An inspirational drama, Akeelah and the Bee is the story of Akeelah Anderson (Palmer), a precocious eleven-year old girl from south Los Angeles with a gift for words. Despite the objections of her mother (Bassett), Akeelah enters various spelling contests, for which she is tutored by the forthright Dr. Larabee (Fishburne), her principal Mr. Welch (Armstrong) and the proud residents of her neighborhood. Akeelah's aptitude earns her an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and in turn united her neighbourhood who witness the courage and inspiration of one amazing little girl.
Starring Julie Walters and newcomer Jamie Bell, the film (based on a real-life story) follows the progress of little Billy Elliot, a motherless 11 year-old from a poor Durham pit village. When young Billy chooses ballet classes over boxing lessons his life is changed forever. He decides to keep the lessons secret from his father, a coal miner, but when his ballet instructor persuades him to try out for the Royal Ballet School in London, Billy must make the choice between family responsibilities and his dreams.
British filmmaking showed much of its potential in this marvellous production chronicling the boyhood experiences of Billy, whose expectations lead no further than following his father into the pits when he reaches manhood. Everything changes when he finds Kes, an injured Kestrel, whom he nurses and cherishes back to health. Their relationship becomes symbolic of a doomed attempt to escape the drudgery of the industrial North. Kes is a marvellous, moving and compassionate film, so realistic that it is often funny. Written and directed by one of the most politically committed of British filmmakers, Kes is an astute authentic analysis of society at large.
Set in 1940s rural France at a school for delinquent or orphaned boys, this timeless story captures a crucial moment in the lives of the boys involved. Ranging from early elementary school level to junior high, the boys struggle for independence and self-expression. They defy authority, especially when it comes from their brutally unfair and abusive headmaster, Rachin (Francois Berleand). The neglect or absence of their families has created disjointed and sullen attitudes in the boys, and only after their teacher, Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot), shows them that he will guide them, befriend them, and teach them by peaking their curiosity, not by insisting or punishing, do they begin to change. The choir he forms, and the songs he teaches the boys, become a source of pride for them, allowing them to rise above the confines of their meagre and stifling school, and dream of a bright future.
Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky. In Coalwood, West Virginia, 1957, coal mining is king and no one can escape life underground. But when high schooler Homer Hickam Jr (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. Based on the book by Homer H. Hickam.
