Why so much hype?

Truly Dreadful Film

A Brilliant Conflict

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

It's May 2009. Seven astronauts on-board the Space Shuttle Atlantis are on a mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope. I watched this from the DVD. I'm sure the 3D was amazing although I'm guessing some parts are more conducive to it than others. This should be much more of a thrill ride. There is a bit of information, a little behind-the-scene, and some traveling into the stars. There is a bit too much floating in space footage although the 3D may be fun to have the stars float around the audience. I'm surprised that re-entry and landing is missing from the film. I suspect that's some of the most thrilling aspect of a Space Shuttle ride.

This is a 44-minute documentary from five years ago on how the Hubble telescope was fixed. It's directed by Toni Myers, a man who has been working on scientific documentaries for several decades now. He also came up with the script with two other writers, three people maybe a bit much for under an hour. Also I was not too fond of the narration. The contents are sometimes way over the top and unnecessarily dramatic. The main reason why this documentary is maybe the most famous IMAX movie is because of who narrates it: Leonardo Di Caprio. However, I don't really think he is as good as narrator as an actor, even if he really gives his best. I did not really appreciate this documentary, maybe because I am off the opinion that we should first explore our own planet before digging deep into space. This way we could also avoid the unnecessary loss of lives like with the Columbia disaster, which is also referenced in here once. All in all, I have no real interest to watch these 44 minutes again and I don't really take away anything from it other than knowing that Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was a wonderful artist and his song "Over the Rainbow" is a masterpiece. Still, that is not enough, Not recommended.

This documentary recounts the space missions deployed to make and fix the giant space telescope that sends back to Earth countless stunning images of the Universe. I watched it in Imax 3D, and I can honestly say the visual effects are stunning. Forget about any other 3D films out there, this is by far the best. Every scene had amazing visual depth, and I felt as if I was right there, watching the space shuttle launches. The space scenes are amazing too, and I remember vividly s scene where an astronaut's gear dangling in space, so three dimensional and so real, as if I was watching the astronaut close up in real life. The scenes of celestial bodies are so beautiful, and I thought u was traveling in space. I was so entranced by the film. It's a must see.

Most of the 3D movies coming out these days are simply exploits by the film companies to cash in on the present 3D craze. This is NOT one of those films. 3D is everything in this presentation. If you are not able to see it in IMAX 3D I wouldn't bother. The movie is fascinating when it comes to explaining the difficulties in having to repair and upgrade a technological marvel. But,in 3D you are put seemingly inches away from an astronaut who is prepped for the coming mission, and right there as astronauts try to install new equipment into tight-fitting spots on the telescope. But, to me, the real worth of this film is seeing the expanse of the universe in 3D and seeing the incredible beauty of what is out there. You cannot possibly experience this without the 3D. As the telescope zooms through galaxies we see stars fly into the audience and past us as we reach deeper into space. I guarantee that most, after having seen this wonderful film in 3D will admit that they previously had no real concept of the vastness of space, and the endless billions of galactic bodies. Only the 3D experience makes it possible to wrap our brains around at least a small degree of understanding of how big our universe is, and the infinite galaxies which seem exist, let alone the billions and billions of stars(to quote the late Carl Sagen). I rate this 8 out of 10, subtracting 2 stars (no pun intended) because the film left me craving for more scientific explanation about the amazing details of the spacial orbs and expanses we see visually.