Darcy Reviews October Sky

Posted on 2009 under Movie Reviews | No Comment

18 Oct

You guys ever go though the bargin bins in walmart’s video sections? If not, you really should. Sometimes, once you get pass all the bad sci fi channel type movies, or the tons of Will Farrell movies, you come up with some really good movies to watch. This is one of them.

October Sky -

“In Coal wood, West Virginia; 1957. Coal mining is king and no one can escape life underground. But when high schooler Homer Hickman Jr, (actor Jake Gyllenhaal) sees the Soviet satellite Sputnik streak overhead, he aims for the stars and a new destiny in this incredible true story of hope, determination and triumph. With the help of his teacher (Laura Dern) and three buddies, Homer sets out to build his own rocket. How Homer overcomes seemingly impossible obstacles, poor education, a disapproving father, (Chris Cooper) and a series of misfires that threaten to flatten his dreams and the town; And fulfills his vision is the launching pad for one of the most timeless, inspirational stories ever brought to the screen,”

This is by far one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I started and stopped this review several times, because I didn’t know where to start first.

Homer grew up in a coalmining town, which was dying. The times were hard back then, the same as now. The small town only had one industry, the mines. So all the boy’s there knew that without money and a good education, that was where they would wind up. Working in the mine. Homer and his friends wanted out of that town, but all though the movie you got the feeling they were trapped. Due to lack of money and lack of scholarships. So the town and the mine itself took on its own role and almost became a character themselves. Even the look of the town was depressing lot of people were moving out and a lot of the shops were closing down.

Homer’s father was one of the best mine workers the town ever had, he was always the trouble shooter and the go to person when something went wrong. Though out the movie, he is struggling to keep the own going and keep the remaining mine workers happy. (Some are trying to form a union.) He is proud of his job and his town, and would love to see Homer working by his side. But as you can see, Homer had greater plans for his life. The character of the father was played very well; you really wanted to hate him at first. He was always onto Homer about giving up on “all this foolishness”, and keeps telling him the only future he had was in these mines. You just wanted to shake him at time and say, look at what your son is trying to do and see how much better things will be. I won’t spoil this movie in anyway, but I will tell you where I was shown the father in a new light and describe for you one of the best sconces in the movie. One of Homer’s friends has lost his father years ago in a mining accident. And is now living with a stepfather who handles his troubles in life by getting drunk and taking it out on his stepson. At one point in the movie, Homer and his dad are riding in their car when they see his friend being yelled at on the street by the stepfather, it looks as if he is going to start beating on him, Homer’s father stops the car, jumps out and tells the boy to get in the car, then he confronts the stepfather. Afterwards he gets back in the car, where the boy is in the backseat crying, Homer’s father turns around and tells him. “I knew your father, he worked for me. He was the best worker I ever had and I was darned proud to call him a friend.” It was such a small thing, but oh so powerful. It made you stop and say, hey wait a minute, there is a lot more to this person than I thought, and I really showed the human side to the character.

Homer himself never gave up No matter how hard things went. Some of the tries and failures with the rocket are both sad and funny at the same time. His friends, older people that helped him behind his father’s back and his teacher were really great on there own. The teacher herself could see that the town was dying around everyone and that the only hope these kids had was a good education and a scholarship to go on to greater things. She was one of the best supporters for Homer. And I really loved her character.

Homer’s mother was also another supporter, but she was more soft spoken and quiet about it all. She helped Homer out of course, but she also trod to reason with the father. You could see how sad she felt at all of her friends, people she had know for years that were leaving the town. She too saw this as perhaps Homer’s only chance at a better life. She was a very strong woman with a lot of inner strength about her.

One more person I wanted to mention was a Russian man who was Homer’s friend. He shared in Homer’s vision and gave him encouragement. When he got to the point to where he too had to go work in the mine, it was a very touching moment. It was hard for Homer and just added to his own struggles.

I don’t want to go farther, because I feel I could spoil this by saying too much. I will urge you to sneak this one out and sit down with you kids and watch this. This is why we should keep NASA going, and why we should encourage hopes and dreams in people. You never know where it will lead, or how much greater the world will become later. Go get this one guys, buy it and love it. It’s all a true story by the way. Homer is still out there, looking up and reaching for the stars.

But wait, I am not done yet with my review, when I sit down and write these up now, I do lot of research. I think that is what is lacking in a lot of reviews. I don’t want to just come in here and say, this movie rocks or this movie sucks. Anyone can do that, I want to give you guys more.

So I went online and looked up Homer, and wow do I have something cool for you guys. As I said, this is a true story, Homer is still out there and he has his own blog.

http://www.homerhickam.com/about/bio.shtml

So here is a the chance to write and talk to a real life hero. And follow what he is doing. I myself have made it my home page and follow his blog every day now.