Best Robin Williams Movies
The Birdcage
Brandon Groppi: I’ve been a Robin Williams fan my entire life. Sure I didn’t see this film until I was older, but I loved how it treated homosexuals in film. Granted Nathan Lane is a little flamboyant in this film, but isn’t he always? This is a great comedy that has many great moments from Williams’ character and his straight son who is about to get married. Rest in paradise Robin. We’ve never had a friend like you.
Law & Order: SVU – Authority
Caliber Winfield: Now, I’m choosing this to be one of those guys who does something very obscure to prove he’s a hipster. I love his comedy, with Mrs. Doubtfire being one of my favorites of all time. But his performance in this episode of Law & Order was fantastic, and truly showed what a talent he was. He plays a man who’s anti-authority, and simply screws with people for the fun of it, and to show what happens when you become a sheep. He would have made a perfect recurring character, something I wish they’d realized.
Aladdin
Allison Fleischer: I’ve seen very few Robin Williams’ films so I had to pick the first movie of his that I saw. Although we never see Robin in this animated Disney classic, his presence shined through. As the Genie, he was able to make us laugh in so many way and showed a wide variety of comedy that showed just how much of a genius he truly was. Robin will forever be the Genie in our lives and he was right, we will never have a friend like him.
Hook
Eric Norcross: Hook. I don’t want to grow up.
Tamica Phipps: I grew up watching and favoring many Robin William films from different genres at different ages. The ones that come to mind first are Jumanji and Mrs. Doubtfire, I have seen these movies many times, however, I’d have to say my favorite was Hook. (“bangarang Peter!”). True, it was funny to see this grown man running (or flying) around in green tights, but it was still a great movie. And it gives you an interesting view of what happens after the traditional fairy-tale ends. On the series drama side, I liked What Dreams May Come, even though I have heard many criticize it. On the animated side, how could I not love that funny blue Genie in Aladdin?
Dead Poets Society
Shawn S. Lealos: I’d say that 90 percent of the world would put Good Will Hunting above Dead Poets Society, but I am not one of those people. Dead Poets Society was Williams’ first chance to try himself in a drama (if you consider Good Morning, Vietnam a comedy, which I do). He played a poetry teacher who taught his students in an uptight conservative school to think outside the box and live for the day. When one of his students commits suicide because of the massive expectations of his parents, the parents and school blames Williams’ teacher for putting those free will thoughts in his student’s heads and fires him. It was an amazing movie and proof, as more people would see later with Good Will Hunting, that Williams could do it all. Rest in Peace, oh captain, my captain.
Derek Johns: Robin Williams has said that he wished he had a teacher like John Keating when he was at school and who could blame him? Not only does he inspire his own students but many real life teachers (I actually watched this movie for the first time in my 12th grade Advanced English class). Even today you can feel Keating’s impact on pop culture as countless TV shows and movies have had teachers rip up the textbooks that for decades have often been the bane of student’s existences. While I find the ending to be bittersweet, this is still without question my favorite Robin Williams performance.
Good Will Hunting
Caleb Masters: It was a vulnerable time in my life during the latter years of my time in high school as I began to ask the big questions about my future. And then I saw Good Will Hunting. I may not be some sort of secret genius, but I was inspired by Robin Williams’ Sean McGuire who challenged Will Hunting to take a hard look at his relationships, accomplishments, and potential before he decided what to do with his life. No matter how you spin it, this is a brilliant movie. It’s a brilliant movie that just happened to hit me at just the right moment in my life.
Everybody needs a Sean McGuire in their lives and for many of us Robin Williams was that guy. Even though most of us never met him, he inspired us all through his roles to see the brighter side of life and chase our potential. When we were growing up we all had a friend in Genie, he challenged our perception of adulthood with Pan in Hook, inspired us in Good Will Hunting, and pondered what it means to be human with Bicentennial Man. No matter our walk of life, Robin Williams was there for film fans and movie lovers and he’s left an impact that has and will continue to be left in future generations.
Toys
Ruby Le Rouge: I love Williams and Joan Cusack as a brother sister duo. The sets are visually stunning, and the story is really amusing. I watch when I need cheering up, it always does the trick.
