Robin Williams‘ legacy as both an actor and a comedian is marked with indicators pinpointing the many moments filled with therapeutic tears of laughter, sadness and all things in between. His audience ranged from the youngest of children to their grandparents as he brought to life many of our favorite characters.
After his passing this past August, the interest in many of his most notable works reached a new high due to his fans wanting to relive some of those moments. In case you missed any of them, or don’t know where to start on your nostalgia trip, here’s a list of Robin Williams movies that everyone should see.
Aladdin (1992)
If you were to think that everyone’s favorite character in Disney’s Aladdin was the one it’s named after, you couldn’t be more wrong. Voicing Aladdin’s charismatic Genie allowed Robin Williams to be charming, hilarious and the leading force behind some of the best songs on the already stacked soundtrack.
Hook (1991)
Who better to play the boy that didn’t want to grow up, but eventually did anyway, than the man known for carrying a refreshing sense of youth. Robin Williams’ portrayal of an adult Peter Pan returning to Neverland may receive some mixed reviews, even from director Steven Spielberg, but it’s still refreshing to watch Williams learn to fly.
Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
Long before Furious 7 became the movie that makes everyone cry with its emotional ending, there was Dead Poet’s Society. Robin Williams taught the entire world what carpe diem meant as a teacher at a private school that opened the minds of his students, including a babyfaced Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard.
The Fisher King (1991)
Showing how closely connected we all really are, The Fisher King is a film about a radio DJ with an overwhelming amount of guilt that looks to a homeless man he unknowingly effected for help and closure. That homeless man was Robin Williams. And the role got him his third Academy Award nomination.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Even if you hadn’t seen Mrs. Doubtfire, if you were alive in the 90’s you knew about it. One of Robin Williams’ most recognizable roles was a divorced father that dresses up as an elderly housekeeper to get closer to his children.
Jumanji (1995)
In Jumanji, Robin Williams channeled his inner Tarzan and Indiana Jones after being sucked into a board game 26 years earlier only to spend the entire time in a wild jungle. The film was so well received by the younger audience that it even got a cartoon series that lasted three seasons.
Night at the Museum (2006)
Towards the end of his career, Robin Williams had more than his fair share of misfires when it came to movie credits. But that’s expected for an actor that worked for almost four decades. Working alongside Ben Stiller, Night at the Museum gave fans a chance to see Williams’ take on the role of a reanimated Theodore Roosevelt and act as a mentor to Stiller’s novice night guard.
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Good Morning, Vietnam was Robin Williams’ coming out party to most of the world as an actor that could do more than make people laugh. Portraying Adrian Cronaeur, a radio DJ that ruffled feathers and inspired troops in the Vietnam War, got Williams his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Happy Feet (2006)
Robin Williams returned to the sound booth as he brought his larger than life delivery to another animated feature in Happy Feet. Once again playing multiple characters, Williams contributed to the film’s laughs and even got a chance to sing again (in Spanish), which says a lot given that Happy Feet was basically a musical.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Robin Williams’ most universally acclaimed acting job came in Good Will Hunting, playing the underachieving psychiatrist to Matt Damon’s even more-so underachieving genius named Will Hunting. After three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and no wins, Williams finally walked away with the gold trophy for Best Supporting Actor for this work.
