My Rating: 3.87/4 (aka Classic must-see)

One line summary: The true story of Jim Lovell and the amazing Apollo 13 mission.

The Deets: In honor of America’s 250th birthday, I was looking for the right movie to celebrate, and I decided on this one – the true story of the Apollo 13 mission in April of 1970, when the entire nation was enraptured and watching what would happen, and whether a small group of NASA engineers would be able to devise a way to bring the three astronauts and the damaged spacecraft safely back to Earth. I always admire a movie like this, based on real events, where the audience knows the outcome and still we are totally drawn in and our brain almost tricks us into thinking that the ending might change this time (“Argo” is another great one in this category). Putting aside the Best Picture snub in favor of “Braveheart” (really??), this is a delicious glass of chocolate milk; it has everything you want and it’s a little bit sweet (some might say just a little too much). The cast is really excellent – Hanks and Ed Harris at their best, a salty Kevin Bacon, the stoic Bill Paxton, and some of the best work of Gary Sinise’s career. The best scene comes when the brilliance of the engineers shines as they need to figure out how to save the astronauts by building a contraption that will filter out carbon dioxide. Ron Howard does wonderful work here, and it’s a 30-year old film that feels as timeless as “Houston, we have a problem…”

Perfect for: If you haven’t seen it and don’t know the story, and if you’re in the mood for a well-crafted true story of a vital moment in American history.

Where to watch: Looks like you can stream it pretty much everywhere including Netflix!

Food pairing: Nothing but the popcorn.