User Reviews

This is such a wonderful and charming film - it had a profound effect on me.

Following the reuniting of four exceptional but now elderly astronomers after many years, this documentary is a moving tale of old friendships and four very different but strong characters.

Much, much more than a film about astronomers and their field of work, this is a film about perseverance, determination and mortality. It is incredibly thought-provoking, sad and funny throughout.

Beautifully conceived and directed with some stunning photography. Highly recommended even for those with little interest in the science of astronomy.

This is a wonderful idea for a documentary with true legends in the field of astronomy. Unfortunately it was made entirely unwatchable by a horrible narrator. The narrator's amateurish inflection reminded me of a pretentious elementary school teacher who thinks that what she is saying is far more important than it really is. If done correctly, this documentary could've been done with minimal narration, allowing the subjects to carry the narrative. In the end, the narrator was a most unwelcome distraction who ruined what should've been a very interesting documentary.

Not only is this film educational with very interesting facts about astronomy and astrophysics, it is truly inspirational teaching us numerous life lessons, such as:

-Lifelong friendships

-To never give up no matter what life throws at you to stop or slow you down (like "old age")

-Following your dreams

-That anything is possible if you truly want it bad enough

…and so on!

I highly recommend anyone/everyone to watch this film!

For anyone who enjoys science, I recommend Alison Rose's STARMEN. But more broadly, I would recommend STARMEN to anyone. It represents a warm and intimate exposition on astronomy, age, and life.

Alison Rose follows four retired or semi-retired astronomers on a 50th reunion tour of the United States' Southwest. This subtle premise becomes a much more profound canvas on which to introduce the contributions made to science and astronomy by these four fascinating individuals. The film conveys enough of the science to understand the importance of these men in their field. Yet, Ms. Rose deftly avoids becoming overly technical or lost in the details. Her work and the film represent a wonderful introduction to these scientists and their place in our species' scientific examination of the heavens. And, for those interested in astronomy and science, it encourages further exploration of these four individuals.

Beyond the science, the film represents a warm portrait of four friends coming together after 50 years. All very successful, there exists no professional competition on screen between them. Rather, we join Ms. Rose and the four on their journey and reflection 50 years on.

I believe anyone can enjoy STARMEN. But, I would highly recommend the film as required viewing of any students of any discipline in college or graduate school. Akin to Dr. Keating poetically introducing his students to peers from the past through iconic photographs and their exhortation "Seize the Day," Alison Rose allows us to sit, walk, and converse with these astronomical giants. For those of us closer to the midpoint of our lives (in either direction), the film provides a warm opportunity to learn from our parents' contemporaries.

And to this latter point, I encourage us all - as perhaps Alison Rose suggests - to join our parents and grandparents in a conversation wherein our listening honors the wisdom they possess. Beyond this, we should all communicate with the elders of our respective disciplines and invite them for a walk to do the same. I think they might enjoy it. And, beyond the science, this realization is the subtle beauty of STARMEN and its contribution to astronomy, film, all manner of other disciplines, and our personal lives.

This film is truly inspirational, because it shows that science can be for everyone to enjoy and appreciate, whatever your background. The views of the night sky and the scenery provide a spectacular background for all the anecdotes and interesting discussions that this film contains. So it is well worth watching!

The film demonstrates that Roger Highfield of the Science Museum in London is right to say that science still needs its heroes and that we should not leave scientific discovery to "vast impersonal forces", as Sir Isiah Berlin would say. The movie shows that it takes individual effort, and hard work by groups of individuals who are living to their full potential, in order to really push further the envelope of scientific progress.

Alison E. Rose, the Director, showed great vision in making this inspiring film about Nick Woolf, Roger Griffin, Donald Lynden-Bell and Wallace Sargent, because although veteran astronomers, their intellects remain as impressive as their list of scientific achievements.

Make no mistake, Imdb ratings are misleading. This is an outstanding documentary about 4 old guys, unsung heroes in their field; their get-together and their reflections on their past life and our future. Not only do they speak very wisely, they add in bits of humour and delightful anecdotes on their careers as Astronomers. And each of them has made cutting edge discoveries and advances in their respective fields, but they are modest, dedicated, down to Earth, and in many ways as human as you or I. A humbling experience, and probably the best documentary I have ever seen. I recommend it to everyone, whether or not you care two hoots about Astronomy or not. What a great show!