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Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2013)

Dead Poets Society is a dramatic and realistic film. The story takes place in 1959 at Welton School, a prep school for boys. School is not only a social institution for students to study, but also an epitome of society. Peter Weir, the director, shows the contradictions in human nature and society in many of his films. He got great success with this film, since it grossed $235,900,000 in 1989 with an estimated budget of $16,400,000.
Robert Sean Leonard acts as a special English teacher named Mr. Keating who has an amazing sense of humor. Robin Williams, who earned himself an Oscar nomination, plays Neil Perry as a young student whose passion for acting is smothered in fear of his father's wrath and his parents' domination of his life. The English teacher tries creative ways to let the students notice their own voices. For Neil, whose life plan that is controlled by his parents, this is a problem. As I know, being a Chinese student myself, Neil is a typical delegate of a group who are dutiful to their parents' wishes and study hard for them. Through this story, the viewers may empathize with Neil and the hope of change that comes from the English teacher.
Mr. Keating, a former student at the school, begins working in this school as an English teacher. His unique teaching methods inspire students to find themselves, love the poems, and "seize the day," as he says to his students in their first class, standing in front of a picture of the former students who had passed on. He reminds students to look at things in different ways. The movie climax is when Neil chooses to go against his father's wishes and perform in the school play. Things change before the day of the play's performance when Neil's father discovers his son is acting. He is disappointed and angry with Neil, and will not let his son go.
Most of the main characters in the movie are dynamic, meaning they change from the beginning to the end. Neil turns from being a rule-follower to an independent-thinker, which shows in the end of the story in a special way. Todd, a shy student, becomes more confident. Mr. Keating loves teaching them, but is discouraged at Datton.
The theme or message of this movie is to seize the day. Watching this story, you are happy for the students for being themselves, but you are also sad that because they are following their heart, they are punished also.
After watching this dramatic and realistic film, I feel totally different at the end of the film and have a question for myself and others: should we follow our hearts, or do what our parents expect us to do? Sometimes what society wants from us is different than what we want for ourselves. Maybe you will fear being "different" from others, but being different is not always wrong. You may lose something by being independent, but you will also gain some other things. If you follow your strong beliefs and make good, responsible decisions, you can be the best at what you choose.
To be or not to be, that is a choice for us. You should promote yourself, not destroy yourself. You need to show your feelings and who you are to let people understand you.
Dead Poets Society is a rare movie showing choices for education and for life. You can seize the day or just do what other people want you to do. It's a memorable movie with creative ideas and a dramatic plot. The movie will not only bathe you with happiness, but also make you think about yourself and your life. Life, for all of us, starts as a blank canvas; what we paint on that is our choice.