Pretty Good

People are voting emotionally.

How sad is this?

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

What Dreams May Come is about the ultimate quixotic quest. Robin Williams plays Chris Nielsen, a surgeon who quite literally "marches into hell for a heavenly cause." This is not the first time we have seen Williams playing a bereaved husband. In fact, almost every time he plays a bereaved husband he gets nominated for an Oscar (The Fisher King and Good Will Hunting). This may be no exception.Early in the film, Chris Nielsen loses his two children in an auto accident. Later in the film, Chris loses his wife. What makes this role a bit different for Williams is that in between these two tragic events, Nielsen is himself killed in an auto accident. Most of the movie takes place in "heaven" as Chris Nielsen adjusts to the afterlife, and what an afterlife it is.Part of the fun of this film is the art history lesson. One of the ideas put forth in the film is that the afterlife is constructed out of our own hopes and wishes. Because Chris Nielsen loved paintings, his afterlife is made up a series of paintings of which he is a part. The art direction, cinematography, and special effects are nothing short of spectacular. Parts of the film are like a random walk through the National Gallery in London with some scenes borrowing from the impressionists, others the surrealists, and so forth.Chris is guided through the rules of this afterlife by Albert (capably played by Cuba Gooding Jr.). While learning the rules of the game in the afterlife Chris discovers that his wife has committed suicide. Initially, he is excited about their pending reunion, but Albert informs him that because she committed suicide, she ended up elsewhere, and thus begins the quixotic quest, as Chris tries to find a way to save his wife.There are two kinds of people that will not be able to enjoy this film. The person who is skeptical about things religious will see it as romantic drivel. The ultra-fundamentalist will have difficulty getting past some of the new age nuances as he checks each point against his Scofield reference Bible. Both kinds will miss a valuable opportunity. Picasso once said "art is a lie that makes us realize the truth." This film is not so much about the afterlife, as it is about this life. While there are some painful deaths to contend with in this film, the film is ultimately about life and ultimate concerns. After seeing the film, my wife and I talked for hours about our lives, our meanings, our relationship.In addition to the engaging story, beautiful cinematography, and excellent acting by Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra, there is an excellent score by Michael Kamen. Kamen composed the scores for the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies, as well as the scores for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Mr. Holland's Opus. The interplay between the outstanding visuals and the dynamic score makes for some interesting impressions of heaven and hell. If you've been trying to find time to see a play, go to an art museum, and/or hear a concert, consider a trip to the movies instead and see what dreams may come.

I'd never watched this film when it was released. It's taken me 20 years to finally watch it, and though film-making has advanced technologically in terms of CGI in that time - it still looks stunning ! It's a slow burning story and there's not much joy and laughs - but the sense of love and family and resoluteness still lingered way after the film ended. It's concept of Heaven and Hell is way beyond conventional film directors. It's a labour of love which at the end is faith affirming and yet shows up all our human flaws and vulnerability in all their glory. Great direction - good acting and an incredible journey that will stay in your mind .

Poignant, beautiful, appropriately dark at times, with just a dash of funny - this movie will always rank amongt my all-time favorites. If you haven't seen it, do! I could say, "Come on, it's Robin Williams!", but there's so much more to this film. It handles metaphysical questions and some of the tragic elements of being human, and then wraps it up in a way that still has the viewer leaving satisfied, hopeful, and even happy without seeming overplayed or kitschy. Rent it. If you regret it, I will be incredibly surprised.

Probably the best movie out there now still to deal with the lies mass media spam everyone day after day in their seemingly eternal assault on truth, honor, higher love & self sacrifice.Since reincarnation is a rather simple basic fact of life, it was quite refreshing to revisit this decade old movie depictions of the lower astral regions where suiciders hang out and then those brilliant brightly colored higher causal planes & higher planes/heavens that St. Paul referenced in the 2nd Corinthian...'...caught up to the 3rd heaven" (since earth was hell back then during St. Paul's times) in this astonishing movie.Do see this romantic, but bogus 'soul mates' movie with your very favorite current lover if u want to really score something more permanent with him or her. Otherwise know 'soul mates' doesn't exist whatsoever in any reality, but great affinity/love certainly does eternally🎶💤