A Trip to the Moon

This is a wonderful historical treasure, made with care and skill by one of the masters of early motion pictures. It is also entertaining to watch, in addition to its historical value, since it is loaded with creative ideas both in the story and in the way it was made.

While many of the techniques that Méliès used are now considered outdated, almost of them still hold up well as you watch it. It's fascinating to see the ways that he used his amazing imagination to solve some of the technical challenges, in order to produce the effects that he wanted.

It's equally fascinating to see the conception of space travel (mostly based on Jules Verne). It may have scientific flaws that are known to later generations, and it is sometimes stylized, but it shows marvelous inventiveness. It's no wonder that this is one of the best-remembered films from cinema's earliest years.