Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful little film
Review: All the members of the cast are enjoyable and it gives you a new perspective on the moon landing. Not all people who participated in this endevor were in the United States. I highly recommend this film
Rating: 
Summary: One small step.
Review: A not-particularly-funny comedy about the Moon Landing in '69, focusing on the Parkes Radio Telescope and the eggheads who worked there. Who knows how much of it is true -- some reviewers here insist it's basically fiction, which I rather doubt. Clearly, the big radio dish on the sheep farm in Parkes, NSW brought us the first images of Men Walking on the Moon -- why nitpick? The movie is at least gently educational for most Americans who probably never realized Australia's contribution to one of humanity's seminal moments. Problem is, *The Dish* doesn't do much of anything else besides gently educate. Once again we have the cute locals, always bumbling, always well-meaning . . . and always irritatingly, unrealistically, eccentric. This type of movie has practically become a genre for the art-house crowd. (I call it the "Ned Devine Syndrome.") The tone of the thing wavers between tearful pride and bunny-rabbit cuteness -- not a happy combination. And without well-drawn characters (Sam Neill's stoically mushy performance and Patrick Warburton's mannered performance do not mitigate what are, after all, very light sketches), the lack of focus is only more evident.
Rating: 
Summary: Fictional Account of Aussie Support of Apollo 11
Review: While the movie is billed as based on "a true story," the producers totally fabricated their accounts of the Parkes radio telescope support of Apollo 11. After viewing "The Dish" one might think that Parkes was critical to the Moon landing mission. It was NOT!
The Parkes 210-foot antenna DID provide the best TV coverage of the Apollo 11 Moon walk. However, Parkes was not the only station in Australia to track Apollo 11. The primary support was provided by the Honeysuckle Creek Manned Space Flight station located in Canberra. Honeysuckle Creek handled the telemetry, command and voice communications with all Apollo spacecraft. Parkes was only used to provide slightly better TV coverage than obtainable with HSK's smaller 85-foot antenna.
Later, during Apollo 13, Parkes did play a very important role in recovering voice and telemetry data while the astronauts were stretching their battery life to safely return to Earth.
If one does not take this film for more than Aussie entertainment, it makes for a good 101 minutes of DVD enjoyment. Just keep in mind that it is FICTION.
Bill Wood
Retired Apollo Tracking Systems Engineer
Rating:
Summary: Charming!!!
Review: This movie was a delight! The humor was spectacular as was the charm of the characters. I can't recommend this movie more highly. Definitely one of the best movies I've seen in years!!
Rating: 
Summary: Definite addition to my movie library
Review: I was looking over the schedule at the Sundance Film Festival for 2000. Among the offerings was a little noted movie featuring Sam Neill, one of my personal favorites. I was delighted by the sense of the '60's and the gentle humor of the characters involved. Perhaps it was strong language by Australian standards, but I found the language interplay between the Australians and the NASA rep really funny. The musicians interpertation of the American National Anthem struck me as hysterical and somehow appropriate for the times. All together it's a humorous and, for me a very nostalgic movie. Well worth adding to my theater library.
Rating:
Summary: A heavenly little flick
Review: "The Dish" is a square-jawed, by the numbers, small-budget but Hollywood-styled look at a small town making good. However, there are several elements that elevate it above its more pedestrian brethren.The film focuses on a very global (or, more appropriately, universal) story from an odd angle. Its Australian sheep paddock and surrounding small town is, both literally and figuratively, a half a world away from the scientists at NASA. And yet they manage to be right there in the middle of a historic moment. Now, I don't know the veracity of the narrative's claims, but frankly that doesn't matter. It all seemed real (helped by substantial additions to the famous moonwalk footage, prior to the "One small step for man" line). I'll refrain from using the cliché that the dish itself was a character. It's enough to say that it *has* character, stemming from the people who operate it. There's a delicious scene near the beginning where two of the engineers have set up a cricket pitch at its hub. This scene also does wonders in illustrating the enormous size of the thing, for the ball never comes close to going over the side, but rather rolls languidly back to the centre for another whack. Director Rob Sitch has a wonderful time giving us odd angle views of the dish, whether it is shining in the afternoon sun against a backdrop of sheep, or lit up majestically in the night. It is a wonderful visual centrepiece for the film. There is a remarkable subtleness in the way the characters are revealed here. One shining example is the revelation that Sam Neill's character makes about his past. It is hinted at in several different moments, before he corroborates the evidence well into the movie. The audience gets to know the character, intimately, before it can be trusted with his secret. Not that the secret is by any means sordid. It is just the kind of thing that another movie would use to manipulate the audience. Here, you get none of that manipulation. You just get another way of understanding the character better. In speaking of character, I am reminded of my preconceptions regarding the movie. It was marketed as a wacky and kooky Aussie romp. Don't be fooled; it is none of that. Rather, it is a simple comedy where much of the humour comes from character. There's Janine, the pretty girl whose daily sojourns to the dish to bring lunch are nearly halted by her complete inability to drive. There's the mayor, who does his best to reign in his passion even while the eyes of the world are on his little burg. There's the next door neighbour, a young man with military dreams, who goes through single-man formations in the backyard. There's the security guard at the dish, who is equal parts determination and awkwardness. And then there are the dish keepers themselves. Four men who are different in demeanor (and in one case citizenship) but share an intimate dedication to the dish. Sam Neill and Patrick Warburton are the faces you'll recognize here. The other actors are unfamiliar to me, but all do bang-up jobs, especially Kevin Harrington as the possessive dish operator, and Tom Long as a terminally shy engineer with a crush on the comely Janine. "The Dish" will not stay with you for long after it's over. But while you're watching, you won't be able keep the grin off your face.
Rating:
Summary: A SURPRISE PACKAGE
Review: The Dish is about Australia's involvement in the first Lunar Landing in 1969. The movie revolves around a team of Aussie larakins and their commitment to NASA in bringing the first pictures of man on the moon. Based on a true story Sam Neil whom is known from Jurasic Park shines once again in this role as the telescopes director. Produced by the same team that made "The Castle" this movie is essential viewing, with a great soundtrack and extra features on the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific for all nations
Review: I was flying at 30,000 feet on Iceland Air when I saw this movie. At the time I had never heard of it. My husband works with radars so I thought I'll watch it. [....] As an American I still found lots to love about this picture. I am almost 40, but remember very little in detail about my 7th summer. I however share in the pride and worldwide anticipation that this film protrays. Any baby boomer should hear another side of this wonderful story of cooperation and accomplishment. My husband and his co-workers can't wait for the American DVD release.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: This is a great movie. If you are a fan of the space program and/or Sam Niel, you will love this movie.
Rating:
Summary: I've seen this film six times ... and going ...
Review: Much has been said about the sixties tune in the soundtrack. Let me say that the classical music which accompanied the film is also excellent, with original scores from Australian composer, Edmund Choi. I'm sorry to hear that the film has not done so well in the states. This film is an intelligent fact based drama with a touch of humour. All the characters are well casted and interesting, and the plot is well crafted. A good film to show to aspiring science students - to show them that science is not boring, but a daring enterprise! Along with "Shine", I rate them as the best Australian films I've seen. Makes me proud to be an Australian.
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