Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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Stephen C @bob25009 Apr 4 Funny in 1 hour and 38 minutes. Only on Netflix. See more BadNews R @TheMovieSearch Sep 7 🚀 Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood (2022) – Review This animated Netflix film looked like it had the potential to be a fun, family-friendly space adventure. The premise itself is clever and whimsical—NASA accidentally builds a spacecraft too small for an adult astronaut, so they decide to recruit a child who just so happens to be a three-time winner of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award. On paper, that setup sounds like the beginning of a lighthearted, creative story that kids and adults alike could enjoy. And in some ways, the movie delivers. The animation is unique—it doesn’t feel like standard animation but more of a stylized, rotoscope-inspired presentation that captures both imagination and nostalgia. There are definitely moments of charm and creativity sprinkled throughout. Jack Black provides the narration, and while he does a solid job, it felt slightly off to me. Known mostly for his energetic comedic roles, hearing his voice in such a serious, reflective tone was a bit jarring. Not bad, just unexpected, and maybe not the best fit for the story’s atmosphere. On the other hand, Josh Wiggins as Steve does a great job grounding the film, adding some much-needed personality and heart. Where the movie really stumbles is in its execution. Instead of leaning into the fun, whimsical “kid joins NASA” premise, it becomes more of a nostalgic history lesson. The heavy reliance on narration makes it feel less like an animated adventure and more like a documentary with cartoon visuals. It spends a lot of time detailing cultural and historical events of the 1960s rather than giving us a real, engaging narrative. That shift ultimately made the movie feel flat. My son and I both went in expecting a playful animated story, but what we got instead felt like something straight out of a high school history class. The first act is strong, but once the narration takes over, the energy dips and the “fun” factor disappears. ⭐ Verdict: Creative and stylish, but more of a nostalgic animated documentary than a true children’s adventure. Worth a one-time watch for adults interested in 60s culture—but kids may find it slow and boring. See more thiago s @Thiagostone 04/24/2025 Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, o elenco é tudo em animação, e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, a história é boa, e achei a história interessante. See more Spencer P @s_plewe 04/29/2024 Using his previous experience with rotoscope animation, Richard Linklater does what seems impossible at this point: adding another interesting perspective on the Apollo 11 mission, by giving us his own childhood perspective of the era in great detail. The fantasy part of the story may not be that exciting, surprisingly, but in the end, you have that feeling of childhood wonder that's what makes these real missions worth it. See more Alec B @Alec97 02/26/2024 It may not progress beyond Linklater's personal nostalgic musings but it is undeniably delightful. See more J o @RT18711736 05/21/2023 I didn't absolutely hate it, but I would have loved if there was an actual plot. It's very much like a boomer telling you "how things used to be". There's some charm to it, with one ramble blending into the next, but it's hard to sit through the hard thing. Watched about an hour and couldn't go on. See more Read all reviews

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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