Dead Poets Society - Seize The Day

 (1989) ★★★★★

Dreams are a beautiful thing. I used to dream of being a good teacher who would be able to inspire students to do something extraordinary. Hey, what is "extraordinary"? Ripping up a textbook? Sneaking out of the school in the middle of the night and reading poems in a cave? Playing God, and going against the people in authority? Chasing your dreams without knowing the price you're going to pay? Climbing onto the desk and shouting "Oh, captain, my captain"? I didn't know. I was not sure.

"Carpe Diem", "seize the day" in Latin, and one of the best quotes in movies ever made, is what Mr Keating (Robin Williams) says to his students while asking them to lean in and see the pictures of the alumni. Also he adds, "make your life extraordinary". Yeah, right, life's short. We ought to try our best to make our life shine, but who's there to judge if it's extraordinary, yourself or someone else?

And the other question is, how? According to Mr Keating, you can, as long as you seize the day. Again, how? What's the meaning of "seize the day"? Live every day as if it's your last? Catch every opportunity that ever comes to you? What if your life ends today? What would you do? Have you ever thought about that? If you haven't, come on, join Dead Poets Society!