What Dreams May Come

Firstly this is an adult movie. I remember when it was marketed on its release. It seemed to be targeted to all ages - Robin Williams off the back of- at that time- children's movies. It promoted the technology of the making. Overall they marketed it completely wrong, which I daresay has led it to being placed in the mediocrity bin.

However, nothing could be further from the truth. What Dreams May Come would have to be one of the most intelligent, emotional, visually beautiful, and well acted projects ever to grace the screen.

Robin Williams is masterful and Sciorra perfectly mirrors her soul mate (Williams). Their performances encapsulate all the joy and abject sorrow human life entails. It's a movie that wants you to find real love, see beyond cynicism and grasp the idea of soul mate. And it's all presented in a stunningly gorgeous montage of exquisite colour and symmetry.

From the opening shot to the closing frame, its magnificent. The story is enveloping encompassing nearly every asset of human emotion. It's a roller-coaster ride but rewarding. Comedy, hope, sadness, joy, elation, despair... all displayed perfectly.

ALL actors shine, Cuba Gooding Jr is his usual excellent self and Max von Sydow is impeccable.

The greatest movie ever? close... most under-rated movie ever? - most probably. Watch it, very few movies will touch you as What Dreams May Come will.

Given the recent loss of the incredible talent of Robin Williams I found this film incredibly moving. Ir made me think about what his heaven would be like, if he was watching his family grieve and I hope he's found peace. This film hits home for a lot of us, obviously because Robin killed himself. I don't believe people who commit suicide out of sadness or loss of hope go to hell, I believe they go to heaven like everyone else - Maybe that's just me being idealistic. As a film though, this moved me a lot. It was quite a sad film but at the same time there were moments of joy and sweetness. The acting was superb. I've never seen Robin act in this kind of role and I think it brought out his gentle, loving side people who knew him often spoke about. He spoke with this fascinating softness that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.I feel he should be more well know for this role because its a great film. Annabella was also brilliant , she really brought out the raw emotion and pain a widow goes through after not only losing her children but then her husband. Although Cuba played a small part in this, his was also a great piece of acting (I wouldn't expect anything less from him). I cried a lot through this film, all for various reasons including the death of Robin and that pain of seeing him being wonderful and I am really going to miss him, also the film was very moving and does make you think, it also made me think of my life and what I'd do if certain people tragically left my life. So it hit home on quite a few levels. For its time the CG is actually pretty good, I've seen worse CG in films nowadays. Anyway, a fantastic film and anyone wishing to see a moving performance by Robin should watch this, he's incredible and always will be. I hope he's in his own private heaven at peace right now.

To hell with the critics and the cynics. I absolutely love this movie - it's in my top ten (or maybe even top five) list of favorite movies (I saw it at least 3 times in the theater and own it on DVD). I have to admit, I'm one of those non- (almost anti-) elitist, "I don't know art, but I know what I like" type people. I also truly love positive, upbeat movies with happy endings. Not to say that "realistic" movies aren't also great, but there is room for everything in the moviemaking genre. Isn't there enough depressing "realism" on the evening news to satisfy even the most jaded cynic?

I can't say exactly what it is that strikes me about this movie. The incredible color-saturated visuals and special effects certainly help. The acting talents of Robin Williams and Max Von Sydow help. And I loved the story. Emotionally manipulative it may be, but this is one of those films where I WANTED to be manipulated, where I willingly participated. Apparently some people resented it, but I was sobbing through much the movie, and glad to be doing so. Laugh if you please, say whatever you want... this movie touches my heart.

"Deep" it isn't, not terribly. On a metaphysical level, it goes only slightly beyond new-age kitsch. Very few of the afterlife scenes and concepts agree with the spiritual outlook of any known religion. But I don't care. Again, if a movie touches my heart in just the right place, I can forgive it almost anything. This one did. 9/10.

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 .

If there's one thing that What Dreams May Come has is a vivid imagination. Maybe some readings into Dante's Inferno might have given the writers some ideas as a start. But this goes way beyond.

I remember years ago at a Science Fiction convention Peter Davison said that one nice thing about being the Doctor in Doctor Who was that you could create your character from scratch. Since we've got no reports on the afterlife one can the imagination soar in creating it. Soar it does and at times the creation threatens to overwhelm the cast, but it never does.

Robin Williams doctor and Annabella Sciorra artist seen fated to be mated and are. They raise two children, but both are killed in a car crash devastating the parents both try to move on. Then Williams is killed in a car crash.

At that point the film shifts to the afterlife as Williams starts to get used to the territory. Cuba Gooding appears as a kind of mentor/guide for him. The place looks like paradise, but paradise will not be complete without the family reunited.

The afterlife does have its rules and Williams has to make quite the journey to accomplish his goal. Williams, Sciorra, and Gooding give impeccable performances and the sets are just breathtaking.

If it isn't this is what heaven should be.