WHAT WENT RIGHT?
When I heard these movies were coming, my expectations weren’t great. And yet each of them turned out to be a home run, delighting all those (ok, most of those) who thought the enterprise was doomed from birth.
Judith Guest’s Ordinary People (1980) is an incredible first novel that astonishes with its depth and feeling. So when I heard the movie was to feature comedienne Mary Tyler Moore as the mother, and that it was to be directed (in his first effort) by matinee idol Robert Redford, I despaired. Wrong. Ms. Moore, Donald Sutherland, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton are all absolutely on the mark. Mr. Redford won an Oscar, as did the screen writer, Mr. Hutton, and the picture, itself.
Forrest Gump (1984) is a rather hateful book about a mentally deficient clown from the deep south. I was wondering why they even made it. And it only won six Oscars and deserved every one. The performances director Robert Zemekis gets from his talented cast makes this film both a critical hit and an audience delight. Tom Hanks is perfect as Forrest, and is ably backed up by Sally Field and Gary Sinise. Forrest is present at practically every important event of the 60s, and doesn’t understand any of them.  
The main problem with filming Apollo 13 (1985) isn’t the lack of a good story- the problem is everyone already knows there is a happy ending and the astronauts safely complete the flight. But director Ron Howard and screenwriters William Broyles and Al Reinert turn this into a wonderfully suspenseful film full of drama, excitement and unusually good special effects. And it doesn’t hurt to have Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise in a fine cast. 
J.R.R. Tolkien’s monumental trilogy about Middle Earth, The Lord of the Rings,  is unbeatable cinematic material. But could it satisfy the legion of cult followers and the casual movie-goer? Yes. Peter Jackson has pulled together incredible special effects, a fantastic story, and absolutely breath-taking scenery into one of the truly unforgettable movie experiences. Released in 2001, 2002 and 2003, these are movie movies! And yet, they could not leave well enough alone and the Hobbitt sequels are at best so-so.
Cold Mountain (2003) is a justly-praised first novel by Tar Heel Charles Frazier and perhaps the best civil war novel ever written. So when I heard it was to feature Jude Law (a Brit), Nicole Kidman (an Aussie) and Rene Zelwegger ( a comedienne) , and that it was to be shot in Romania (!), I was all set for it to crash and burn. Instead it soars, bringing the story perfectly to the screen. 
All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are fine for 8 and up.
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