Apollo 13 - Howard's Gotta Point to Something

Alright film fans, I finally got around to rewatching Apollo 13 last night, and man, does Ron Howard know how to manufacture tension. I'm usually more of a director-focused viewer, you know, digging deep into their style and recurring themes, and I gotta say, while Howard isn't always mind-blowing, he's undeniably good at crafting a compelling narrative. You feel that claustrophobia in the capsule, the desperation in Mission Control, the sheer panic as things go from bad to worse. The way he builds that sense of impending doom is really effective. Obviously, a lot of it comes down to the true story itself. It's inherently dramatic. But Howard really nails the details, from the technical jargon that somehow feels understandable (thanks, Ed Harris!) to the family dynamic back home with Marilyn Lovell (Kathleen Quinlan). I especially loved the scene where they're trying to figure out how to fit the square CO2 scrubber into the round hole – such a simple, visual representation of the problem they're facing. And yeah, I teared up a little at the end, sue me. It's hard not to get invested. It's interesting to see this early in Hanks' career too, because he's already locked in as the dependable, everyman hero. Kinda makes me wonder where he goes after this role, because Lovell isn't a showboat kind of character, but Hanks manages to infuse it with a quiet strength. I'd say this movie is a great example of how a director can elevate a potentially dry historical event into something genuinely thrilling and emotional. Sure, it's a bit sentimental at times, but hey, it's Ron Howard. Honestly, I think I underrated this one back in the day. It's not a groundbreaking movie in terms of, like, visual style or anything, but it's just so well-constructed and performed. I'm gonna have to revisit more of Howard's filmography soon. Any recommendations beyond the usual suspects? Lemme know!