Name: Hayden Semling

Hour: 6
Date: 3 February 2022

English 12 Capstone
Film Review/Analysis
PART I: Choose a film related to your topic area to watch. (Documentaries are recommended and
strongly encouraged, but not required.) Then, answer the background questions below to create a well
written paragraph. (5 points)

Title of Film: For All Mankind

Genre: Documentary
Date watched: 2/7/22
Personal rating: 9 /10
Explain the rating you awarded: The film was able to compile a healthy amount of information regarding the
background of my topic into an entertaining eighty-minute documentary. One factor to this film that stood out
to me especially is that it was made using entirely primary sourced material such as video and audio recordings
by the astronauts themselves.

PART II: Answer each question below in a well-developed paragraph using professional language and
proper spelling, grammar, and mechanics. Each paragraph is worth 5 points for a total of 35 points.
Remove the questions before submitting.

1. Using authentic footage from NASA and the astronauts themselves, director Al Reinert and his

production crew collected never-before-seen footage and created a one-of-a-kind view of the Apollo

missions to the moon in the documentary For All Mankind. The documentary features video recordings

from Apollo 7’s through 17th’s crew, weaved together to appear as if it’s one single round trip to the

moon. The film opens with Former President Kennedy’s infamous “We choose to go to the moon”

speech at The University of Rice followed by rather intimate close-ups with a team of astronauts as they

prepare to board their spacecraft. Not long after launch, however, the documentary's tone shifts to more

uplifting and joyful as highlights from inside the space shuttles and the moon's surface. For example,

some were comedic yet intriguing like zero gravity and how it can affect day-to-day life such as sleeping

or going to the bathroom. However, on occasion, more serious events were caught on camera, such as
Name: Hayden Semling
Hour: 6
Date: 3 February 2022

Apollo 13’s ruptured oxygen tank. The film concludes with the end of former President Kennedy’s

moon speech reminding the audience that everyone has a right to exploration.

2. I chose For all Mankind as it goes into immense detail about NASA’s missions to the moon in a way

that had never really been done before. My topic of space exploration coincides perfectly with this film

as the Apollo missions are truly the steppingstones for any future space travel such as journeys to Mars.

Along with that, the documentary used entirely real footage filmed by the astronauts themselves so there

was no doubt in credibility, meaning I can comfortably use any information gathered from the film for

my project

3. For All Mankind ties back to the overarching theme of space exploration through various examples

other than the mission to the moon. Providing the viewer with audio clips compiled from different

interviews, the field of aerospace science and engineering was a common talking point. Shining a

spotlight on a relatively new sphere of engineering that, when paired with the private sector, has

transformed the modern-day space industry by allowing many companies to develop and push the

boundaries of space travel at a much quicker rate as opposed to one governmental organization. This has

allowed the occupation to experience exponential growth in recent years, creating jobs opportunities for

a wide range of people due to the sheer broadness of the field. Once en route to the Moon, Reinert shifts

focus to some of the struggles in everyday astronaut life, which were particularly notable. The film

targeted what meals were like and how astronauts use the restroom and work out. However, some pilots

of these missions returned to Earth with joint and bone irregularities, sparking debate on what prolonged

weightlessness and intense radiation from the sun without ozone protection can do to potential

candidates on longer flights in the coming years. Stepping back from a mathematical perspective, the

conclusion of the film left off emphasizing the need to explore which was a powerful closing statement.
Name: Hayden Semling
Hour: 6
Date: 3 February 2022

The magic and wonders of what lies outside our solar system often go unrecognized despite being truly

otherworldly.

4. Reinert’s film aims to highlight many of the historic and legendary achievements of NASA on its

journey to the moon and lay the foundation for the next phase of human exploration. The

Documentary’s goal is to provide a wide range of information to an umbrella of viewers who are

looking for a primary source of information on the background of space travel.

5. Concepts and new ideas were easy to find throughout this documentary. Expanding on the mental health

of astronauts in long-term space flight is an interesting takeaway that will help further research as it is a

unique topic with increasing relevancy. Along with astronaut well-being, the standard of living for

International Space Station occupants was another concept presented in the documentary. Astronauts eat

three meals a day as recommended by doctors; however, it is all freeze-dried, prepacked food that may

struggle to fully compensate for nutrients humans need to function. This topic is especially interesting as

it easily connects to interplanetary and interstellar travel because solving how to maintain an astronaut’s

health when off-planet is a key steppingstone.

6. This film has helped me in my capstone as shows a background of the main theme of my topic and

provides insight as to how far the industry has come as of 2022. Reinert’s documentary also generated a

wide range of new research lanes to peruse such as potential areas of improvement to everyday life for

astronauts aboard spacecraft.

7. The global narrative surrounding space exploration is a positive one and this documentary will

contribute to it. The film portrays a very positive spin on the aerospace industry giving a large amount of
Name: Hayden Semling
Hour: 6
Date: 3 February 2022

attention to the American space programs while addressing the contributions and achievements of the

USSR. One potential negative contribution to the global conversation surrounding this topic is the

overabundance of waste from shuttles, rockets, and satellites collecting in our atmosphere from

deteriorating construction. While this issue has the potential to be harmful back on the ground,

theoretical devices are already being designed and tested to combat the problem and clean up the

garbage before space tourism and explorations growing popularity ultimately becomes its own demise

by cluttering the sky.