marcibun

This movie airs once or twice a year and every year I watch it and get caught up in it all over again. Based on a true life event, you can't help but get engrossed as you watch the kids struggling through the horrible flood that would take 10 lives. The film is not without its faults, primarily inaccuracies and embellishments that the film makers thought would make the story more "entertaining". First off, the bus never drove into a river as depicted and the driver got the kids off the bus much faster than portrayed. Secondly, the true "Hero" of the disaster in real life, a young man who saved several friends before last being seen and incidentally was never found, is portrayed as a bit of a "jerk". Unfortunately he never gets the acknowledgement that he truly deserves by the film makers (although in real life President Bush did present a posthumus award in his name). I think that the film would have been just as gripping if the story had been told as it really happened, in fact, it would probably have been even more gut-wrenching if we were allowed to really like and mourn the character. That being said, the movie is well written, well acted and really does pay tribute those 10 who lost their lives in the disaster and to the brave strangers who risked their lives to try to save them. I hope that this movie continues to air, year after year, so that these Children will not be forgotten. True lovers of this movie can now purchase it on DVD.

With the loss of Dawson's Creek from the prime time lineup, I was thirsting for well written, entertaining "drama". Thank heaven for Everwood. The writing is excellent, clearly above the norm for this type of show. The characters are so varied in nature and have such a richness to them that their appeal is multi-generational. I myself, a 30 something housewife and mother of two, find myself glued to the screen every monday night for an hour of sheer enjoyment. Everwood is a guilty pleasure that is sure to be around for many years to come.

Okay, admittedly this is not the best movie ever made. Having said that, there are alot of redeeming qualities to this film that make it worth watching. Greg Kinnear plays a likeable con man who is sentenced to find and keep "real job" for 1 year. He lands one with the postal service in the "Dead Letter" office, working with a bunch of endearing misfits played by Hector Elizondo, Tim Conway and Laurie Metcalf, among others. Kinnears character "Tom" starts to secreatly answer the letters addressed to "God" and without realizing it he begins to care about humanity. By the time the film is over you end up rooting for Tom and just feeling...good. That, in essence is really what this movie is all about. This movie is not meant to make a political, religious or artistic statement, its message is clear - mankind has to take of its own, because "God" works through us and one person CAN make a difference. The soundtrack is better than average featuring an outstanding version of "Dear God" by Midge Ure, which alone is worth renting the movie for. Cynics need not bother, but everyone else sit back, relax and forget your cares for awhile.