally wish that we had filmed that and included it in the film, but alas, I am but a lowly below the line technician, and not the director.

Thank you for seeing the film, and for your thoughtful review.

Your whole crew did a damn good job. I knew of the no green screen prior to viewing. That was an excellent decision. Congratulation on the fine work that will be remembered. I know a bit about the business and people like you break their backs and get little credit save your name in a long list that very few pay attention to. Thank you for bringing your contribution to the screen.
I saw the planted flag in the final scenes. And there is one scene where Neil’s son raises the American flag at the family home. That “hype” is unjust. See my comment above prior to viewing, see the damn film first then pass your judgement. Quality work.

Just got back from seeing it. It was excellent.

they had me with the opening scene. i gave this a 9/10.

I enjoyed it. My ONLY gripe is that I wasn't crazy about some of the music. For a guy that looks nothing like Neil Armstrong, Gosling manages to perfectly pull off Neil Armstrong. I'm glad I saw this one in the theater and highly suggest anyone with even a moderate interest to do so. We need to support good movies.

My late night hungover review space nut review of "First Man" (which I'm always going to think of as "Astronauts and Sluts" because of my goofball friend Jaymie)

It's a good film, and although it has some really good flight sequences and clearly shows you the physical and emotional sacrifices that our astronauts made to go to the moon, it really is mostly a biographical film about the period of time when Neil Armstrong transitioned from being a X-15 test pilotto being the "First Man" to walk on the moon. The very characteristics that made Neil Armstrong a great test pilot, his ability to suppress his emotions and be rational and calm under even the most extreme times of stress are hard to portray on film without seeming wooden and robot like, but Ryan Gosling has always done a good job of portraying stoic individuals and does an excellent job playing Neil Armstrong. The whole flag issue was overblown, and while it's not a chest-thumping, rah, rah film that some would like it to be, the film doesn't pretend that the Apollo landing wasn't an American achievement - the flag is on the astronaut's uniforms, "United States" is shown in big block letters on the side of the Saturn V, and the flag is clearly shown on the lunar surface. The movie does put the Apollo landing in the context of the times however, with a small discussion of how the Russians were consistently beating us with various "firsts" in space until we decided we'd even the field and beat them by being the first to go to the moon and a small clip of Gil Scott Heron performing "Whitey on the Moon" to show that many people thought that the Apollo program was too expensive, but as I mentioned, "First Man" is really a biographical sketch of Neil Armstrong and doesn't really delve into those issues. Claire Foy brings a lot of emotional depth to her portrayal of Janet Armstrong and is really good in the film. Astronaut Gus Grissom is also finally redeemed in a movie after being portrayed as incompetent in "The Right Stuff" and the tragedy of the Apollo 1 fire (and if you are a space junkie like me, you'll note they got the CM's over complicated hatch right...) is also shone and done well. There is one sequence on the moon that is out of place in the movie, but I won't spoil it here, I'll just say that if you read the original book and that author's view about the personal belongings that Neil brought to the moon, you'll know it's pretty much wishful thinking on his part. As non-space junkies, my two companions liked the film but thought it dragged in some places.

I will say that the one thing I really disliked was (spoiler space).... Was the "Top Gun" moment on the moon... To me that was more jarring that the lack of the flag planting scene.