ANAGRAM

October Sky' best offering of a still-young year

Set in 1957, "October Sky" is based on Homer Hickam, Jr.'s autobiography "Rocket Boys," in which he recounts his struggles as a young man to escape the small mining town where he was born, an escape that would allow him to literally reach for the stars.
Produced by Chuck Gordon, who also produced "Field Of Dreams," this film once again uses similar themes regarding hopes and dreams and the realization that we all have dreams -- they're just not always the same ones.
At times the film becomes a Norman Rockwell painting come to life and it does get a little too cute for its own good -- the later rocket launches actually have cheerleaders from the local high school shaking their pom-poms for the boys (this probably did happen in real life) -- plus, there is no doubt this film could have been made by the public relations office at NASA.