M15

Walk. Ride. Rodeo.

Director: Conor Allyn. * Cast: Missi Pyle, Spencer Locke, Bailey Chase, Sherri Shepherd, Corbin Bleu (2019. 99 minutes)

This is an inspiring true story of a woman’s triumph over tragedy, and a tribute to her mother’s heroism. Nineteen-year-old Amberley Snyder is all set to be a national champion in the sport that she loves—horse-riding and rodeo.  But her dreams crash when she sustains a severe spinal injury in a highway accident. Paralyzed below her waist, Amberly (called Am) has to confront the harsh truth of a life confined to the wheelchair. Her mother Tina has a hard time with the desperate, disillusioned, angry and self-pitying daughter. Am’s physiotherapist Diego patiently and firmly helps her back to physical and mental strength. Diego promises her that she will “walk, ride and rodeo” as she wishes. Am reaches out to another victim in similar conditions to bring him back from despair. Her online friend Tate Watkins would not give up on her; so too her family. She is persuaded to get back on her horse with the help of a specially designed saddle. Soon she begins to train for events. She hides a serious injury from her family which nearly costs her life. Her mother Tina once again rises to the situation. Am recovers and participates in the American Rodeo. Tate comes to help her; they fall in love. Eighteen months after her crippling accident, Amberley realizes that she can be doing the very thing that she had thought impossible.  Tina tells her: “You may have lost the use of your legs, but it’s opened up your heart.” Though short of a mere 0.6 seconds, Amberely is the star of the day. She who had asked why God made her a cripple now realizes that “everything happens for a reason, and there’s a reason this happened to me.” She hopes that one day she will be able to walk too.

 

First Man

Director: Damien Chazelle * Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds (2018. 141 minutes)

This is the personal story behind Neil Armstrong’s much celebrated moon landing. As a test pilot with the NASA in 1961, Neil has frequent mishaps flying rocket-powered space planes. emotional stress on account of his infant daughter Karen, dying of brain tumor. Karen’s death leaves Neil and his wife Janet heart-broken. In the space race, the Soviet Union is ahead of the USA, putting the first man in space and the first walk in space. Inspired by Kennedy’s dream of moon landing, the NASA starts its new phase in space exploration. Armstrong applies, though unsure of being chosen, and is selected. The risks of space travel become tragically evident when his colleagues Charles Basset and Elliot See are killed in a supersonic jet crash. But his loss and grief do not deter him. Gemini8 is successful in joining with Agena, a target vehicle in space. However, a serious malfunction forces Armstrong to abort the mission and narrowly escape death. Armstrong is drafted into the Apollo mission. During the launch, Apollo 1 catches fire. Two astronauts are lost. Armstrong has another narrow escape from death while doing the test flight of the Lunar landing vehicle. When the Apollo 11 is underway, Neill is in severe emotional stress and distances himself from his family. Before Amstrong leaves home to prepare for the launch, Janet confronts him with the possibility of his not returning and prevails on him to talk to their sons of the seriousness of the situation and say goodbyes. He obliges.  On 16 July 1969,  Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins launch into space in Apollo 11, entering the lunar orbit on the 19th.  On July 20, Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin successfully maneuver the Lunar module Eagle through a rough landing, with just thirty seconds of fuel remaining. The first human landing on the moon is watched on Television by 530 million people around the world. Armstrong’s first words on the moon are well known. “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Near the landing place there is a deep crater. Into it Amstrong drops his late daughter Karen’s bracelet.

 

Prof Gigy Joseph

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