October Sky (8.5/10)

This is a 1999 true story starring a young Jake Gyllenhaal, years before he became a household name. A film being based on a true story always gives it a bit of a boost for me, and this one has the added bonus of being genuinely different from most. The acting is solid but nothing crazy, and it’s good for a late-’90s film. It’s also an easy watch that moves along without asking too much. It’s a worthwhile, feel-good pick if you’re in the mood for something inspiring and rooted in real events."John Hickam is a West Virginia coal miner who loves his job and expects his sons, Jim and Homer, to follow in his footsteps. But Jim gets a football scholarship, and Homer becomes interested in rocket science after seeing Sputnik 1 crossing the sky. John disapproves of his son's new mania, but Homer begins building rockets with the help of friends and a sympathetic teacher. Rocketry, he hopes, will prove his ticket to a better life."