A Wonderful And Compelling Whirlwind Adventure Showing Exactly What It Means To Get Ready For Launch Day.
Published: July 17, 2024
By: Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me To The Moon is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Braedyn M. comments “This is the best movie I’ve watched all year! Fly Me to the Moon is a wonderful and compelling motion picture that takes you on a whirlwind adventure showing you exactly what it means to get everything ready for launch day.” See his full review below.
Fly Me to the Moon
By Braedyn M.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15
This is the best movie I’ve watched all year! Fly Me to the Moon is a wonderful and compelling motion picture that takes you on a whirlwind adventure showing you exactly what it means to get everything ready for launch day.
Brought in to help NASA get back on the good side of the American public, Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) a marketing know-it-all, revs up NASA’s marketing program much to the dismay and annoyance of launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum). When problems ensue getting the rocket ready for launch day, Kelly is told to stage a backup version of the moon landing in case things go awry. Now, she has to figure out a way to do the impossible. Land a man on the moon, and yet never leave Earth.
Everything in this movie is spot on. From the details put into making sure the food stays in line with the timeframe, to showing how one of the smallest creatures plays one of the biggest roles in this story. I really love the music — it’s upbeat at times, and mysterious at others. It definitely impacts the emotions every scene — kudos to the director, Greg Berlanti and music director, Daniel Pemberton. The screenplay by Rose Gilroy has some of the best writing that I have seen. I love the dialogue between the characters, which is peppered with humor and a bit of romance. Cole and Kelly’s chemistry softens out this production, and sweetens the overall impact. It’s hard to choose a favorite thing in this film, but I’m going to go with the cat who reminds me a lot of my own. He is very curious about everything the team is working on. This is a very dramatic movie from start to finish. I’m glad that there isn’t much of a low point. Neither Kelly nor Cole’s past is dwelled upon; we just learn enough to give us depth and insight into their personalities. This is definitely a movie that I already want to see again.
The film’s message is that you don’t have to fake it to make it. Though the government wanted a staged moon landing to secure a win in the space race, Kelly finds out that sometimes you can be authentic and get the same results. Be aware that there is some profanity in this film and lots of smoking — it was 1969, after all.
I give Fly Me to the Moon 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Fly Me to the Moon will rocket into theaters on July 12, 2024.