I’ve been avoiding writing this blog post, but I know it’s one I need to write. By now, everyone knows that Robin Williams passed away earlier this week. And by now, we all know that it was suicide and that he’d had some physical and mental problems as well as past addictions. I’ve read in articles online that his wife claims his sobriety was intact, so I’m going to assume that was true. I mean, it doesn’t really matter… I don’t need all the details.

I know some people differ on their thoughts about this. Suicide is never something that is easy for anyone to handle. It’s a rough topic. We are all only given one life here on this earth, and the thought of deciding to just opt out of that isn’t a comfortable thought for those of us that are still here. Why would someone want to give up everything? Is this world really that bad that you just want to stop existing? It’s a hard thing to comprehend.

There are people that are quick to point out that suicide is a choice, and that you shouldn’t feel sorry for someone who chose it, and that you shouldn’t celebrate them after they do it. I agree to an extent. Yes, suicide is always a choice. But it’s not always a rational choice. In fact, I’d say in most cases it’s anything but a rational choice. If someone was in their right mind, surely they would realize that this world, albeit painful at times, does have its redeeming qualities. But I think some people, particularly those that have never experienced severe depression or what it’s like to not be in a rational state of mind, just can’t seem to get past the fact that it’s still always a choice.

I’ve never been severely depressed. I’ve never been at the point where I seriously considered suicide. I have thought about it, but never quite to that extent. But I have been in dark places before. I know what it’s like to not be rational. I know what it’s like to feel out of control. I think that’s the best way to explain it. When you are in a place like that, you really are out of control. You aren’t seeing the big picture, and what you are doing is based on how you are seeing things. Obviously, I don’t know that much about Robin Williams. But from what I do know about him, he was a good person. He did a lot of good for people, both on-camera and off. He seemed like a very smart, well-adjusted person who was definitely very well-respected. But apparently, he also struggled with seeing life as the good thing that it is. I can only imagine how it looked to him, but it must have been very dark, judging by the decision he made.

Suicide is almost never a good choice. For any individual leading a relatively normal life, it never is. Even when you’re in a very dark place, it is always possible for it to get better. Do I believe it was a choice for him? Yes, it was. Do I think it was the right one? No, I don’t. Here’s what I do know, though. A choice like this, that amounts to the end of a life, does not discount the entire life. And Robin Williams had a pretty great one. He brought a lot of joy and laughter to a lot of people’s lives, and I think THAT is to be celebrated. No one is celebrating his choice to end his life. We are simply feeling sorry for the pain he went through that led him to this decision, and we are celebrating all the good that he brought to the world before he left it.

I have to say, usually celebrity deaths don’t have much impact on me. But this one has. I remember seeing so many movies he was in that I loved. I remember watching Mrs. Doubtfire with my dad, quite a few times. He loved that movie. And sadly, the way Robin Williams died brings back memories of some very personal, very dark times for me that I usually tend to repress. So this has been an emotional week, and I know I’m not alone in that. The world is saying goodbye to a very talented actor and comedian that seemingly dealt with some very dark times that in the end, led to his tragic demise. We mourn with his family and at the same time, celebrate all he brought to the world.

Goodbye, O Captain. You will be missed.

Well, here it is – my first negative review. I wasn’t really a fan of this movie. I went in with a lot of expectations, because from the reviews I’ve seen, it sounded like it was pretty good. It’s got great reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Twelve out of the currently thirteen reviews there for it are positive. I guess I just expected too much. I blame you, Rotten Tomatoes!

Oculus is the story of two kids (now grown adults) whose parents were killed right in front of them. The girl, Kaylie, is convinced that it was because of an antique mirror that her dad had purchased. So she hunts the mirror down to prove it. Ok, now that right there… seriously, who in their right mind does that? If you thought your parents died because they were affected by this thing – why on earth would you go FIND it? I would stay as far away from the thing as I could and hope to never see it again.

That is just the beginning. I mean, does not the premise basically give away almost all of the movie? I kept hoping there would be a twist at the end. SPOILER ALERT: There’s not. The movie plays out exactly the way you expect it to. The way the movie plays out is kind of different, I guess – seeing what happens when they were kids alongside what happens to them as adults. But it doesn’t even come close to saving the movie. There’s no worry about spoilers here, because from almost the very beginning (even from the trailer, you might say) this movie spoils itself. I wouldn’t waste your time with this one – you’ll see almost everything coming from a mile away.

I’m not sure, but this could possibly end up being my favorite film of the festival this year. It’s definitely in the top three. It’s funny, because The Trouble With The Truth is a simple movie, but also quite complicated. The majority of the movie is basically a conversation between a couple that was married for 14 years and then divorced. The opening sequence introduces their daughter, but her role is actually a pretty small one.

Here’s what I loved about this film: the title. It’s exactly what the movie is about. This is a film about raw honesty. You’ve had those conversations that go into the late hours of the night, right? I know I have. I’m pretty sure we all have. This movie is about those conversations. It revolves around one of those conversations. It takes the complicatedness (yes, I know that might not be a word) of life and hashes it out in one of those conversations. I have to say, I kind of love those kind of conversations.

Here’s the part where I go off on a tangent. There’s honestly not a lot to say about the film itself. There’s not much I can say without giving away spoilers or something. But the reason we all end up liking movies tends to be a lot about how much we relate them to ourselves. I mean, sure there are the entertaining action superhero films or the great comedies that make you laugh. But I believe the best films are the ones that move you. The ones that you can relate to. The ones that you liken back to life and your version of it. For me, this movie did that in spades. I believe strongly in being real with people. It’s one of the things I strive for most, being honest and transparent about who I am. If you know me, you know me. That’s why I love those kinds of conversations.

Watching this movie you are watching a conversation between two fictional people. But there’s a reason we like story telling… our lives are stories too, that are meant to be shared with other people. That’s what this movie is about – our stories and sharing them honestly with each other. Even if life’s messy. That’s “the trouble with the truth”.