Where were those stickers with the faces of the idols? What happened to the first vinyl? What is the state of those childhood ideals? How many dreams have come true as adults? Did the space race exist before this moment when the moon seems closer than ever? does anyone remember Neil Armstrong? These are just some of the questions Apollo 10½: a space childhoodto the new movie netflixinvites us to reflect with nostalgia.
Yes, nostalgic. The production reviews various events that progressively marked the Generation X. They serve as an excuse to talk about some of the topics mentioned above in the form of questions. These events are portrayed through the eyes of a child who, growing up, encounters all of these advancements.
They may seem anachronistic today, but there was a time when the future couldn’t be more exciting for many. Apollo 10½: a space childhood recreates part of that moment, all laughing, making a child the protagonist of much of what happens. This perspective allows him to look at this past with humor and nostalgia. This is one of the messages of history: of the past, at least, we can laugh.
the aesthetics of Apollo 10½: a space childhood
It can be uncomfortable but, yes, it is part of the narrative meaning that the movie. Although it may seem strange, because it is a cartoon, a kind of comic strip taken from another era, it is a statement of the principles of the story: indeed, it is acts for the viewer to be located in this historic moment, free from so much advancement in technology. . Recreating that experience without making it seem completely outdated while retaining its essence is one of the film’s accomplishments.
It is the vehicle through which all the elements of the narrative are linked, from musical references to politics, to different products and relevant historical events. An American family describes a society and its relationship with different events that, in retrospect, marked a before and after. Something parodic is perceived in the tone, as if she were looking at herself and saying: what idiots we were back then Where have we really achieved it?
It is not excluded that, following this line, some viewers may interpret it as a complete parody, a film to laugh at the past and even suggest that it was all a lie. Yes, there can always be someone who is interested in conspiracy theories or promises full of lies. Returning to the film, he knows how to handle the file to deepen various aspects and recall, in an almost documentary way, part of the most important contemporary history of humanity.
Nostalgia, this inexhaustible resource
If we had to sum it up in a hurry, Apollo 10½: a space childhood could remain in the above, a historical event recreated and told from a child’s point of view. Does it pay that much? The fact, perhaps not (beyond possible passionate readings, interpretations and studies). Corn being contextualized in various side events, to the time it was produced, the series exudes an inevitable evocative and nostalgic sense.
Then suddenly those dreams that were had shine again; these vinyls always look attractive; this represented moment allows us to remember someone or a more personal event; the forgotten stickers in the drawers are dusted off to be looked at again with enthusiasm. This Netflix film moves in these waters, between wanting to remember part of a key moment for humanity and relive an entire era through its music, its artists, its advances and its fears.
So this journey back resonates in the present because part of this story runs through all the generations that followed after X. Apollo 10½: a space childhood pays homage to everyone involved in space travel, without getting into corny or boring areas. It might not be Netflix’s most appealing bet, but it’s smart and well done.
