SUSPEND BELIEF...

Rating: 10/10 (6 July 2003)

Take a second and consider the similarities between APOLLO 13 and TITANIC... you'd have to be a dolt not to know how both of these film were gonna end but think about the leeway James Cameron had over Ron Howard in the fictionalization department. Howard has accomplished something truly remarkable with APOLLO 13--- he's skillfully wrought out the personalities of (mostly still) living people and makes care about the dire peril they faced. While not diminishing Cameron's accomplishments with TITANIC (I had to be dragged into it, but found it affective), APOLLO 13 is the standard for all fact-based films in the future. Side note: Tom Hanks has worked on two continuation projects where you get the feeling he didn't want to let go of the subject matter: after APOLLO 13 (RACE TO THE MOON) and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (BAND OF BROTHERS), which is some kind of testimonial to the impact he felt in being involved with these projects. This was absolutely THE BEST film I saw during 1995 and deserves to be a part of any DVD library. Ron Howard easily ranks as one of the most compelling directors ever to work in Hollywood.