Why First Man deserves to win 'Best Motion Picture of the Year'

Directed by Damien Chazelle

Written by Josh Singer

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler

(Spoilers below, and not just about the Moon Landing)

Universal Pictures

As Oscar season approaches, there have been many films that have impressed critics and audiences. But one film that has been left out of major categories in award shows is Damien Chazelle's First Man (2018). The movie tells the story of humanity's most dangerous mission in history told through a realistic perspective of Neil Armstrong and his wife at the time, Janet. There have been many other biopics that have been receiving far more attention than First Man has (Bohemian Rhapsody for starters).

After further speculating, First Man has all the qualifications for being the next Best Picture winner at the 91st Academy Awards.

The Story:

The 1969 Moon Landing is an event that further changed history and mankind as we know it. Children from a very young age are told the story of the manned mission to the Moon. So, making a film about the familiar story in 2018 would've been a challenge. For one, it would be to find a way to surprise the audience, knowing that they have learned the fundamentals of the event. Based on the book by James R. Hansen of the same title, Josh Singer delve deep into the behind-the-scenes of Neil's life months before the event transpired. Much of what disappointed audiences was that Ryan's portrayal of Neil felt underwhelming. According to the book and even the children of Neil, the film almost perfectly portrayed Neil's character. Neil Armstrong was originally a very introverted man, and due to the traumatizing death of his young daughter 'Karen', Ryan Gosling plays a haunted man with an ambition to accomplish a nearly-impossible mission.

According to the film, the story isn't only about the space travel to the Moon. Chazelle dedicates the entire 3rd act to the actual journey to the Moon, but we also learn of the deaths and sacrifices that happened prior to day of the landing. Families are torn apart and many astronaut lives are lost, but NASA dedicated so much financing into the mission that it would be impossible to back out of it. So the weight of this mission was put heavily on Neil's shoulders. It's the unexpected emotions that Gosling and Foy exhibit that make you feel the distance between the family as Apollo 11 draws closer and closer.

The Directing:

Damien Chazelle previously helmed films centered on musicians and the world of music & desire. Chazelle truly exemplifies his versatility as a filmmaker by taking a much more different approach with First Man. The very first shot we see is Neil in the cockpit of the X-15 plane, shaky and discomforting, Chazelle instantly sets the mood/tone for the entire film. The movie has a good amount of unease for many of the scenes in space, whether it's when Neil is retrieving the Agena target vehicle or flying to the Moon. But Chazelle finds a way to balance discomfort with spectacle.

Universal Pictures

With jaw-dropping visual effects and camera movements, First Man is a visceral experience that is unlike many biopics. Lastly, Chazelle introduces the audience to Neil's young daughter, followed immediately with her death. Within the first 15 minutes of the film, we are drawn to the emotional toll Neil has taken and understand his balance between the mission, his family, and the traumatizing death of his first-born daughter. Towards the 3rd act, we find ourselves lost in the mission to the Moon along with the entire United States. But once on the Moon, Neil and the film never forgot about his biggest trauma: the death of his daughter. After all he had been through Neil leaves his daughter's bracelet in a crater, signifying that his mission was for her or for the US. I commend Chazelle for creating a tone that is able to balance fear, spectacle, and desolation.

The Cinematography/Sound Design:

I find it super interesting when director Damien Chazelle and DP Linus Sandgren chose to shoot most of the film on 16mm and 35mm film. The film is presented in almost a documentary style, as if we are in each scene with the characters. This is especially useful when Chazelle puts the camera right in the middle of the cockpit. Shooting close up shots inside the cockpit on 16mm film, the audience is put directly inside situations.

When Neil and Buzz finally land the shuttle on the Lunar surface and open the hatch to exit the shuttle, a quick tracking shot from inside Module to the Moon is breathtaking. I first viewed the film in IMAX, and I found the 16mm film to be amazing to look at. But what impacted me greatly was its transition from 16mm film to IMAX. As the camera draws to the Lunar surface, all of the sound cuts out. As Neil takes his first steps on the Moon, the slow pan and tracking shots prove the beauty this film possesses.

For each scene inside the Apollo Lunar Module or Gemini SC8 spacecraft, the sounds of the rickety spacecrafts show how unsafe it felt to be inside those shuttles. At any given moment, their aircraft could break apart. The mixed foley sounds make it a terrifying ride.

Universal Pictures

The Film Score:

Damien Chazelle and Justin Hurwitz have worked together for all of their projects. Ever since Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Hurwitz has created jazz-influenced film scores. It wasn't until this project came around when Hurwitz displayed his versatility as a film composer and made a film score unlike any other. A film like this could have had a familiar sound with orchestral music. But, Hurwitz brought something new to the table that is coincidentally old at the same time: the theremin. This musical instrument was originally introduced in the late 1920s, but was later used in the 1940s and 50s for sci-fi-related films. Hurwitz uses a classical orchestral score and fuses it with the theremin to create a film score so unique and brilliant, that the film wouldn't work without it. A film score that has a melancholy sound with a patriotism feel.

The score itself signifies the death of the daughter by altering her main theme throughout the film. It's first introduced with a slow pluck of the harp, followed by a low register of strings. By the end of the film, the theme is completely altered by replacing the harp with the theremin. The final cues used while Neil is on the Moon is the main theme to his deceased daughter and denotes the importance of her to the story and to Neil himself.

First Man is far more than just another biopic. The film follows themes of loss and grief, and how one man can use that grief to help take mankind to the Moon. In the process of doing so, complications with his wife and family ensue. We're told a story through the perspective of a man with everything to lose, but risking it all for the sake of the mission. Chazelle mixes spectacle with dissonance, while still telling a true story of Neil's journey to the Moon.

There are many films that will possibly take the title of "Best Picture" at the upcoming Oscars ceremony. Many might disagree with me, which is expected. I'm most likely one of the few people who feel this way, but after multiple viewings of the film, First Man has the capability to take home the ultimate prize at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony.

Universal Pictures

First Man is currently available for purchase on iTunes.

Sources used:

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/first-man-2018

https://www.britannica.com/art/theremin

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213641/technical