Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 film based on the book of the same name by N. H. Kleinbaum starring the late Robin Williams, Josh Charles, Robert Sean Leonard, Gale Hansen, a young Ethan Hawke, the late Norman Lloyd and Kurtwood Smith. The film was written by Tom Schulman and was directed by Peter Weir.

Plot
John Keating (Williams), a rather shy English teacher becomes an inspiration to his students through poetry.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) This was one of Robin Williams' best dramatic performances before doing Good Will Hunting.
 * 2) Well written storyline.
 * 3) The good characters are likable.
 * 4) The storyline is original.
 * 5) Arguably the most memorable quote in a Robin Williams film, which is "Oh Captain, my Captain!"

Reception
The film received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences and currently holds an 86% "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 with a critic consensus that reads "Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir's prep school drama top honors". Roger Ebert gave the film two stars and was rather critical of Williams' dramatic performance. Gene Siskel was mixed about the film.

Awards and nominations
The film was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Picture, but lost to Driving Miss Daisy. However, the film won one award for Best Screenplay.