One giant leap for mankind: "First Man" Really Hits Home

In "First Man", we are given a historical account of the first mission to the moon from the perspective of NASA astronaut and engineer, Neil Armstrong, played by Ryan Gosling.

Gosling does an excellent job of tapping into the heart of Armstrong and helping to re-create an accurate portrayal of the astronaut's emotional life.

In "First Man", we are shown a different side of Neil. We see the family man as he struggles to overcome the deep and profound loss of his two-year-old daughter to a tumor.

From a cinematographer's perspective, I wasn't too thrilled with the shaky handheld nor the extreme close-ups in the beginning of the film, but mid-way through, I realized how effective this story-telling tool was in helping the audience to connect with the astronauts and vicariously experience their journey to space.

Damien Chazelle (Lala Land) takes us on a visceral and experiential journey that at times feels claustrophobic and other times, euphoric as we follow Neil down the ladder and watch in awed silence as he places his space suited foot on the moon.

Rating: B