I say... we'll miss you. // Thank you boys... thank you. // This isn't going to be easy...

but this is Movie Night!

Hello and welcome to Movie Night, in-depth spoiler-free reviews in under four minutes.

I'm your host Jonathan Paula. Tonight we'll honor the wonderful life and work of the late

Robin Williams, a man was unfortunately no stranger to suicide. A number of his films,

including The Fisher King, What Dreams May Come, and World's Greatest Day focus on death

as a central plot element... but I don't actually want to talk about those movies, they're all

very good and worth watching, sure - but tonight I want to review my favorite Robin Williams

films.

Although I don't have any specific or personal connection to Williams - I have always been

a big fan, and his death definitely hit me pretty hard, as it has affected many others.

I spoke about all my thoughts and emotions last this week in an episode of "The World

According To Jon", if you'd like to hear more. But for now, we celebrate his life by reviewing

some of his best performances, beginning with "Good Morning Vietnam".

Released just before Christmas in 1987, this good-natured comedy film set against the backdrop

of the escalating Vietnam crisis of the mid-1960's managed to gross nearly ten times its small

$13-million dollar budget. In the first of his four nominated-roles, television icon

turned dramatic actor Robin Williams stars as a boisterous radio DJ for the fledging

Armed Forces radio station in Saigon. The unstructured plot follows his attempts to

inject humor and American rock-and-roll into his hugely popular daily broadcasts, at the

chagrin, and later direct orders of

his infuriated superiors. Simultaneously, we follow Williams as he adjusts to life in

the middle of a war-zone, while he attempts to win the affection of a local Vietnamese

girl played in a rather unmemorable performance by Chintara Sukapatana. Forest Whitaker is

along for the ride in a yes-man sidekick type role, whereas Bruno Kirby and J.T. Walsh walk

around with a permanent stick-up-their ass, constantly acting like a wet-blanket. The

120-minute picture was directed by Barry Levinson... but since so much of Williams' manic performance

was reportedly improvised on the spot, perhaps "wrangled" is a more apt description of Levinson's

duties. Set during a time and place when radio deejays had influence and power, Williams

embraces his position as he attempts to entertain and inform the troops of current events - beginning

each broadcast with his trademark phrase, "Good Morning Vietnam!" ... the titular greeting

piercing the pre-show silence like a bullet from a gun. Before this, Robin seems like

a quiet and reserved individual... but once the mic is hot, and the red light is on, he

transforms into an energized improvisational machine... spitting out dozens of jokes, voices,

and sound effects every minute. His timing and skill flow so naturally, it's hard not

to watch in awe as he bounces from a loud Ethel Merman impression to doing a spot-on

Walter Kronkite. The R-rated story is loosely based on the experiences of a real Armed Forces

DJ... and while this is an interesting and unique angle, it just isn't a particularly

dramatic one, even after our protagonist narrowly survives a bombing attack. Indeed, while enjoyable,

the film never quite kicks into second gear... with little resolution to the film's biggest

conflicts, or any real theme or message. That being said, a violent montage of riots and

death is hauntingly juxtaposed against Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World", creating a

powerful moment late in the film. Although the script meanders a bit, and the romance-angle

never really works - the politics of radio in a war zone is decently fascinating, if

only because I'm reminded of my own time working as an on-air radio DJ in Boston. An entertaining

comedy that works because of its impressive leading man, this isn't a movie I'll be re-watching

anytime soon... but I'll rate "Good Morning Vietnam" a SEVEN out of ten.

Oh, you may have noticed I skipped right past my five-word summary, comment reviews, and

the factor-facts there. In an effort to simplify and streamline the show, I've decided to remove

those elements... but as we continue the show, let me know what you think of the changes.

Second up tonight, my review for "Dead Poets Society".

This Peter Weir drama film was released in June of 1989, which shares the seemingly uncomplicated

story of an English teacher who inspires his students with poetry. Produced on a budget

of $16-million, the PG-rated film would score four Oscar nominations, and $220 million in

profit. In his second nominated performance, Robin Williams is graceful as the kind, patient,

and motivational leader... who instructs his adolescent troops to "make life extraordinary",

and "seize the day." Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, John Charles, and a dozen other

young actors make up the group of prep school students at the elite Welton Academy, who

overcome their hesitations and begin craving everything life has to offer... by throwing

parties, reading sonnets, and reveling in each other's camaraderie. Weir even had the

young actors all room together during production, to strengthen their on-screen chemistry. And

it certainly worked, their charm and eagerness make their characters easy, and believable

to root for. Meanwhile, Norman Lloyd and Kurtwood Smith play older gentlemen, who despite being

reasonable in their own actions, only serve as an obstacle for the growing desires of

the teens. A confrontational scene between Leonard and Smith, as father and son, is particularly

powerful, bordering on difficult-to-watch a times. It's easy to empathize with the dutiful

child, afraid to disappoint a loving father who doesn't understand what his son really

wants. It goes without saying that both individuals give brilliant performances in that scene,

as well. The unrushed narrative unwinds throughout a single-school year, as we learn more and

more about these interesting and nuanced characters. Without any showy cinematography, action scenes,

or memorable music... the entire 128-minute picture rests on its writing and characters:

and thankfully, the film more than excels here. This is light-hearted, but serious look

at adolescence, self-discovery, and challenging authority. The marvelous script gives us insight

into their fictional lives, but what makes the film stand out is how it allows, and practically

asks the audience to reflect on their own lives. The qualities these men embody will

surely resonate... when you wonder if you're doing enough to make your own life extraordinary.

A wonderful, moving, and uplifting experience that should be required viewing for all students,

I loved this film when I first saw it in my early twenties... and still do today. "Dead

Poets Society" only gets better with age, and I strongly consider it to be an AWESOME

film.

Now this next film is one I've already reviewed... but for competitions sakes, here again are

my thoughts on "Aladdin".

Released just before Thanksgiving in 1992, this $28-million dollar animated musical fantasy

was the most successful of the year, eventually grossing over half a billion at the worldwide

box office. Ron Clements and John Musker adapt the ancient Arab folktale for the big screen

with a cast of familiar voices, led by Scott Weinger of "Full House" fame. The 90-minute

story follows Weinger as the title character, a poor street urchin who uncovers a magical

genie after falling in love with a beautiful princess. He's motivated early by a passing

prince who reminds him, "You were born a street rat, you'll die a street rat." As one of the

all-time great animated characters in cinema history, Robin Williams is perfectly cast

as the bright blue genie - hilariously rattling off a string jokes, sight-gags, anachronism

impersonations, and even singing a song or two. In fact, the famous comic improvised

so much, the movie recorded over 15 hours of material for his role, and prevented the

script from being eligible for a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. It may seem common

place today, but twenty years ago, having a major movie star voice an animated character

was a relatively new concept - but thankfully it paid off, Williams' manic and memorable

performance alone makes this worth seeing. Particularly fantastic is his introductory

song and dance number, "Friend Like Me"... which flies by with some extremely unique

and inventive animation, backed by Alan Menken's wonderful music. Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin,

and the annoyingly foul-mouthed Gilbert Gotfried portray the rest of the colorful, if stereotypical

cast. Special mention needs to be made for Frank Welker, an extremely talented, but generally

unknown voice-over artist who has nearly 1,000 credits to his name... mostly all specializing

in animal sounds and other unique vocal effects. Here, he provides personalities and voices

for Abu the monkey, and Rajah the tiger, among other characters. His career has been so prolific

that the combined gross of all his projects is second all-time behind only Samuel L. Jackson.

Back to the film though... at its heart, it's a fun adventure set in an exotic location

with likable characters, a simplistic romance plot, and plenty of goofy high jinks. As expected,

Disney's trademark animation style is vibrant and beautifully rendered, especially in the

film's Oscar-winning sequence for "A Whole New World". As has been my faux-criticism

of all children's films... the quickly paced story is a touch heavy-handed at rushed at

times, but the characters and music provide for a lovely experience that reminds kids

it's important to be true to yourself, and not get wrapped up in materialistic endeavors.

Eventually spawning two sequels, a TV series, toys, video games, merchandise, and a Broadway

play, this G-rated movie is a timeless classic people of all ages can enjoy again and again.

Since it's so hard to separate this picture from my childhood, I simply won't. I loved

it then, and I still do today. "Aladdin" is a wonderful fable with hilarious moments...

and an AWESOME film.

For tonight's poll question, which of Robin's many films is your favorite? Mine are still

coming up... but leave your response as a comment below. Fourth up tonight, let's talk

about Mrs. Doubtfire.

Loosely based on Anne Fine's novel, "Alias Madame Doubtfire", this comedy drama film

by director Chris Columbus was released in November of 1993 where it earned over $440

million against its small $25-million dollar budget. Funnyman Robin Williams stars as a

recently divorced father who disguises himself as the title character, an old English nanny,

so he can spend more time with his family. He must undertake this ridiculous and unorthodox

approach only because of his stubborn ex-wife, played by Sally Field. Although she dresses

like a grandmother attending a funeral, her character is nothing but an unreasonable bitch

- pointlessly vindictive towards the father of her children, seemingly just to spite him,

confiding to her new nanny, "The truth is, I didn't like who I was when I was with him.

I would turn into this horrible person." Williams however is endlessly patient and adorable

in the dual role... fun-loving and wacky as the modern 90's dad, while acting loving,

nurturing, and reassuring as his elderly female counterpart. Following a humorous make-over

montage that includes a great bit part from Harvey Fierstien, we get our first glimpse

at the Academy-Award-winning make-up, that honestly works surprisingly well. Which is

important, as the entire believability of the PG-13 rated narrative rests on the disguise's

ability to trick this man's own family. The ease and speed at which Williams is able to

remove, and re-apply the costume is a bit far-fetched though, as the real make-up took

over four hours to apply each day. A scene where Williams slams his face into a frosted

cake to maintain the Mrs. Doubtfire rouse to an inquisitive court liason, played in

amusing turn by Anne Haney, remains an iconic and absolutely hilarious scene to this day.

Even beneath an old-lady body suit, Williams' mile-a-minute energy and charisma pour out

of the screen, elevating the talents and timing of everyone around him - especially Pierce

Brosnan as the Field's new handsome boyfriend, who isn't normally regarded for his comedic

abilities. The actors playing the three children however leave a bit to be desired, Lisa Jakub

looks like she's constantly pouting, Matthew Lawrence had a bit habit of entering closed

doors without knocking, and Mara Wilson's film debut allows her to look cute and even

swear, but none of them contribute much - they're mostly just there as a means to an end. The

125-minute story moves along at an amble pace, culminating with a terrific dinner scene that

has Williams attempting to be in two places, as two people simultaneously. The scene is

as amusing as it is memorable, rife with loads of dramatic irony and gags. Howard Shore's

light and flutely music provides a suitable score, and the plain photography style never

distracts from the film's heavy emotional swings. A true favorite from my childhood,

and a very re-watchable experience, it's the final coda of the film that truly resonates,

as Williams explains the importance of family, regardless of their circumstances or uniqueness.

Perhaps a bit dated today, this is a fun, moving, and enjoyable film everyone will love.

"Mrs. Doubtfire" is an AMAZING film.

Advancing another year forward in Robin Williams' career, let's review Jumanji.