What Robin Left Us

I was, as were most people, devastated at the news of the suicide of legendary comedian Robin Williams. He was a singular force of happiness in my childhood and on Wednesday, for the first time, Robin Williams made me cry tears that were not of mirth, but of misery.

There is so much to talk about following his passing, and as an advocate for mental health illnesses and treatment I know how important these conversations will be in changing lives - hopefully for the better - and shaping national dialogue about suicide and mental health. Perhaps I may sometime post my own views on the "choice of suicide," one of the most controversial issues which have arisen in the past week (just Google "Robin Williams," or for more extreme dialogue "Matt Walsh Robin Williams," and you'll get just as many opinions as there are links).

But for today, since this is primarily a movie blog, I thought we might look ahead to the five films Robin completed in 2014 and left for us before his heartbreaking death. As Robin's character in Dead Poet's Society said, quoting Walt Whitman, “What good amid these, O me, O life? Answer: That you are here -That life exists.”

And what is life but stories? My story, your story, the stories of each person, all intertwined and interacting. So let's listen to the last stories told by one of the great storytellers of our time...


May 2014

The Angriest Man In Brooklyn: A curmudgeonly man (Robin Williams) is mistakenly told that he has 90 minutes to live by his doctor (Mila Kunis) and promptly sets out to reconcile with his wife (Melissa Leo), brother (Peter Dinklage), and other family and friends in the short time he believes he has left.

November 2014

A Merry Friggin' Christmas: Upon realizing he left all his son's Christmas gifts at home, a family man (Joel McHale) visiting his estranged family of misfits hits the road with his dad (Robin Williams) in an attempt to make the 8-hour round trip before sunrise.

December 2014

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to die out, Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters (Robin Williams, Ben Kingsley, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan) while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

Unset 2014 Date

Boulevard: A married man (Robin Williams) comes to terms with his homosexuality later in life and connects emotionally with a young male prostitute (Roberto Aguire).
(*Likely to be released around awards (Oscars, etc.) season.)

Unset 2015 Date

Absolutely Anything: A teacher (Simon Pegg) experiences a series of mishaps after discovering he has magical powers. Costarring Kate Beckinsale, alongside a number of comedians, including Robin Williams as the voice of Dennis the Dog.
(*It's unclear if Robin finished all his work on this film and may sadly have to be replaced.)