First Man – We Are Movie Geeks

Universal Pictures Offers Free Tickets To See FIRST MAN To All U.S. Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members and Spouses On Monday November 12

Universal Pictures and Cinemark Holdings, Inc. today announced that in observance of Veterans Day, on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, free tickets will be presented to all U.S. veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses for Universal’s First Man at more than 60 Cinemark locations nationwide. Veterans and service members with a valid, government-issued VA or military ID will receive up to two tickets to see First Man at any Cinemark location playing the film. To determine if First Man is available at your local theatre, visit cinemark.com. First Man, from Academy Award^®-winning director Damien Chazelle, stars Ryan Gosling as astronaut Neil Armstrong.

“Our dad flew 78 combat missions in the Korean War during his career as a Naval aviator, and he deeply valued the enduring friendships he forged during those years for the rest of his life,” said Mark and Rick Armstrong. “The sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform and their families form the bedrock of our freedom. Much like landing on the moon, it is an accomplishment that it both hard-fought and hard-won. We join Universal and Cinemark in giving thanks to all our current and former service members for their brave, bold and boundless service to this country.”

“Cinemark is proud to partner with Universal Pictures to show our gratitude to veterans and their families across the country this Veterans Day,” said Justin McDaniel, Senior Vice President, Global Content Strategy and Analysis at Cinemark.

The promotion will be available at all Cinemark theatres, including Century Theatres, CinéArts, Tinseltown and Rave Cinemas, playing First Man. Free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last and can be picked up at the participating Cinemark theatre’s box office beginning when the theatre opens on Nov. 12. Each guest must present a valid government-issued VA or military ID to receive their ticket(s), with a limit of two free tickets for each military ID presented, while supplies last. This offer is valid for all screenings of the film on Nov. 12, 2018 only.

“Neil Armstrong represents the best and bravest of humanity, and the courage and commitment of all our veterans,” said Jim Orr, President, Distribution, Universal Pictures. “Audiences have championed this new masterpiece by Damien Chazelle, and we’re grateful that our partners at Cinemark have offered to honor active-duty and retired service members and their spouses with free tickets. We know these heroes will enjoy First Man, and we’re thrilled to present them with this opportunity to experience it.”

This offer is valid exclusively at participating Cinemark theatres. Free tickets will be issued only at the theatre box office and are not available online. Tickets are only valid for First Man showings. No substitutions or titles will be accepted. This offer has no cash value and is not valid for resale.

For more information and a list of Cinemark theatres participating, please visit www.firstmanveteransdayoffer.com.

On the heels of their six-time Academy Award^®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar^®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost—on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself—of one of the most dangerous missions in history. (Review)

Written by Academy Award^® winner Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Post), the epic drama of leading under the pressure of grace and tragedy is produced by Wyck Godfrey & Marty Bowen (The Twilight Saga, The Fault in Our Stars) through their Temple Hill Entertainment banner, alongside Isaac Klausner (Love, Simon) and Chazelle. Steven Spielberg, Adam Merims and Singer executive produce, while DreamWorks Pictures co-finances the film. www.firstman.com

FIRST MAN – Review

Coming off of the jovial and colorful burst of life that is LA LA LAND, it’s surprising that Damien Chazelle takes audiences on quite a grim journey. FIRST MAN feels less like a patriotic, proud moment in American history and more like an exploration of paralyzing and dreadful fear. It’s the fear of what we can’t control in life. The audience may fear for the man in the pilot seat, but it’s the man who fears for his lack of control outside of the pilot seat.

Based on the book by James R. Hansen, FIRST MAN explores the sacrifices that Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) put himself, his wife Janet (Claire Foy), and kids through as he helps NASA achieve their ultimate goal: Be the first country to land a man on the moon. In the process, the engineer-turned-astronaut cheats death several times (as seen in the nail-biting opening scene while flying an X-15), butts heads with the outspoken Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll), and witnesses friends and family taken from his life.

It becomes immediately apparent that conveying the physical nature of NASA’s trials and tribulations leading to the Apollo 11 mission is the film’s main mission. Chazelle seems to take pleasure in showing the physical demands of the job and presents it as a rather thankless one at that. Immersive sound design and stark visual storytelling truly make it feel like you are in the front seat going full-speed into a galactic horror film. It’s a long, loud, and very bleak journey into the unknown.

Claire Foy (The Crown) is the wife and mother at home who has to force a calm and collected composure as her husband hurdles himself forward into the brink of death. Without the help of much dialogue, Foy is left to convey her inner turmoil through her emotive eyes. Almost ironically, considering the wide-open expanse of space, Chazelle and cinematographer Linus Sandgren shoot mostly in close-up, making the faces seem larger than life – often quite blurry, as well, when the men are strapped in. It’s an effective storytelling device even though it becomes a bit tiresome.

Ryan Gosling and the script by Josh Singer portray Neil Armstrong as someone who can solve last-minute calculations within seconds, and yet, struggles with communicating with his wife and children. Working with a bare-bones script, Gosling attempts to present a man who is simply putting his head down and moving full-steam ahead. His typical puppy-dog eyes become unblinking headlights, illuminating the way towards NASA’s goal. However, Gosling feels less like a blue-collar worker getting the job done at all costs and more like an empty straw man – perhaps a symbol for how Chazelle truly feels about the mission.

FIRST MAN is eager to point out that the moon landing is only a happy story in our minds because we like to remember it as a grand achievement in American History. In one scene, Gil Scott-Heron’s song of racial inequality, ‘Whitey on the Moon,” is even juxtaposed with imagery of NASA prepping for the big liftoff. The “Space Race” is presented in a tragic way as opposed to a triumph. Nothing says this more than the final shots of the film. At what cost do we push ourselves for our own professional endeavors? While Neil Armstrong might have represented “One giant leap for mankind,” Chazelle questions if the journey was worth the man losing his humanity.

Overall score: 3.5 out of 5

FIRST MAN opens in theaters everywhere Friday, Oct. 12th, 2018

Universal Pictures and Regal Offer FREE Tickets To Veterans And Active Service Members To See FIRST MAN On Thursday

Universal Pictures and Regal today announced that, on Thursday, October 11, more than 14,000 free tickets will be presented to U.S. veterans and active-duty servicemembers for Universal’s First Man—at more than 500 Regal locations nationwide. Each of the first 25 servicemembers (per location) with valid, government-issued ID who request a ticket will be given free admission to the 7:00 p.m. preview screening (or first show). First Man, from Academy Award^®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling, arrives in theatres nationwide the following day.

“During his career as a Naval aviator, our dad flew 78 combat missions in the Korean War,” said Mark and Rick Armstrong. “The friendships he forged during those critical years remained deeply important to him all of his days. Freedom—much like landing on the moon—is an achievement that is hard fought and hard won, and it cannot be accomplished without the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their loved ones. We’d like to join Universal and Regal in thanking all our current and past veterans, as well as their families, for their brave service to this great nation.”

“As an Air Force veteran, I am proud to see this historical achievement from other veterans and NASA featured on the big screen. These military heroes are an incredible example of the courage and determination that allowed us to reach new heights in space exploration,” said Ken Thewes, CMO at Regal. “As a tribute to the courageous men and women in the armed forces, we are honored to offer complimentary tickets for active-duty military and veterans to be the first to see First Man at any participating Regal theatres.”

The promotion will be available at all Regal theatres playing First Man. Free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and may be picked up at the Regal box office on October 11. Each guest must present a valid government-issued military ID to receive their ticket, with a limit of one free ticket for each military ID presented, while supplies last. This offer is valid for the 7:00 p.m. screening (or first showing) of the film on October 11, only.

“Neil Armstrong represents the best and bravest of humanity, and this film from director Damien Chazelle is stunning,” said Jim Orr, President, Distribution, Universal Pictures. “Early audiences have championed this new masterpiece, and we’re grateful that our partners at Regal have opened their doors to active-duty and retired servicemembers with free tickets. We know these heroes will enjoy First Man, and we’re thrilled they’ll be among the first to experience it.”

For more information and a list of Regal theatres participating, please visit www.firstmanforservicemembers.com.

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of FIRST MAN In St. Louis

On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost—on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself—of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

Written by Academy Award® winner Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Post), the epic drama of leading under the pressure of grace and tragedy is produced by Wyck Godfrey & Marty Bowen (The Twilight Saga, The Fault in Our Stars) through their Temple Hill Entertainment banner, alongside Isaac Klausner (Love, Simon) and Chazelle. Steven Spielberg, Adam Merims and Singer executive produce, while DreamWorks Pictures co-finances the film.

In Theaters and IMAX October 12.

WAMG has your free passes to the advance screening of FIRST MAN in St. Louis.

Date: October 9, 7pm in the St. Louis area.

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A PASS GOOD FOR TWO!

Answer the Following:

Project Gemini was the training ground for the moon missions of Apollo, essential in getting NASA ready for the moon landings. Ten crews flew missions on the two-man Gemini spacecraft, and the Gemini missions were flown from March 1965 to November 1966—between the Mercury and Apollo programs.

Among the nine men selected for Project Gemini were Neil Armstrong, Ed White, Jim Lovell, Gus Grissom, Pete Conrad, Elliot See, David Scott, Buzz Aldrin and Richard F. Gordon.

How many men went to the Moon during the Apollo Program?
What type of rocket did they travel in?
Who was the last man to walk on the Moon?

Add you name, answer and email in our comments section below.

NO PURCHASE REQUIRED. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.

Rated PG 13.

http://www.firstman.com

TELLURIDE Film Festival To Screen FIRST MAN, THE FRONT RUNNER And THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

The films debuting at the 2018 Telluride Film Festival has been announced today. The festival runs now through Labor Day Weekend.

The 2018 event will be hosted by Guest Director Jonathan Lethem, an award-winning novelist, essayist and short story writer. He will play a role in the programming decisions, bringing new ideas and overlooked films to Telluride.

Here are the films being featured at the 2018 Telluride Film Festival:

“Angels Are Made of Light” (d. James Longley, U.S.-Denmark-Norway)
“Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché” (d. Pamela E. Green, U.S.)
“Birds of Passage” (d. Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego, Colombia-Denmark-Mexico)
“Border” (d. Ali Abbasi, Sweden)
“Boy Erased” (d. Joel Edgerton, U.S.)
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (d. Marielle Heller, U.S.)
“Cold War” (d. Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland-France-U.K.)
“Destroyer” (d. Karyn Kusama, U.S.)
“Dogman” (d. Matteo Garrone, Italy-France)
“Dovlatov” (d. Aleksei German, Russia-Poland-Serbia)
“First Man” (d. Damien Chazelle, U.S.)

“Fistful of Dirt” (d. Sebastián Silva, U.S.)
“Free Solo” (d. Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, U.S.)
“Ghost Fleet” (d. Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron, U.S.)
“Girl” (d. Lukas Dhont, Belgium-Netherlands)
“Graves Without a Name” (d. Rithy Panh, France-Cambodia)
“Meeting Gorbachev” (d. Werner Herzog and André Singer, U.K.-U.S.Germany)
“Non Fiction” (d. Olivier Assayas, France)
“Peterloo” (d. Mike Leigh, U.K.)
“Reversing Roe” (d. Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, U.S.)
“Roma” (d. Alfonso Cuarón, U.S.-Mexico)

“Shoplifters” (d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan)
“The Biggest Little Farm” (d. John and Molly Chester, U.S.)
“The Favourite” (d. Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland-U.K.-U.S.)
“The Front Runner” (d. Jason Reitman, U.S.)
“The Great Buster” (d. Peter Bogdanovich, U.S.)
“The Old Man & The Gun” (d. David Lowery, U.S.)

“The Other Side of the Wind” (d. Orson Welles, U.S.)
“The White Crow” (d. Ralph Fiennes, U.K.)
“They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead” (d. Morgan Neville, U.S.)
“Trial By Fire” (d. Ed Zwick, U.S.)
“Watergate – Or, How We Learned to Stop an Out-of-Control President” (d. Charles Ferguson, U.S.)
“White Boy Rick” (d. Yann Demange, U.S.)

Review Of Director Damien Chazelle’s First Trailer For Apollo 11 FIRST MAN Starring Ryan Gosling And Claire Foy

“Houston. Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed…”

On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, LA LA LAND, Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ FIRST MAN, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969.

A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost-on Armstrong and on the nation-of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

The film stars Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Patrick Fugit, Ciaran Hinds, Ethan Embry, Shea Whigham, Corey Stoll, Pablo Schreiber.

2019 will witness the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing.

From October 2018 through December 2022, NASA will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Program that landed a dozen Americans on the moon between July 1969 and December 1972. Recently NASA unveiled an official logo to observe these milestone anniversaries at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

The Apollo program and the Saturn V rocket – it is still mankind’s finest achievement and we’ll never create anything as magnificent as that ever again.

The Saturn V was developed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. It was one of three types of Saturn rockets NASA built. Two smaller rockets, the Saturn I (1) and IB (1b), were used to launch humans into Earth orbit. The Saturn V sent them beyond Earth orbit to the moon. Five F-1 engines were used in the 138-foot-tall S-IC, or first stage, of each Saturn V, which depended on the five-engine cluster for the 7.5 million pounds of thrust needed to lift it from the launch pad. The mighty F-1 remains the most powerful American liquid-fuel rocket engine ever developed. The F-1 still holds the record as the largest single-chamber, single-nozzle liquid fuel engine ever flown.

Yes, there will be other missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars (Orion rockets), but the ships that take people there won’t be as glorious as the mighty Saturn V rockets.

Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit of 114 by 116 miles.

While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the Lunar Module “Eagle” to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins remained with the Command and Service Modules “Columbia” in lunar orbit.

An estimated 530 million people watched Armstrong’s televised image and heard his voice describe the event as he took “…one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 20, 1969.

It’s time for another motion picture to remind audiences of the massive feats people once ventured to and accomplished. The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions were the days of brave heroes.

The exciting and thrilling trailer for FIRST MAN makes the upcoming movie a must-see in IMAX.

To director Damien Chazelle, in order to honor these explorers I respectfully recommend:

1. In the opening sequence, the trailer shows a Saturn V taking off. Those rockets took off very slowly, and the exhaust flame was very narrow and long. What they have done with the trailer is edit in the exhaust of a space shuttle with a much faster take-off, and the exhaust is fanning out wide with lots of smoke. That’s what was fun about watching an Apollo launch – the dramatic slow take off and then it really started picking up speed as it broke through the atmosphere into outer space.

2. As for how this trailer is cut, it shows a lot of scenes about Armstrong’s Gemini flight (which is true). At about the 1:46 mark of this trailer, they start a 6 second countdown, with all the scenery revolving around a Gemini capsule (those scenes looked good), then they say ‘liftoff’, and you see the 5 rocket engines of the 1st stage of the Saturn V roaring, not the two engines of the Titan rocket that launched all of the Gemini’s. If they meant for all of that to be coherent, it wasn’t. If they just want to show random scenes, they could get away with it since it is a trailer, but it will not fly with NASA/Apollo enthusiasts.

3. This first look at the film shows Armstrong flying the X-15. (The pen floating next to him.) The Gemini 8 mission is the flight he took with Dave Scott (who commanded Apollo 15), and the two of them very realistically could have died when some steering thrusters on the capsule did not turn off, and the spacecraft started spinning dangerously fast, to the point where they could have passed out. Neil stayed cool and got things quickly under control, but the mission had to abort immediately after that. The Gemini scenes looked good. The spacesuits looked authentic, so kudos to getting this right.

There are going to be plenty of potential scenes where the music will really add to the experience: around the X-15, the Gemini launch/crisis/splashdown, and of course Apollo 11 launch, lunar landing, liftoff from the moon, splashdown. I’m really looking forward to what Oscar winning composer Justin Hurwitz has in store with his score.

The first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s INTERSTELLAR was masterfully and thoughtfully cut.

“These moments when we dared to aim higher. To break barriers. To reach for the stars.”

At the time I wrote:

Filled with footage of Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1, the Mercury and Gemini space capsule missions, the Saturn V rocket liftoff to the Moon with the Apollo missions, and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, this superb first trailer really brings home the fact that at one time America’s Space Program was envied and unrivaled. It’s chilling to think that we may never again see the likes of when we made frequent trips to the Moon. There was a time when we had the determination, ability and huge national pride of travelling to our nearest celestial neighbor.

Matthew McConaughey speaks the truth in his voice over – “We lost all that. Perhaps we’ve just forgotten. That we are still Pioneers – we’ve barely begun and that our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us. Our destiny lies above us”

An additional note: Ron Howard went to great lengths to get things right on APOLLO 13. See the movie launch and the real launch below.

I hope FIRST MAN does the same thing, and just doesn’t edit in stock footage or re-creations of just random footage. Just a few suggestions for a film that has an awards season, October 12, release date.

FIRST MAN is based on the biography First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong.

Armstong passed away at age 82 on August 25, 2012 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Photos courtesy of NASA

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