Very seldom do I want to buy and own a movie.
This is one of them. My girlfriend and I stumbled upon this film when my internet (and thereby Netflix) went down last night. KCET just so happened to be airing this "documentary" about the first 50 years of American manned spaceflight. And I hesitate to call it a documentary because it's not what you'd consider a traditional one. There was no agenda, no call to action, no extended interviews.
It was a "film" in the grandest sense, as art. The combination of the cinematography, much of it from NASA's own cameras, some of it previously unseen, the music with original scores made just for this film, and the pacing of these snapshots in time - all culminated in a surreal experience. I literally sat at the edge of my seat, holding my breath. I have never been so enthralled.
The only real negative about the film is the distribution. I couldn't find it easily. I had to go all the way to Amazon.de (Germany) to find it and get it shipped internationally. But that's not necessarily a fault of the film, just its limited distribution.
This is not the film to learn about the American space program. There are plenty of documentaries and books that cover the details. This is a film to experience with your total attention. Turn down the lights, turn up the sound - because you're in for a ride.