After having stayed up until 1:30am with class in the morning, I decided to do this review. This film touched me deeply, as it directly reminded me of my own experience in school, and renewed in me an interest in poetry, which I’ve written from a young age.
Robin Williams plays John Keating, an English teacher with unorthodox teaching methods in a conservative boarding school, inspiring in his students a love for the world of poetry, challenging them to seize the day in spite of their otherwise bleak and at times, adverse environment. Several members of the class reform an old society, the Dead Poet’s Society, at which they read each other poems out loud to each other in a old cave off the school grounds after curfew and at risk of expulsion. Each member gradually proceeds towards embracing life to its fullest through their love for words, encouraged by Keating in one of the most memorable and life-affirming films of modern times. Idealistic, yes, romantic, yes, but certainly nothing ordinary. Carpe Diem.
As part of our Robin Williams week we feature the 1990 movie “Awakenings” co-starring Robert Deniro. Based on a true story “Awakenings” shows Williams as a doctor, unaccustomed to dealing with actual people, hired to care for a ward of catatonic victims of a 1930′s epidemic. Through a fresh perspective and his knowledge of neurology Williams’ character brings them out of their condition.
The story of the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) as he was discovered in an outer province of Tibet and brought up in the midst of the slowly developing Chinese invasion. A beautiful film depicting the ways and attitudes of Tibetan Buddhism. 
A second-generation Indian immigrant who grew up in New York decides to assume the identity of a Guru and bring his wacky made-up Yoga and spiritual wisdom to Arizona in the hopes of better understanding why people choose to follow Gurus and to impart an important lesson on those who follow him.
A lot of people were disappointed by this surreal and only slightly funny movie that dissects the marketing mentality and explores the potential spiritual implications of becoming “branded”. Sure “Branded” isn’t life-changing, full of explosions, and highly dramatised scenes, but you’d have to have no life to expect such things from every movie. This one has a special message and involves quite a bit of Russian humour (which might explain why most thought it dry).
