Just finished watching "Little Children," a film with a powerful message. In this exploration of some of the more tragic manifestations of what it can mean to be human, the medium is Hollywood and the message is profound. Having seen Kate Winslet in just one other film recently---"The Holiday"---I am beginning to redefine her as an actress apart from her role in "Titanic"; she has, I believe, matured into a really fine screen personality, complete with humility and studied devotion to her craft. Although a distinct Kate Winslet personality emerges in each of these two movies, her ability to embrace a scene is evident and very winning. I find her especially engaging in three scenes in these two films: That scene in "The Holiday" when she enters her new vacation abode and responds with most believable fervor; in "Little Children" when she walks in on her husband indulging in cybersex; and finally, when she witnesses the emotional breakdown of a sexual predator grieving over his deceased mother and suffering from his self inflicted wounds. Indeed, we all enter this life and grow into ourselves with some emotional and physical wounding, and those of us who manage to heal some of our deepest wounds will not always escape a crisis provoked by those who have not been able to heal, or by those who have been unwilling to heal, the prospect either too overwhelming or simply not an option.