Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood Review

As a member of gen-Z and a child of the 2000s, it’s sometimes easy to wonder what it would have been like to grow up in the 1960s. Hearing stories from family members and learning about it in school, it was clearly an eventful decade, especially in North America. Technology and television in particular were developing rapidly, the Vietnam war and numerous other political and social issues raged on and caused civilians to stand up against their government, and landmark events such as Woodstock and Expo ‘67 took place. However, it was the moon landing that really defined the era and shaped it as such an exciting and unprecedented time in history. While the 2020s are an unprecedented time in its own right, technology and media has developed to such a degree that it is difficult to be surprised by anything anymore. The 1960s posed their own issues, but it was such a significant turning point in our world, that there is a sense of nostalgia attached to the era that is felt even by those who did not grow up in it. Who better to transport audiences back into the 1960s than the king of nostalgia himself, Richard Linklater.

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is a semi-autobiographical scatterbrained recollection of Linklater’s childhood, exploring his experience growing up in the 1960s, specifically during the space race. Linklater utilizes his signature brand of rotoscoping animation to illustrate his own childhood memories. Much like his best work, the film does not have a conventional plot and structure. Instead, the film focuses on specific moments that equate to a greater whole. Linklater takes a stream of consciousness approach, frequently transitioning between fantasy and reality. Half the film saw him pondering on his fond memories of growing up during that era, while the other half is purely fictional, allowing him to live out his childhood fantasies of traveling to the moon.

It’s truly amazing how much Linklater remembers from his childhood years, and in such great detail. Watching Apollo 10 1/2 is like stepping into his brain and watching fragments of his memories and dreams. Linklater reminisces on growing up in an unprecedented era, where technology was developing rapidly and everything felt new and exciting. He captures the era perfectly down to the most minute detail. The film places an emphasis on the space race leading up to the moon landing, but also covers everything from the Vietnam war to shows and music that were popular at the time. The film feels like a time capsule containing tokens from the 1960s that represent what defined the era.

In the end, Apollo 10 1/2 is clearly a passion project that Linklater made for himself, and that fact may hinder some audiences’ enjoyment of the film. One reason could be its admittedly disjointed nature and its lack of a consistent rhythm. The film also lacks a thematic through-line and poignancy that is present in all of Linklater’s best work. That being said, it is still so meticulously crafted and a true labor of love, that it is difficult not to appreciate it on some level.

The film may not quite be a must-see but it is definitely one worth checking out for any fans of any of Linklater’s other works.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Where to watch Apollo 10 1/2

Tristan French