Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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Jay W @RT52162311 Aug 5, 2026 The movie is mainly divided into two halves. Half of the movie is about a young boy named Stan as he lands on the moon in a stop secret Apollo mission. And the other half is just about an older Stan, played by Jack Black, reminiscing about his childhood in the 1960's. In a big surprise, the latter part was the far more engaging and interesting sections of the movie. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Apr 4, 2026 Funny in 1 hour and 38 minutes. Only on Netflix. See more BadNews R @TheMovieSearch Sep 7, 2025 🚀 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 Apr 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 Apr 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 Feb 26, 2024 It may not progress beyond Linklater's personal nostalgic musings but it is undeniably delightful. See more Read all reviews

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

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