REAL SPACE FLIGHT

We went to see First Man (2018) recently and it occurred to me to wonder if there are many movies about space flight that are non-fiction. I have found four other good films that are about true events in our space program. 
The first entry is aptly named The Right Stuff (1983) taken from the fine book of the same name by Tom Wolfe. It begins with pilots testing the supersonic F1, in which Chuck Yeager (played by Sam Shephard) becomes the first man to break the sound barrier. The film then tracks the progress of the Mercury spacecraft program with Alan Shepard (played by Scott Glenn) the first American to fly a rocket. Then comes John Glenn (played by Ed Harris) who becomes the first American to orbit the earth. All of the astronauts become national heroes, and their stunning expertise and bravery are in full display in this film. It was nominated for eight Academy Award, and won four, all in technical categories.
Ron Howard’s achievement in directing Apollo 13 (1995) is considerable, because everyone in the world knows the ending- Apollo 13 did not crash and burn, but returned safely to earth. And yet, this is one of the most edge-of-your-seat, suspense-filled movies ever made. A stellar cast includes Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris. The special effects are extremely convincing, and this movie will leave you gasping in spite of yourself!
Hubble (2010) was produced exclusively for IMAX but you can rent it. Granted, it loses a lot in the smaller screen format, but is still a worthwhile hour. It is the true story of the attempt to repair the damaged Hubble space telescope by astronauts in zero gravity. It features incredible pictures of galaxies and nebulae, sometimes allowing the viewer to fly through the middle of them. The film is narrated by Leonardo DeCaprio and provides a special journey for the movie-goer. 
Hidden Figures (2016) is a terrific film about African-American women who just happened to be mathematical geniuses, and who provided the data that allowed the space program to go forward. They were treated badly by the brass, and the film shows this happening. It also shows project director Kevin Costner destroying a racially offensive sign, and astronaut John Glenn insisting the women be consulted to solve a thorny problem the program encounters. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae play the math whizzes. Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons and Mr. Costner provide able support. 
And we’re back to First Man, which stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong. This film zeroes in on the life of Armstrong, and the families of the astronauts. Claire Foy is excellent as Armstrong’s wife and Gosling is just right as Armstrong. As in Apollo 13, you already know the ending. The Gemini rocket does just fine and Armstrong walks on the moon (not the Arizona desert!). 
All of the films (except First Man of course) in this article are available on DVD. All are fine for 10 and up.