Apollo 13

On a 1970 mission that was supposed to showcase a lunar landing, a sudden malfunction leaves Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert fighting to keep the ship intact. Power drops, oxygen dwindles, and a cascade of failures puts every system under strain. Lovell stays steady at the helm of the crew while the people on the ground at Mission Control, including Flight Director Gene Kranz, race to devise fixes and keep hope alive. The goal shifts from reaching the moon to coming home, as both sides coordinate under crushing time pressure to protect the astronauts.

Directed by Ron Howard and released in 1995, Apollo 13 adapts the real life events from Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, drawing on Lost Moon as its primary source while focusing on the courage and teamwork of the crew.

People remember this movie for its grounded realism and the way engineers and astronauts collaborate under pressure. The line "Houston, we have a problem" became a cultural shorthand for crisis resolve and the idea that calm, careful thinking can outlast fear.

Critics praised its brisk pacing, solid performances, and its balance of drama and technical clarity. Themes of leadership under crisis, the power of teamwork, and human resilience thread through the story, giving a sense of hope even when systems fail.