A Family Movie Night with Robin Williams

There is so much these days that will not allow families to spend time together. The biggest one in out family is schedules and how they don't always line up together. I know I have had to pull the B shift more than once. This means that the kids are at school before I am up and in bed before I get home. But that is only five out of seven days. There is always the two days I have off that we can do things as a family. And one of my favorites is a movie night.

Its amazing how just sitting around as a family enjoying a movie or two can be fun. I don't just mean watching a movie. But spending time together. Talking about what we are seeing on the screen. Sharing what we feel about those movies. And more important letting different people pick movies so its not just what dad or mom want to see. This was a good thing that I had learned back in college. I was the one in the dorm that ran the Saturday evening move night which also included running the popcorn machine.

But be that as it may I have found several movies staring Robin Williams that could be great for a family to see and talk about. That's right talk about as a family. Share what you think. Did you like the movie? What did you think about a particular actor or actress? How about that music? As you can see a great family night doesn't have to be sitting on the couch stuffing popcorn in your mouths. Just waiting for the credits to finish rolling. There is so much more.

You will notice that the premier choice has two movies included with it. That is because this is the one that we own and watch. Either one would be a wonderful choice to add to your collection but together they are a great pair to enjoy.

(That is just shy of two hours.) So when was the last time you sat down and watched two movies before doing a write up? That's right before saying anything I wanted a little refresher on these movies. And the first one was Patch Adams. Starting at 5:30 AM. Look I slept in. But who needs sleep before a Robin Williams marathon? Down below you will see the trailer for this movie. In there you will see one of my more favorite scenes. That is the one in the childless ward, the one where he dons the red nose that's shared throughout the movie. Its amazing how one little red ball can make so many smiles. And how one man can affect so many others around him. Remember that this movies based on a true story. That there is a Patch Adams who is a real doctor. One thing to think about as you are passing the popcorn is how Patch Adams tried to keep the humanity in practice. This is not only true for being a doctor but in any profession. People out there want answers but if there is nothing along with those answers then they are just cogs in a big wheel. Think of it this way... If you call a help desk would you rather get a caned answer or would you rather know that the person you are speaking with? A person who cares and wants to help you. I would rather feel the empathy as I have also gotten the cookie cutter questions and answers.

And finally even thought this is a movie about one man going through medical school that is just the basic outline. Its more about the way he worked with those around him. How he inspired those around him. And how they helped inspire him. So my final ward on this movie – Inspirational.

(Another movie just under the two hour mark.) With this movie I would recommend that you preview it first before showing to a younger audience. In fact this may not be your typical type of family movie. Most are set up to be watched and enjoyed with popcorn. This one is not. Where am I going with this you are wondering? This is a great discussion movie. Meaning parents watch it first and take notes. Lots of notes. Then share it with the kids. Just like you, have them take notes and ask questions. You can do this after the movie if you want or have then ask questions during the movie. Just remember that if you do it during the movie you had better be ready for a long evening. Some of the questions that come up could be interesting to say the least. Sorry to not go into details about the movie but like I said this would be a great one for family discussion time. And not being part of your direct family I don't want to take away from that time.

Here are a couple more movies to help make your Robin Williams Family Night a bit more enjoyable

Mrs. Doubtfire

Bicentennial Man