To the Moon

When - 1:10 PM Where - AppleTV With Who - Wife

First Thoughts - It really upsets me that this movie didn't get more attention when it came out last year. I understand that last year was the year for sequels, prequels, and reboots, as has been the last 15 years or so, but these type of original films deserve more credit and more attention than they ever receive.

A solid cast led by the ever-charming Channing Tatum and the always-talented Scarlett Johansson, this was honestly just a truly solid movie that I just enjoyed watching. There was a point about halfway through where I was wondering whether or not the film was meandering a little, but it buttoned up nicely in the third act.

One thing in particular that I enjoyed was that it allowed its characters, both main and side, to breathe and feel real and authentic. It was a very well-written screenplay that balanced drama, high stakes and high emotions, with just a dash of romance.

Overall a good movie that I think deserves more attention, attention I hope it will receive on streaming.

It's becoming increasingly frustrating on IMDb that good movies often receive low ratings while some less deserving ones get rated surprisingly high.

That said, this movie deserves a solid 7 for several reasons. First, it effectively illustrates how the conspiracy began, allowing viewers to connect the dots and see how a significant achievement was turned into a conspiracy.

Further, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum are perfectly cast in their roles and they complement each other well on screen. Woody Harrelson and Ray Romano also deliver strong performances, fitting seamlessly into the story.

With few quality films this summer, this one stands out as a must watch. So dont think twice, just watch.

This movie is NOT generic. At all. If the premise of faking the mood landing is not in this movie than yes it's a pretty generic rom com but because that's the entire movie I don't get how this is generic.

If you have a beating heart and sense of humor this movie will charm you. ScarJo is throwing 100 mph in every scene. She's outstanding. This is a signature performance in her catalog and really fleshes out what makes her 1 of 1. One down side is that Channing Tatum is very good in the movie but he's not on her level and I don't think anyone would argue that. Her scenes with Jim Rash (sneaky MVP) are all time great. They have some magic I hope they do more work together. I've always been found of his performance in Community and his screen play The Way Way Back.

The other surprise for me was how great Woody and ScarJo are together. That was the secret sauce of the movie. Not just their acting chemistry but the idea of a Nixon enforcer and fixer battling with this con artist type advertising saleswoman is beautiful stuff. It's really breathtaking to witness.

The other part of this movie that provides some fun for all ages is the stuff with the cat in the movie. This is such a cute and realistic use of a cat who just lingers around an area getting in the way just in the smallest way.

I dithered over whether to watch this but we went for it and it was an enjoyable couple of hours in the cinema. There's no comparison between the two leads; Johanson is engaging and funny. Tatum is surely just a Thunderbird puppet both in looks and acting. Harrelson adds his own typically unique character to the role he plays. It was hilarious reading some reviewers complaining of the lack of historical accuracy. That's like complaining that Airplane doesn't accurately reflect what happens to an aircraft in emergency. The plot is described elsewhere and whilst it's a bit daft, I'm sure some people will take it a bit too seriously but go, watch it and enjoy an easy couple of hours.

7.8/10 (Definitely Recommend)

"Fly Me to the Moon" is a romanticized account of the Apollo 11 moon mission, and how they put a man in space. Despite the film's storytelling being primarily focused on a launch director (Tatum) and a marketing maven (Johansson), it truly pulls you into the overall story.

Scarlett Johansson and Woody Harrelson fit well into the story, but even after watching the film I'm still iffy about Channing Tatum's performance. For me he just seemed like a modern day guy who pops up in the 1960s and wears increasingly cliche "Star Trek" shirts especially when he wore yellow. Despite that that slightly ill feeling the overall chemistry of the cast was great. Tatum was really the only one who felt "out".

The cinematography along with the score and sets made it feel like the 1960s, but with a clean look. The combination of both archival footage and the modern film gave you the feeling that you were experiencing the Apollo 11 launch for the first time in your life. My heart was racing with every aspect despite the full knowledge that crew went up, stepped on the moon, and returned.

This film is definitely date night worthy as it's very much focused on the relationship between the two aforementioned work titles of Scar Jo and Channing Tatum, but it still meshes well with a historical aspect. The film also has rewatch-ability as I would watch it again.

Overall, there is a good amount to like about the film. The characters, the setting, and the editing are my top three. Definitely worthy of seeing at least once, and as stated it does make for a good date night movie too.

That's it for now. Thanks for taking time to read my review. Happy watching and enjoy the show!