October Sky (1999)

October Sky: Directed by Joe Johnston. With Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen. The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner’s son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father’s wishes.

“I have yet to read u0026quot;The Rocket Boysu0026quot;, the book upon which this film is based, but this situation will not continue! I did read a short story by Hickam which was apparently the seed that started him on the novel. It grabbed me even then.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI am one of those fortunate enough to have lived adjacent to Cape Canaveral during the Mercury program, where my father worked, and this childhood situation no doubt fostered my lifelong interests and hobbies. I also met Werner von Braun, and one of the other German rocket scientists repaired a rubber band driven model plane I had (I WISH I still had that plane!) I mention this because I went into the movie with serious expectations and very much desired to see a film with authentic treatments for the nostalgia and emotions of the period.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI was not disappointed. While there were superficial flaws here and there, the movie came together like so few Hollywood films do. Good storytelling, authentic emotions and period atmosphere. As others have experienced at this excellent film, I was choked up at the end and had to wipe away the tears. The father of the family next to me asked to borrow my spare paper napkin to wipe his tears. About half the audience applauded at the end, and most everyone stayed through the credits. Itu0026#39;s just one of those films.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNot the greatest movie ever made, but one of the best family movies in a long time.”