Jeanskynebu
the audience applauded
Huievest
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
merklekranz
Failed mish-mash of adolescent drama, preachy ecologic messages, and very weak sci-fi. The astronaut scenes on the moon look like they were filmed for a "Saturday Night Live" episode. In other words, all credibility flies out the window. Christian Slater as the aspiring astronaut, idolizes astronaut Martin Sheen who returned from the moon with a secret. The script is simplistic, preachy, and contrived. The relationship problems are simplistic, preachy, and boring. Throw in a jab at NASA for layoffs, a save the whales message, a moon crater no deeper than a backyard swimming pool, and finally the no surprise ending, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know this is a dud. - MERK
penhallegowj
When I read the description, and the film's title, I was expecting some pretty cheesy 80's TV treacle. However, as a sucker for movies that involve NASA in some regard, particularly those that deal with the Apollo Program, I had to give it a try.I was very surprised, then, to find myself being drawn into it and caring about the characters. It was much better than I had expected, and the performances were quite solid. Sheen and Foxworth were very good, Slater was reasonably believable, and Abraham stole his scenes. The female characters were sympathetic and believable. I was also surprised how front and center Apollo was - it didn't just serve as a disposable backdrop for the drama. All in all Beyond the Stars was well worth the viewing, but I agree that the sci-fi ending did cheapen the drama slightly. And the title - whew - they could have done better than that! I have to chuckle, however, at a description I read of Slater's character being a "troubled" teenager. Ha! Most people should be so lucky to have a kid that respects his parents, wants to follow in his dad's footsteps and study science and math, and plans to go to MIT. Yeah - that kid's a real disaster.Anyway, a few of the technical space details were off (particularly during the Huntsville trip), and the music was pretty dated, but those are mostly nits. Overall this was a reasonably intelligent and mature drama with a strong Apollo background - and an unexpected pleasure.
endymion9
Unlike the other commenter, I found this movie very enjoyable. It is the type of movie you might find in the "Under $5" bin and after watching think "Wow, how did this movie get overlooked?"I found the relationships handled very well. Father/son Future stepmother/stepson NASA engineer vs. NASA pilot conflict Boyfriend/girlfriendI found Slater very believable and thought he and D'Abo played very well together as bf/gf. I thought Foxsworth and Sheen's confrontation was the highlight of the movie.F.Murray Abraham shines in his small role also.The only weak part of this movie, for me, is the scifi thrown in near the end. I bought the movie looking for scifi. I feel in love with the drama, then found myself wishing they left the scifi out at the end and stuck to the well done drama.Don't miss this one if you can find it. Very emotional movie, IMHO.
rustym
Beyond the Stars is one of those surprising movies. It has a great cast that give very good performances despite the low-budget feel of the film. While the underlying subjects of the movie may not apeal to many people, the time-honored coming of age story that involves all of the main characters should be appreciated by the most basic of movie viewers.The surprising "twist," which is not much of a twist at all, is a nice addition for those that are the "dreamers" for whom the film was obviously written. Beyond the Stars is a much under-appreciated film that deserves a look. I'm sure you'll be surprised as well.
