Thread by @JonPaula

If you begin Ron Howard's brilliant film, #Apollo13 at 9:17pm ET tonight, Tom Hanks will utter the infamous, "Houston, we have a problem" line *exactly* 50 years after Jim Lovell said it for real - 10:08pm, on April 13, 1970.

If you're watching #Apollo13 ‐ start the film now! 😁

"It's not a miracle. We just decided to go."

What a brilliant screenplay, this. #Apolo13

Reportedly, #Apollo13 is Ron Howard's favorite film of his own... and I'm inclined to agree. Anyone have another pick? A Beautiful Mind? Splash? Davinci Code? Rush?

The hard cut of Bacon celebrating to Sinise processing the news is perfection. Up there with the match/sunset edit in Lawrence Of Arabia as far as scene transitions go. #Apollo13

S o c I i a l d i s t a n c i n g

#Apollo13

Howard's insistence to film portions of #Apollo13 in actual zero-g (filmed in 25 second increments on a parabolic "vomit commit" airplane) makes all the difference selling this story's verisimilitude.

The movie also makes great use of see-saws to create a "weightless" look.

"That's no joke, they'll jump on him."

Little brother Clint Howard with one of my favorite line-reads of #Apollo13.

Xander Berkely plays such an excellent prick. Also happens to feature in roles in three of my all-time favorite 90s films: Terminator 2, #Apollo13, and Air Force One.

"Houston, we have a problem."

Fifty years ago at this exact moment! #apollo13 @tomhanks

Gene Kranz is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

"Let's work the problem people." #Apollo13

The only scene in movie history that can best be described as "tense, aggressive, arithmetic."

Thank God for James Horner's Oscar nominated score. Makes all the difference. #Apollo13

"We gotta find a way to make this fit into the hole for this using nothing but that.” #Apollo13

Horner's score during the carbon dioxide filter sequence is fantastic. #Apollo13

That "leading me home" monologue from Hanks might be my favorite single scene in his entire career. There's something about his enthusiasm that's so comfortable and authentic. #Apollo13

The runner-up scene might be his firing a hand gun at a tank from the end of #SavingPrivateRyan

"Are you boys in the space program too?"

Wish I could have seen #Apollo13 in theaters, cause I bet this got the biggest laugh 🤣

Oh wait. My favorite Tom Hanks scene is his brilliant, heartbreaking monologue from #Castaway, "You never know what the tide may bring." Bump everything else down one 😊

Re-entry time!

"With all due respect, I believe this will be our finest hour." #Apollo13

Oh look, Ron's incessant nepotism continues with an appearance of his dad Rance as the Priest visiting the Lovell's home. #Apollo13

Ed Harris stifled cry is such an emotional release at the end of such a tense scene. Shame he still hasn't won an Oscar, but admittedly Kevin Spacey in #TheUsualSuspects was better that year... #apollo13

"When will we be going back? And who will that be?"

Such a good closing! I fucking love film. One of only three I've bought on VHS, DVD, and BluRay. #Apollo13

Thanks for joining me for this anniversary live-tweet. 🚀 Maybe we'll do it again for tomorrow for Titanic? Hahah....

Here's a quickie review of #Apollo13 I wrote on my phone while falling asleep... letterboxd.com/jonpaula/film/…