At The Movies

What Dreams May Come — Some different fare this time around. Initially, I wanted to see and discuss RUSH HOUR with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. However, plans never worked out to allow me to go catch it. Maybe next time. What I did go see instead was What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra, and Cuba Gooding Jr.

I knew the premise and expected it to be a heart-tugging and emotional movie, but I was not prepared for the detail. What I remembered from the commercials was basically, "A man dies and goes to heaven. Something happens and he goes in search of his wife". Why did something like that grab me? The actors involved. The theme (life after death). And the imagery.

So what was it really about? A man meets a woman and it's love at first sight. Flash forward to happy, married, times. Flash again and their two kids die in a car crash. Flash again 4 years forward and the man dies in a car crash. And now the movie begins. The man finds himself dead and goes through the routine of understanding that he has passed away and what that means to him. Cuba Gooding is his "guide" at this time and helps him to adapt. We then find out that Williams' wife has committed suicide and because of that she is not accessible to those who pass on naturally or due to an accident. Thus, "Christopher" (Williams) heads off on a quest to bring "Annie" (Sciorra) out of her personal hell.

What's the emotional rate scale? Quite high. Although I normally should have shed tears myself, I was captivated by the beauty of the images on the screen. Everything that was presented to me acknowledged my own, personal, views of what life is like immediately following death. I was flabbergasted by the fact that the movie's creators put so much energy and time into presenting this movie. They either read the same books I did, or believe the same things I do, or maybe even both.

So, although this was a movie which focused on Death and Love, it was still Life-Affirming. If someone would want me to show them a movie which captured my feelings and beliefs about life after death, I would show them this movie and keep "Ghost" on the shelves.

That's it for now! Thanks for the company and pass the StarBursts! I'll see you next time, At The Movies!!