Dead Poets Society

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: No matter how many times I watch a particular movie, certain ones have a way of moving me. Dead Poets Society was one of them. It was the most influential film I had ever watched, and the only one that I could relate to directly and indirectly.

Robin Williams as the English teacher(John Keating) who brought enthusiasm to the class of young scholars whose only sense of fun was spending time together in their study groups. Keating didn't conduct an in your face teaching and he didn't spoon feed the boys in his class. He simply opened the minds to those who only thought that going to prep school was the easiest way to get to Harvard. No matter what direction in life one was taking, he used poetry as a way of expression. As in any formal environment--follow the straight and narrow, free thinking is the antagonist--there shouldn't be any curves or turns. This movie was high with emotions and of course relationships. I particular thought Ethan Hawke's performance was very convincing. If you've ever been a situation like Hawke's character, you would know what I mean. Watch the movie and you'll understand. The struggling relationhip between Robert Sean Leonard's character and his father was very realistic in someone who's dying to break free from parental influence.

As in any movie depicting honor and respect(School Ties and Scent of a Woman), someone suffers the consequences, but no one is left standing alone. Among the circle of friends, those you thought was invincible turned out to be less of your expectations and the movie was good at presenting the scenario.

If you like a movie that doesn't preach to you, but nourishes your mind with words to ponder, or words of encouragement, I recommend Dead Poets Society.

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE IS LIFE CHANGING,BEST EVER
Review: I first saw this movie on its original release in 1989 and can genuinely say that it completely changed my life,I was 22 at the time and with no particular direction in life.It quickly became my favorite film ever and I couldnt get enough of it seeing it as much as I could while it was in release than snaffling it up when it came out on video.I also bought the soundtrack on cassette and cant wait to get it on CD.I also would love to put my own dead poets society together if I can find the guys to do it,if I do I have the perfect book,the Oxford book of english verse,which covers the history of poetry to about 1930 and includes American and English poets with the notable exception of Robert Frost.Im dying to go to St Andrews where it was filmed and Im also a fledgling poet,hoping to publish a book of poetry one day even if I have to do it myself. To the movie itself it is a true masterpiece,everything is perfect,especially the actors and the brilliant photography.The script is a work of genius and well deserved its oscar and in a perfect world would have won many others not least for best film,lead actor for Robin Williams and supporting actor for the wonderful Robert Sean Leonard. I definately recommend this film to anyone with a heart and soul for it will truly turn you on to life and its possibilities like no other. Carpe Diem. That same flower that smiles today tomorrow will be dying

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Story
Review: This is by far one of my favorite movies of all time. The movie takes place in the 1950's in a school based on realism and not romanticism. Mr. Keating, played by Robin Williams, is a new english teacher and former student of Welton Academy. He plays a man with an unorthadox approach to teaching who pushes the boys to be individuals and to "seize the day". Also, he is the one to take from Walt Withman's poem, O Captain, My Captain, and told the boys to call him that. That is probably the most memorable qoute from the movie.
The main story focuses on a group of boys who are all different from one another. Neil Perry, played by Robert Sean Loenard, wants more than anything to become an actor, the opposite of his father's idea of him becoming a doctor. This would later become the base for Neil's tragic end. Todd Anderson, is played by Ethan Hawke, who to me, gave the best performance and is the real main character of the movie. He is the only one of the boys to truly take from Keating's teaching and is the first to stand up for him at the end scene. He gets what Keating had been trying to say, and in the end, had contributed a verse. He had, seized the day, and lived the ideal of Carpe Diem. Knox, Cameron, Pitts, Meeks, and Charlie(aka. Nwanda) play the supporting cast with minor roles.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying,
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
This poem, the first to be read in the class, written by Robert Herrick, is in essence another form of the idea of Carpe Diem. Live life to it's fullest for you someday you shall die. This was Keatings first message to the boys and Todd was the main person to understand it, making him the main character. Neil is thought to be, but he does not learn from Keating's teaching, nor do any of the other boys.
This movie teached us all not to be realists and only follow, nor to be truly romantists and follow our hearts, but to steer the middle course. And of course, Carpe Diem. All that have seen the movie must follow the teachings, and we must all seize the day. Truly, one of Hollywood's best movies of true substance. A classic!

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: ..."If a body catch a body coming through the rye"...
After Robin Williams couldn't get the movie rights to J.D. Salinger's classic "The Cather in the Rye," Williams took the story of Holden Caulfied to a new level. Williams' character is supposed to be a grown up version of Holden who is an English teacher and, coincendentally, is was the one class he never failed. The movie follows Williams as he deals with children that remind him of himself at that age, trying to help them from commit the some wrongs he did.

Rating:
Summary: More than inspirational...
Review: When someone calls a movie 'inspirational', I am instantly suspicious. But this movie, now on my list of Top Ten Movies Of All Times, is a lot more - it manages that rare balance of appealing to both the head and the heart. The acting is fantastic - from Robin Williams, who proves with each new film that he can tackle every acting genre there is, and from the rest of the cast. The direction, camerawork and screenplay are all exemplary.

The atmosphere is maintained throughout the film; the camera work is great; the direction is brilliant, you can see it in every seen. There is a strong plot, and many subplots, but the screenplay never falters. And I loved the liberal doses of Whitman and Thoreau throughout the film.

Which, of course, is not to say the film is perfect. Robin Williams' character, somehow, doesn't seem to have sufficient depth; I don't know whom to blame, Williams himself, or the script writer. The same for the a couple of the boys - I should have liked to know just a little more about each one of the characters. There's a scene where Neil Perry (played brilliantly by Robert Sean Leonard) asks Keating (Williams) about the picture of a woman on his desk, and he replies that she's in London. That thread was rather interesting, and would have given us a much greater understanding into his character, but the script-writer curiously leaves that angle unexplored.

But these are minor glitches, perfectly understandable, unless we want a four-hour film on our hands. Robin Williams, for most part, gives us a very good idea of the ethical dilemmas he faces. Ethan Hawke is very, very, convincing and Robert Sean Leonard has fantastic screen presence.

As a guide for how to live life - that question is for each one of us to answer. Opinions on that are going to vary - but I think the movie manages to be as objective as it can be. The movie raises difficult ethical and moral questions, but doesn't answer them. Maybe that's what the movie is telling us - find your own answer.

The movie centres around Williams' character - you love him, but you're never sure if he's doing the right thing.. But I did find the movie 'inspirational', convincing, and deeply moving. And whatever one's views may be on Keating's doings, I can't think of another movie that elicits so strong an emotional response, and is, at the same time, so intellectually stimulating.

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring and ALMOST THERE....
Review: At age 14, this film inspired me to become a teacher, and although my respect for its excellence has been weathered by time, I can't but still maintain that it's a great movie. Is it a great DVD? Please continue.

Nothing peeves me more than great movies with awful deletions. In this case, "Dead Poets...", which like many other titles now available on DVD, DO NOT feature extra footage that by all accounts, enhances the film when it's kept in. There's around fourteen minutes of footage that has been shown on TV telecasts for years; this is a 4-star movie that would be 4 1/2 to 5 stars had they left the footage in!

Feel free to dock another star when they eventually come out with the "Director's Cut"/"Upteenth Anniversary Edition", etc. A note to the studio: money isn't everything, guys.

Robert Sean Leonard plays his part of the 'dutiful son' to perfection. Ethan Hawke (who would go on to star in many a mediocrity) as the introverted, shy student who bursts out of his shell by the film's end, is probably the hardest to like, but is given the part of the film's symbol.

It's Robin Williams who truly shines (even though he breaks into his stand-up routiine once), and was deserving of his Academy Award nomination, if not the win. It's telling how many comedic actors are underrated as dramatic actors, and his performance in this film is no exception.

Rating:
Summary: Dead Poets Society
Review: This has to be one of the swarmiest, stupidest and most absurd movie ever made. It is an affront to one's inteligence to hear these inane plattitudes and to see Robin Williams act like a dr in english when it is apparent that he knows nothing about teaching or english literature. This is one those idiot liberal movies that take true knowledge, re-package it with schlock and inane one liners for instance carpe diem which means seize the day. Usually one could say that Williams made a mistake in taking this role and quoting roman again "errare humanum est", it is human to err; but in this case it is simply so stupid that he must have had a stroke and signed on the dotted line whilst in this stupor; since otherwise he would have realized that this is not art but a farce.

Rating:
Summary: "Free Thinkers at Seventeen"
Review: "Dead Poets Society" was shown in my American Literature class as a teaching device for transcendentalism. Though I do not believe wholeheartedly in the ideas of transcendentalism, I found "Dead Poets Society" to be one of the most moving films that I have ever seen. As a student, I know what it is like to feel pressure to academically succeed, and through my classmates, I have seen the strain that pressure can put on a parent-child relationship. "Dead Poets Society" logs the effect of one inspiring teacher on upon a group of boys that have never been given the chance to think for themselves.

One boy, Neal, realizes his dreams to be more than an intellectual, but also an actor. His struggle with his father brings him to drastic measures, but he is an admirable character for overcoming his ability to overcome his fear of standing up to his father. Other boys experience trouble and triumph with authority, love, and fear. Their stories are classic, but also portrayed beautifully.

Robin Williams plays Mr. John Keating, the English teacher that inspires the boys of Wellton Academy to think on their own and to seize the day. They re-initiate the Dead Poets Society, a group that Keating was in as a student at Wellton. Through their club, the boys discover the magic of poetry and the power of words. Keating uses famous quotes from Whitman, Thoreau, and other classical thinkers to motivate his students. His charisma and optimistic view of life is uplifting and leaves one inspired for days. Perhaps his outstanding performance is best portrayed in his line, "Life is a play and you may contribute one verse. What will it be?"

The film is well acted and revives memories of one's first experience in standing up for one's own beliefs. I recommend this movie to anyone who finds inspiration in literature, and to every person who wants to make the most of his life. It is teachers like Keating that breed our future philosophers and geniuses. This film is a thank you to every teacher who has unknowingly inspired his or her students to do great things. The final scene when the boys pay tribute to their teacher who is punished for influencing them is enchanting! P.S. Thank you Mrs. Allen!

Rating:
Summary: A amazing movie!
Review: Hi, my name is Cyndi. I attend the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. I saw this movie years ago and loved it, but saw it again a few nights ago. I have to say that I was reminded of the intelligence and excellence of it. First off, it has an excellent cast - Robin WIlliams, Ethan Hawke, etc. Second, the story line and use of the characters is awesome. The story is of several boys at a prep school who are influenced by their English teacher and poetry to form a secret society. Throughout the movie I realized that these characters are all struggling to find who they really are - what their passions are. Some find a love for writing, some find how to love, and some find a love for acting. I recently have been discussing and studying a book in an honors class here at UNF entitled "Emotional Intelligence". I have to say that I have been able to relate this movie to what we have been discussing. This movie was an excellent way to examplify the meaning of life and the importance of following your dreams.

I feel the dorectors, writers and actors of this movie could not have done a better job. It has definately become one of my favorite movies that I would recommend anyone seeing.

Rating:
Summary: The Ending Reflected Reality -- Unfortunately
Review: I know a handful of teachers who praised this movie as wonderful, and who enthusiastically promoted the creative free-thinking portrayed therein -- but when you get right down to it, they only believe in creative free-thinking when THEY are the ones doing it. We saw in Dead Poets Society how the institution, the establishment, treated Robin Williams' character after he instilled spirit in the few boys sharp enough to appreciate him: they did not tolerate his methods, and they fired his derriere abruptly. My teacher friends are the same way as that school's administration, though they would never admit it. They demand that students in their classrooms toe the line, and denounce as "undisciplined" or "uncooperative" any behavior which exhibits individuality.

This is an excellent, entertaining and -- in the end -- sadly realistic film. It shows institutional academia for what it truly can be: intolerant, discriminatory and hypocritical.