“NASA: A Journey Through Space” Television Review: To Binge or Not to Binge

    A few days ago marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon mission so I wanted to wait and post my review for “NASA: A Journey Through Space” on the actual anniversary of the mission in honor of mankind’s accomplishment.  Of course, the anniversary of mankind’s accomplishment also happened to fall on days I worked so this post is a little late.  Thankfully, the good folks at Mill Creek Entertainment provided me with this review copy for which I am very grateful for.

    This series tells the story of the events that led to formation of NASA and everything that follows.  From exploring writers and filmmakers fascination with landing on the moon to actually doing so, this series provides information into the minds that helped push towards space exploration.  Each episode focuses primarily on specific milestones in the history of NASA.  For instance, there is an episode about the events focusing on the Apollo 11 moon mission which is sandwiched between episodes detailing the events which led to the historic mission and what happened following it.

    Now, I know this description of the show isn’t super specific but in all honesty, it’s not easy to sum up this show because it covers so much time and detail that unless I wrote a summery of each episode specifically, I would be doing this series a disservice.  You might be asking why, and the answer is rather simple, the show is a documentary which packs a lot of history and information into each episode and there is very little fluff to be found.

    I have been known to watch my fair share of shows on the History Channel (okay, okay, mainly the show “Ancient Aliens” but that show is still technically on the History Channel) and to me, this series felt a lot like a show which would air on the History Channel.  The series is narrated by Coby Batty (who does a fairly good job changing accents when necessary).  Batty is known for his work narrating documentaries and he does a good job with this series as well.

    So, as you might already know, when it comes to my tv shows, I normally try to do my reviews based on the series as a whole (which admittedly is a lot easier when dealing with a mini-series).  While I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this series as much when I was in school, I have grown and enjoy educational shows and movies far more now.  I also think that this is the type of show that is important for someone to watch even if they don’t find it as fun as something else.

    So, in honor of the giant step mankind made fifty years ago, I am proud to recommend binge watching this series.  Somehow, we managed the impossible and it’s fascinating seeing how we managed to do so.

Overall Grade: B

To Binge or not to Binge Verdict: BINGE

Buy “NASA: A Journey Through Space” on Blu-ray Here!!!

“Mute” Movie Review

    I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Duncan Jones’ “Moon” a few years back so when I heard Jones had a new film on Netflix, I knew I had to check it out.  It took me awhile to get around to watching it but I finally did.  “Mute” was an interesting experience from the get go.

    The film follows Leo, a bartender who is left mute after a boating accident as a child.  Leo is dating waitress Naadirah and the pair seem to be doing good together until one afternoon Naadirah disappears without a trace.  Leo sets off to find Naadirah before crossing paths with a man named Cactus Bill who may have more ties with Naadirah than Leo ever imagined.

    “Mute” offers an interesting look at an alternate future which could come to pass.  In many respects, “Mute” feels more like “Blade Runner” or “Total Recall” than Jones’ own “Moon”.  The set pieces feel organic and lived in unlike most other sets from other science fiction movies.  The production design is amazing and showcases the gritty futuristic noir style the movie was aiming for perfectly.

    The film features some great performances which helps elevate the movie above the usual Netflix fair.  Alexander Skarsgård plays the main character of Leo and does a good job conveying his emotions without being able to say any dialogue.  The breakout performance of the movie is that of Paul Rudd as Cactus Bill.  Rudd is able to use his natural charm and humor in his favor as you begin to realize there is more to his character than it appears.  Paul Rudd plays against type and nails it.  Justin Theroux is almost unrecognizable as Duck and plays the character in an unnerving and repulsive manner.

    So I guess the question is, with all this praise, how could “Mute” be anything but a masterpiece?  Well, I guess it largely depends on what kind of science fiction you prefer.  The film feels like something straight out of the mind of Philip K. Dick.  The story takes place in a bleak future with morally questionable characters like in most of Dick’s works.  I personally prefer a more hopeful outlook on the future like in “Star Trek”.  That doesn’t mean I hate films like “Mute”, it is just films like this are a little depressing.

    Director Duncan Jones masterfully places you into the world of “Mute” with all of it’s world building.  The combination of English and German languages as well as sign language creates a world that isn’t unlike the one we live in now.  The connective tissues to his previous film “Moon” including a cameo from Sam Rockwell early on helps establish the world these characters inhabit quickly.

    The biggest issue with “Mute” is that it is too long.  Not only is the runtime too long, but the pacing of the film makes it feel even longer.  With so much going on, the movie still feels boring at times as a result which is a shame.  Some sharper editing would have greatly helped this film.

    “Mute” is an interesting film with lofty ideas and a sharp style that gets bogged down by it’s runtime.  The long runtime ends up making the film seem pretentious at times which is a shame.  Still, it’s a cut above most other Netflix films.

Grade: C+