"What Dreams May Come" Explores into the Supernatural

My enjoyment from watching, "What Dreams May Come" came not only from the performance of the starring actors. The originality of the storyline and the award winning special effects enhanced the experience. I was not only entertained, but also genuinely interested by this film's exploration into the supernatural, beyond the confines of mortality.

People should know that this film has a likely audience of educated people. It has mature, intelligent content, with adult level performances by experienced, professional actors. But with the special effects used, and the overall themes of adventure and romance, the film can be enjoyed by a much wider assortment of viewers. It is attractive to the eye, and applies biblical concepts to modern issues. With a big budget and an A-list cast, "What Dreams May Come" is something many will want to see.

The storyline begins with Robin Williams' narration as his portrayed character, Chris Nielsen, "When I was young, I met this beautiful girl by a lake." The story was told of how Chris, a successful doctor, met his wife Annie (Annabella Sciorra), a talented artist, when their two boats collided on a lake near the Swiss border. After falling in love, the couple began a life together, getting married and raising their two devoted children, Ian (Josh Paddock) and Marie (Jessica Brooks Grant). However, the terrible day came when both children, driven by their nanny in the family van, died in a tragic accident. Four years later, Chris also died in another automobile accident.

In the face of his death, Chris's mental consciousness separated from his physical self to observe how it affected Annie, the person he loved the most, now made childless and widowed. Helping him realize his new situation was a friendly spirit (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), not yet completely seen, only appearing as a blur of light and color. In the scene where Chris watched Annie visit his gravesite, his consciousness separated yet again, leaving his former world to make the journey towards a heavenly light. He woke up to find himself in a paradise based on his wife's paintings, powered by his imagination.

In his new environment, Chris made two initial discoveries. The first was his daughter's deceased dog, now living, leading him to deduce that he was in the afterlife. The other was the friendly spirit, now visible as Albert Louis, the first doctor Chris interned under. Albert helped Chris to function within his new world, leading him to the dream house that Annie had previously painted, and where they both planned to retire.

As Chris and Annie got further apart, their bond was shown through the talent of her artistry while being tested by the separation of his death. During this time, Chris was also guided by Leona (Rosalind Chao), another spirit who helped him discover the common vision of all mankind, a city occupied with other beings that could be identified as Heaven. During a conversation Chris had with Leona about a memory of Marie, he became able to look past her physical form and see the soul of his daughter underneath. Chris joyfully reunited with Marie.

In the mortal world, Annie, not being able to handle the death of both her children and her husband, decided to take her own life. Chris was told by Albert that since his wife was a suicide case, and having violated the natural order of life, was not able to get into Heaven and sent to Hell instead. Chris, believing in her innocence, resolved to rescue her. Albert, being won over, agreed to help, finding them a tracker. The tracker (Max Von Sydow), with the use of a sailboat, directed the three of them out of the safe territory of Heaven, and over the boundary in a journey towards the depths of Hell, where the real danger is losing your mind.

Robin Williams' performance in this motion picture is more developed than his role of "Mork," the funny extraterrestrial on the situation comedy television series "Happy Days" and it's spin-off "Mork and Mindy." His character had to deal with more domestic issues, such as the loss of his children and his wife's subsequent breakdown. Chris and Annie shared a life together as a normal couple struggling with the limits of mortality. Sciorra, having to face the death of those she loved, was very convincing in her role as a wife and mother.

Even though the storyline is resolved in the end, like many other films, it was far from predictable. Flashbacks were repeatedly shown, explaining Chris's connection with his family, and Annie's reaction to her loss. The subject matter was explored in a new, realistic sort of way, happening to contemporary, average people. In the end, I was left thinking that the director, Vincent Ward, had found a very desirable way to entertain viewers with the application of human philosophies.

According to the cover on the DVD, "What Dreams May Come" won the 1998 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It is easy to see why. The Photo Gallery option under the Special Features supplement reports, "What Dreams May Come could not have been made without the unique collaboration of dozens of diverse artists from several disciplines. Traditional oil painters, illustrators, matte painters, and visual effects software programmers came together to create the visionary images of Heaven and Hell presented in the film." The boundaries of Earth, Paradise, Heaven, and Hell were transcended, creating something unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Listed below are 3 websites where consumers can buy the movie:

*http://www.BarnesandNoble.com

*http://www.HotMovieSale.com/DVD

*http://www.FamilyVideo.com