On July 20, 2019 we will collectively celebrate the first lunar landing’s 50th anniversary.

A little over a month ago I went to see the documentary Apollo 11 in IMAX, and unlike “First Man” I left this film excited and exhilarated.

Apollo 11 covers the entire mission from 6-8 days prior to launch to the astronauts coming out of medical confinement a couple weeks after splashdown. All of this using original footage of the people and events that made up this historic first landing on the Moon.

You hear it and see it as it’s happened. The sights, the sounds, the gathered spectators, the astronauts on their mission, the journalists, the cigarette puffing, launch technicians in their white shirts, and in fact, the whole world is focused on what’s about to play out.

I was amazed at the quality of the film from 50 years ago. Imagine seeing all that original 70mm footage in HD. The sound recorded from mission control (hours and hours of it) was meticulously sifted and matched to the film footage. You are immersed in the sights and sounds of the people, machines and events as they unfold. The film takes you back to July 1969.

The constant reminder of the technology that was cutting edge then and now obsolete is in your face. There were aspects of the mission I knew had occurred but had never seen or heard before, until now. I was giddy as this new film and sound was revealed to me.

The final seconds of the countdown, lift off of the Saturn V beast and its ascent to orbit are nothing less than jaw dropping in IMAX. Almost every major aspect of the Apollo 11 mission, from lift off to splash down is covered in the film . I was glued to my chair. What an amazing film. I can’t recommend it enough.

If you lived through the Apollo 11 mission and recall the launch and lunar landing or maybe you were too young to recall what was happening like me, or were born after it had occurred, you owe it to yourself to see this film. Take a friend and hop on board Apollo 11 for a ride you won’t soon forget.