The year 2000 was destined to be interesting. Not only was it a leap year, it was the start of a new decade, the start of the 21st century and the debut of a new millennium. The world's computers survived the year 2000, Hillary Clinton was elected to the Senate, and Microsoft was found guilty of violating antitrust laws. It was also the year that 20th Century Fox released Cast Away for American moviegoers. Opening just days before Christmas, box offices nationwide grossed more than $28 million during its first weekend. The film became the third highest-grossing film of the year. FedEx even parodied the film for a Super Bowl commercial. It was the inspiration for the hit television series Lost (Wikipedia). The film's success was a mark of distinction for the director, cast and crew. The film is about Chuck Noland, a man caught up in the fast-paced details of his career and life. He is apparently addicted to time management and even has to schedule time for his girlfriend, Kelly. After surviving a plane crash over the Pacific Ocean, Chuck is abandoned on a small desert island with little chance of rescue. He spends the next four years on the island trying to survive physically and emotionally. According to the director's commentary on the film, Robert Zemeckis admits that the story was Tom Hanks' idea. Hanks hired writer William Broyles Jr. and they worked together on the screenplay. About five years later the film went into production (Cast Away). As he was part of the film's early development, the main character, Chuck Noland, was written with Hanks in mind. In fact, after seeing his sincere and confident performance, it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role. In the center of the paper... Chuck's first initial added to his last name reads "C Noland" or "see no land." Chuck's car license plate, "KAZ 2AY," is equally funny (IMBD). Overwhelmingly, the film is a reminder that many of the old, worn-out clichés we take for granted are more than phrases passed down with little importance. They are the gold of experience left by generations of those who preceded us. Lessons not to be forgotten. Cast Away warns us to take no one for granted, to stop sweating the small stuff, and to live each day as if it were our last. We are shown that no man is an island; we are meant to share life, love and be loved. Chuck's message of hope is perhaps the most important lesson of all: “And I know what I have to do now. I have to keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide might bring” (Cast Away).