Robin

Robin Williams was one of my favorite actors/comedians.entertainers of all time. There was no one else like him. As zany and wild as he could be, he had legitimate talent for acting. I'm planning to watch a few more Robin Williams films over the next week, especially "The Fisher King" and "Insomnia." And I already ahve my DVR set to record "One Hour Photo," a psychologial thriller that looks mesmerizing. I'm not going to rate which of his movies I thought were the best, that can be debated all night long. I'm not going to rate which of his performances was the best, everyone can have a different opinion. Rather, I'm going to list ten of his roles that I will most closely identify him with. Truth is there's a bit of a gap between 3 and 4!

1) Mrs. Doubtfire
2) Good Will Hunting
3) Dead Poets Society
4) Good Morning, Vietnam
5) Jumanji
6) The Birdcage
7) Hook
8) Patch Adams
9) Night at the Museum
10) License to Wed

The first two rank in my top five movies of all time. Mrs. Doubtfire is one of those movies that came out right as my parents got divorced. I remember seeing it in the theater in Edison, NJ on Oak Tree Rd, right near the Chili's and where the Kenny Rogers' Roasters used to be. I can't remember if I teared up, but I walked out feeling like things could be okay. I think I needed that then. The great thing is it is a movie that lasts and has only become more relevant as divorce as skyrocketed in this country. I was amazed to learn that there were talks about a sequel. Twenty years later! I don't know what the record is for the longest amount of time between the original and sequel, but this would have to be right up there. Shame it's never going to happen.

Good Will Hunting is one of only five movies I own on DVD, so that should indicate what kind of impact it had on me. It still reminds me of college. It's funny and I don't know how to explain why, but every time I see the film, I come away feeling stronger and more confident about myself. It was great to see Robin win his only Academy Award for this role. If I ever do return to Boston, I'll have to head to the Common and sit on the bench where he gave that amazing monologue about love, loss, and experiencing life. That may just be my favorite scene in cinema history.