Chris reviews... For All Mankind (1989)

Thanks to "Star Trek", I became a huge space nerd when I was a kid. I even seriously considered becoming an astronaut at one point because of it. Like with a lot of other movies, I would've never known about For All Mankind if it wasn't in the Criterion Collection, and, once again, I must extend thanks to them for being the definitive source of essential movie viewing.

I've seen countless documentaries about space exploration, but this is by far the most in-depth. Not only is it about the most famous space missions of all-time (the Apollo flights), but it is also narrated by the astronauts and crew members themselves. Listening to them talk about their experience while watching the breathtaking footage is unparalleled. To have taken part in something that mind-blowing would have to be the closest thing one would get to experiencing nirvana and gaining a personal perspective on the true meaning of life.

Speaking of the cinematography, it is the most stunning I've ever seen in a documentary. I know that docs aren't famous for their camera work anyway, but this one is unrivaled. And, considering the source material, it was essential that it look good and it exceeded expectations in every way conceivable. The opening scene depicting the rocket launch is especially beautiful.

I've seen quite a few documentaries in my life, so I think I can safely say that if this isn't the greatest one of all-time, it's damn close. That makes it an essential DVD, which is no less than you could expect from Criterion.