This may be a "cartoon," but it gets me reaching for the tissue just as much as It's A Wonderful Life does!!! There's a sort of Bedford Falls feel to this mini-movie--especially, when you've seen it before--where you're seeing Miles (a twelve year old boy who would rather be playing baseball than studying) waking up in his "loaded" room.
His business-owner mother tells him that there won't be any baseball practice until he does his homework--which doesn't set well with him.
She reminds him to take his permission slip in for the field trip, and he mumbles something about going to "that dumb museum." And so his day begins--first with running from Kyle, the local bully. Of course, Miles gets away from him when he hops on the bus going to school, and the bus driver won't let Kyle get on, meaning that he'll be showing up for class late, because his disagreeable dad has to drive him there.
In class, Miles is happy to see his very best friend, Randy and is even more glad when Randy becomes part of his team for reporting on the field trip.
Other members of the team will be Kyle and Maria (a gifted young lady who has gotten into this class by being skipped a couple of grades--and who thinks that she's gotten stuck with three immature boys).
Mrs. Clark, their teacher, takes Miles aside and warns him that he's going to have to repeat a grade if he doesn't bring his grades up--starting with a report on the day's field trip, which is going to a museum about some guy who lived in "prehistoric times" who did some nice things "back then" but didn't have much relevancy in his own life (or so he thinks).
That man, as it turns out, is Martin Luther King, and the museum is the home in which he grew up. Because he sees a ball and bat in there, along with a picture of Martin playing baseball, Miles begins to develop a little interest in him. He and Randy decide to explore the room (which has been roped off), but are caught by the museum director.
But she's nice about it and tells them to go ahead and look around, saying that there's something magic about the room, and that she always likes to wind up this old watch in there for some reason.
In short, Miles and Randy go back in time and get to know Martin in different stages of his life--starting back when he was their age.
Eventually, Kyle and Maria will be sharing part of that journey with them.
I won't spoil this for you except to say that it will remind you of It's A Wonderful Life.
Things about his life that Miles took for granted suddenly become very precious to him, and he realizes how important Martin Luther King, Jr. was way back before he was born in shaping his present day world.
Also, that it's important for him to carry on his dream.
Even Kyle, the former bully, changes for the better by the end of the movie, and Maria (who also owes a lot to Dr. King for where she is today) becomes more tolerant of those "immature" boys.
At only a little over an hour long, it isn't too time consuming--and, if you're like me, you'll want to see it again and again!
