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I enjoyed the movie.
I think the close-up shaky-camera work was to create a sense of just how tight the cockpits were and just how much the rockets shook on take-off. It seemed they wanted me to feel like I was in the seat, and it worked for me. But I do understand the complaints.
The Gemini 8 mission caught me off guard. I really felt like I was there for those scenes! I was panicking in exactly the way Neil wasn't!
I really only knew about the Apollo missions. I was born in 66 and don't actually remember watching Apollo 11. I barely remember watching one of the later moon missions later in school.
The Apollo 1 fire was very intense, also. It took a lot longer that I had thought. I wasn't aware that they had been aware of the fire for so long. I had always thought it was a momentary flash for them.
And the moon landing was extremely well done! It really gave a sense of just how close to the wire the landing was, but Neil kept his composure and made it sound like the most boring thing he'd ever done. Listening to the audio, CAPCOM's reply about everyone about to turn blue always seemed out of place until you know just how close they came to not making it back.
I saw Buzz once at a book signing last year. I wouldn't call him a publicity seeker, but he doesn't hide from it the way Neil did. Neil seemed to view everything as just what happened to fall into place for him. He never pushed or even asked for anything in the program except the chance to do his best. Buzz seemed a bit more driven and losing first step seems to have weighed heavily on him for quite a while. Now he prefers to talk about being on the first mission with Neil. I'm sure NASA understood both men and chose their roles according to the best needs of the mission.
I just hope SpaceX can get us back on the path to space exploration again.
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