The messages of hope and perseverance are powerful in this movie. However, there is some language that is not appropriate for a PG movie (A**, Sonofab****, S**** etc) and there are some inappropriate sexual references involving teens. Preview it before watching with the kids...
October Sky
(1999, Rated PG, Drama, Starring Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Jake Gyllenhaal)Most Recent Reviews
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Awesome message, language is a bit gritty.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Inspiring Family Film for All! A Must-See!
OCTOBER SKY is the best. Here we have pin-point acting, marvelous directing, and an inspiring story about tolerance and following your dreams. It's beautiful. After teen Homer Hickam sees Sputnik race across the sky, he is determined to build rockets. One would think that's okay, but it's hard for Homer. He lives in Coalwood, a small, no-name town that relies on its coal mine for everything. To sum it up: No coal mine, no Coalwood. Homer's efforts are discouraged constantly by his miner father and his school principal, but are encouraged by schoolteacher Miss Riley and his mother. So Homer and his buddies hike a few miles, build a launch pad, and let the rockets fly. (SPOILER) Their brilliant work leads to victory at the nationwide science fair. Cursing is strong for a PG rating, but not as frequent as BACK TO THE FUTURE. "b**ch", "a*s", "da*n", and "s**t" are used many times. There is really no sex outside of teenage boys planning to wrap their arms around pretty girls, and the only violence is when a boy is briefly and non-graphically beat by his step-father. The beating is halted by Homer's dad. Really, OCTOBER SKY is the best. It's all you can hope for from movies. The acting is perfect, especially Laura Dern, who is an on-screen gem as Miss Riley. Watch it with your whole family and enjoy. This movie is a perfect example of what attracted us to movies in the first place. Highly reccommended.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Perfect family movie, or just to watch by yourself! Best movie ever!
I absolutely fell in love with this movie when I first saw it. I saw October Sky 6 times, and never get tired of it! One of the best movies I have ever seen. Very heart-warming and inspiring.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Best Movie I Ever Saw
I loved this movie, my 6th grade science teacher showed it to me just this year. We were doing a rocket unit was why, and I thought it was phenomenal.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Meh...
Am I the only one who didn't really like this movie? Well, I thought it was decent, wholesome family entertainment, but had a feeling of 'been there done that' to it. It's just another inspirational 'true story' kind of film, that's been done countless times before. But the main problem with 'October Sky' was the ending, which I found to be overly sentimental and rather corny, and caused some unintentional laughs from me. Overall, I thought this was an okay movie-mildly entertaining, and has a good cast, but far too sentimental, and the whole thing is more unexciting than inspiring.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A definate must-see.
This is an inspiring movie that will move you and your children. It sends a powerful and good message about following your dreams. There is very little sexual content and some language, but nothing that should stop you from watching it...I highly reccomend it to everyone! Great for 11+
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A great movie
This is an excellent movie, which is very inspiring. However, there are a few sexual references, and Homer and his girlfriend are shown in a steamed-up car. There is also some strong language for a PG.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it

