I haven't felt so connected to a movie, particularly a documentary, in quite some time as I was with “Good Night Oppy,” Ryan White’s inspiring and entertaining account of NASA’s Opportunity rover. During the summer of 2003, the space agency launched two robots on a mission to Mars to look for signs of life. The film recounts the real story of “Oppy,” her sister Spirit, and their remarkable journey on another planet. It's a captivating American narrative about collaboration, commitment, intelligence, and perseverance. Following meticulous planning and design work on the rovers, NASA dispatched the twins to the Red Planet for a pioneering mission—originally projected to last just 90 days. Fortunately, Oppy managed to operate for 15 years, transmitting incredible data and photographs that significantly impacted astronomy and history. Industrial Light & Magic’s photo-real visual effects and animation bring the exploration vividly to life. By interviewing the scientists, engineers, operators, and the dedicated team working behind the scenes, White poignantly portrays the emotional connection that developed between Oppy and her human counterparts on Earth. It's remarkable how easily you become invested in Oppy’s mission. From the initial design to the rover’s first steps, I found myself celebrating with mission control during successes and sharing in their setbacks when they encountered significant challenges. The story is compelling and almost unbelievable, as Oppy and Spirit manage to overcome disaster after disaster, from becoming trapped in sand to enduring lengthy solar and dust storms. I was completely engrossed, eager to learn the fate of these rovers, holding my breath alongside those at NASA. By blending firsthand accounts with CGI sequences that resemble an action film, White makes this story about robotic geologists enjoyable. It’s a captivating and touching documentary that evokes a wide range of emotions. The fact that Oppy and Spirit have a charming quality reminiscent of WALL-E certainly helps. The two rovers start to feel like people, especially when current and former NASA employees discuss Oppy’s age-related issues after years on Mars. She begins to experience something akin to "arthritis" in her “arms,” her vision deteriorates, and she starts having memory problems. It feels inevitable that she will eventually shut down and not restart, and the moment arrives with considerable emotional impact. “Good Night Oppy” is an outstanding documentary that had this astronomy enthusiast beaming. It’s a story about curiosity, exploration, discovery, human ingenuity, and their affection for the little rover that could.

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