Rotoscope-Colored Glasses

I love space. For as long as I can remember, this has been true. When I was a youngling, my dad would tuck me in at night and tell me if I shut my eyes tight enough I could see all the stars in the universe. I would fall asleep on my waterbed the same way for years. The first movie I saw that involved space was Return of the Jedi, which also happens to be the first Star Wars movie I laid my eyes on. That and the rest of the trilogy was obviously a huge influence, but so were many others from the 80s and 90s. The wonder, the unknown, the optimism.

Apollo 10 1/2 passionately captures all of this with a giant scoop of nostalgia. The premise: what if a kid made it to the moon before Neil and Buzz? The majority of the movie is a love letter to the bygone era. An endearing yet simple coming of space age story during simpler, but not perfect, times. I’ve never been a big fan of the rotoscope animation, but it suits this film beautifully. We’ve seen Apollo 11 so many different ways, however it was a fresh and wholesome take to see it all in the perspective of a 10 year old. Only thing missing was a waterbed.

Director: Richard Linklater

Writer: Richard Linklater

Stars: Glen Powell - Zachary Levi - Jack Black

Runtime: 1 Hr 37 Min

Release Date: April 1, 2022

Where To Watch: Netflix