Space movies
October 27, 2022 3:25 PM Subscribe
Since we will be near by I am thinking about taking my kid (who's a Freshman in HS) to Kennedy Space Center despite not being super into Space travel.
What are a couple of movies that might get us a bit into Kennedy's exhibits?
He is very into science and physics.
OMG, Space Camp. Seriously, it is completely implausible and totally entertaining.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 3:41 PM on October 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by tafetta, darling! at 3:41 PM on October 27, 2022 [8 favorites]
My first thought was Apollo 13, but that reminded me of the USSPCU (US Space Program Cinematic Universe).
Treat it like Marvel movies and binge The Right Stuff, Hidden Figures, Apollo 13, and First Man
posted by Pangloss at 3:51 PM on October 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Treat it like Marvel movies and binge The Right Stuff, Hidden Figures, Apollo 13, and First Man
posted by Pangloss at 3:51 PM on October 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
Seconding Apollo 13. The absolute steel-spined courage and desperate ingenuity I think will hit harder than anything else.
posted by Silvery Fish at 3:56 PM on October 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Silvery Fish at 3:56 PM on October 27, 2022 [3 favorites]
October Sky (1999).
posted by TrishaU at 4:04 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by TrishaU at 4:04 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
2001 and 2010. The Martian
posted by gwydapllew at 4:08 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by gwydapllew at 4:08 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
When We Left Earth, the docu-miniseries narrated by Gary Sinise. It is very very good.
posted by phunniemee at 4:12 PM on October 27, 2022
posted by phunniemee at 4:12 PM on October 27, 2022
Gravity, perhaps. I remember I liked it quite a bit.
posted by Alensin at 4:12 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Alensin at 4:12 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
Galaxy Quest?
posted by latkes at 4:13 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by latkes at 4:13 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Hidden Figures
posted by brujita at 4:27 PM on October 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by brujita at 4:27 PM on October 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
The HBO miniseries From The Earth To The Moon tells the entire story of the Apollo missions. I think it's 8 or ten episodes but if you don't have time for all of them I'd suggest watching up until the Apollo 12 episode.
posted by bondcliff at 5:07 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 5:07 PM on October 27, 2022 [5 favorites]
Europa Report is a creditable attempt at a hard-SF depiction of a mission to Europa. It's PG-13, which I think is a good fit, ratin-wise.
Also, if all of this piques his interest, I would recommend he take a look at the game Kerbal Space Program. It's available on several platforms, and it's a realistic but simplified simulation where you run an air & space program for kerbals (little green men and women). You've got a whole solar system of planets and moons to fly to, a pair of relatively easy moons nearby, as well as planet Kerbin, your home, to explore. KSP rewards planning and persistence. Failing is fun and low-stakes as you learn how to do things, and before long you're flying to the moon, Mun, and sending rovers to Duna (Mars) and Eve (Venus). After that, aircraft on a moon of In addition to a campaign mode, there's also a sandbox mode where everything's unlocked and highly explosive, so there's dramatic fun to be had with experimental rockets. KSP has an excellent player and mod communities, very helpful and encouraging; every day someone new manages that first soft touchdown and are celebrated for it. And there are no shortage of players who find themselves on a career in aerospace because of KSP.
KSP2 is coming out sometime next year, as well.
posted by Sunburnt at 5:27 PM on October 27, 2022
Also, if all of this piques his interest, I would recommend he take a look at the game Kerbal Space Program. It's available on several platforms, and it's a realistic but simplified simulation where you run an air & space program for kerbals (little green men and women). You've got a whole solar system of planets and moons to fly to, a pair of relatively easy moons nearby, as well as planet Kerbin, your home, to explore. KSP rewards planning and persistence. Failing is fun and low-stakes as you learn how to do things, and before long you're flying to the moon, Mun, and sending rovers to Duna (Mars) and Eve (Venus). After that, aircraft on a moon of In addition to a campaign mode, there's also a sandbox mode where everything's unlocked and highly explosive, so there's dramatic fun to be had with experimental rockets. KSP has an excellent player and mod communities, very helpful and encouraging; every day someone new manages that first soft touchdown and are celebrated for it. And there are no shortage of players who find themselves on a career in aerospace because of KSP.
KSP2 is coming out sometime next year, as well.
posted by Sunburnt at 5:27 PM on October 27, 2022
Apollo 11 is great and uses real footage from the mission (it plays a bit loose with that, though). It's entertaining and remarkable. It's streaming on Hulu.
It's not so much into the nitty gritty of how all of it happened, but it's definitely about the process.
posted by edencosmic at 5:32 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
It's not so much into the nitty gritty of how all of it happened, but it's definitely about the process.
posted by edencosmic at 5:32 PM on October 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
As bondcliff suggested, From The Earth To The Moon is the program that most fueled my imagination and really pushed that Space space wanna go to space. SPAAAAAACE! button. I rewatch the entire thing at least once a year.
posted by xedrik at 5:33 PM on October 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by xedrik at 5:33 PM on October 27, 2022 [1 favorite]
I am big into space, I work on space things, I am down at Canaveral more than I care to be most years.
For NASA-related stuff (so, directly relating to the exhibits at KSC) I would go with October Sky, Apollo 13, and Hidden Figures. I would also recommend back episodes of Nova, especially The Planets miniseries and the episode on Solar Impulse. If the kid is into Youtubers, check out Scott Manley who does a great job of space education (and also goofy stuff in Kerbal Space Program which you should also check out if kid likes video games).
(I'm veering off topic now, sorry.)
I read The Right Stuff at a slightly younger age than your kid, I remember being enthralled by it. I have no idea how well it's aged. It may be interesting to read it and then go up and down Cocoa Beach and see how much it's changed.
See a launch. Seriously, see a launch. Catch one at night if you can. If you're going to be in the area over a launch window, hit me up and I'll tell you where to go see it. IF YOU CAN GET ON THE BASE, I will tell you where you can safely watch a launch from the closest possible position. There are a couple other secrets I'll let you in on if you can get driving access.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:07 PM on October 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
For NASA-related stuff (so, directly relating to the exhibits at KSC) I would go with October Sky, Apollo 13, and Hidden Figures. I would also recommend back episodes of Nova, especially The Planets miniseries and the episode on Solar Impulse. If the kid is into Youtubers, check out Scott Manley who does a great job of space education (and also goofy stuff in Kerbal Space Program which you should also check out if kid likes video games).
(I'm veering off topic now, sorry.)
I read The Right Stuff at a slightly younger age than your kid, I remember being enthralled by it. I have no idea how well it's aged. It may be interesting to read it and then go up and down Cocoa Beach and see how much it's changed.
See a launch. Seriously, see a launch. Catch one at night if you can. If you're going to be in the area over a launch window, hit me up and I'll tell you where to go see it. IF YOU CAN GET ON THE BASE, I will tell you where you can safely watch a launch from the closest possible position. There are a couple other secrets I'll let you in on if you can get driving access.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:07 PM on October 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
As others have said:
Apollo 13 for how difficult it was to do what they did, and for the precarious nature of early space travel.
The Martian for the precariousness of it, and how long it takes to get things done when traveling in space, even in our tiny little solar system. Bonus: Scienceing the shit out of it.
But, so many better SF books than movies.
posted by Windopaene at 9:21 PM on October 27, 2022
Apollo 13 for how difficult it was to do what they did, and for the precarious nature of early space travel.
The Martian for the precariousness of it, and how long it takes to get things done when traveling in space, even in our tiny little solar system. Bonus: Scienceing the shit out of it.
But, so many better SF books than movies.
posted by Windopaene at 9:21 PM on October 27, 2022
Seconding 2001; freshman in HS is probably about the right age. Super-duper seconding it if Kid is a film buff/nerd to any extent.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 9:00 AM on October 28, 2022
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 9:00 AM on October 28, 2022
Space is big. Like, really, really big. Nine minutes spent watching the Eames' Powers of Ten could be fun.
posted by homesickness at 11:12 AM on October 28, 2022
posted by homesickness at 11:12 AM on October 28, 2022
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For All Mankind (the 1989 documentary, not the Apple TV series)
posted by box at 3:28 PM on October 27, 2022 [3 favorites]