The Dish

The 1000 ton radio telescope in Parkes, Australia that transmitted Neil Armstrong’s historic first steps on the moon, is the leading character in "The Dish." It’s a movie about local people in a remote community contributing to a crucial moment in the history of the world. Director Rob Sitch ("The Castle") compares the physical scale of human achievements to give perspective to a developing cultural identity. A satellite dish sitting in the middle of an Australian sheep farm might not sound like the most compelling subject to base a story around, but there are hidden charms in this graceful film that add up to something quite out of the ordinary.
Rated PG-13. 100 mins. (B) (Three Stars)