Apollo 13

Right now you can watch Apollo 13 in Australia on Netflix and Foxtel Now, and in the US on Netflix and Philo — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 5,978 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Tom Hanks leads a cast that never overplays its hand. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Apollo 13 is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Apollo 13 earns every emotional beat it goes for. The true story of technical troubles that scuttle the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970, risking the lives of astronaut Jim Lovell and his crew, with the failed journey turning into a thrilling saga of heroism. Drifting more than 200,000 miles from Earth, the astronauts work furiously with the ground crew to avert tragedy. Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. Apollo 13 came out in 1995. The performances in Apollo 13 do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, Apollo 13 delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Tom Hanks anchors a cast that never overplays its hand. The kind of drama that stays with you well after the finale.