‘Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood’ Tells an Alternate History of Apollo 11
A kid saves a historic NASA mission while navigating the major social shifts of 1960s in Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood.
This coming-of-age tale weaves nostalgia, fantastical elements, and director Richard Linklater’s childhood experiences. It takes place in Houston in 1969, the year Apollo 11 made it to the moon. There are things in here that remind me of my childhood summers in Houston in the 1980s – Frito pie in the bag is a timeless Texan experience.
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood has that rotoscope-style animation that Linklater has used in other projects. Namely A Scanner Darkly, which came out over a decade ago. It starts off as a bit distracting, but I think it’ll work well for the story they’re telling. Looks aside, I’m digging the alternate story.
The space program was such a focus at that time. It inspired the imagination of an entire generation of kids to want to explore the beyond. To escape what was happing in the world, which I’m hoping Linklater hasn’t totally set aside.
I’ll be checking this out when it hits Netflix.
via Netflix
via Netflix
Apollo 10 ½ Synopsis & Cast
“Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood tells the story of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969 from two interwoven perspectives. The astronaut and mission control view of the triumphant moment. And through the eyes of a kid growing up in Houston, Texas who has intergalactic dreams of his own. The movie takes inspiration from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater’s own life. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is a snapshot of American life in the 1960s that is part coming of age, part societal commentary, and part out-of-this-world adventure.”
Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood hits Netflix on April 1st.
