The Story as told by the men and astronauts who was there. he Space Race couldn’t have been better tailored to July 4 blockbusters if they’d planned for it. It’s patriotic as hell—all about American exceptionalism without (usually) the taint of American jingoism—aspirational and triumphant, visually spectacular, and chock full of slow-motion hero-walk moments.
Apollo 13 brings all of that and a relatable underdog in Commander Jim Lovell, played by Tom Hanks. It’s dramatic, triumphant, really well made, and, aside from a few necessary concessions to schedule and format (Mattingly was good, but not that good), pretty historically accurate. For a perfect pre-fireworks double feature, pair this with 1983′s The Right Stuff (not a July 4th release, but we’ll make an exception), then cry because you are probably never going to get to walk on the moon. —Rachel Edidin
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