Dead Poets Society for me has always been one of those philosophical movies that uplifts me whenever I’m in misery contemplating life’s mishaps. The overall characters and storyline has this subtle power to take you out of misery and instill your mind and heart with hope.

Dead Poets Society is an inspiring tale of discovering the true identity of one’s self. It tells about a group of conservative, aristocratic boys who was inspired by an English teacher who pushes them out of the life of conformity by teaching them to embrace life through Poetry and Literature. The English teacher, Mr. Keating changes the lives of boys who was brought up in conventional ways as the likes of Tod Handerson, a shy boy with a low self esteem and Neil Perry, a talented boy who lives under the oppression of his father’s choices. Mr. Keating in his unorthodox way pushes these boys to dare to pursue their dreams no matter what the boundaries are and thus “Carpe Diem” a famous Latin phrase that translate as “Seize the day” becomes the echo of the whole movie.

A tragic yet deeply moving story that contains profound dialogue that would leave you to reflect on your own life. It made me question whether I am conforming my life to society or am I brave enough to stand up for myself and dream big. I know living an idealistic life is a difficult choice especially if you happen to be living under the hardship life in Jakarta. But to conform your belief for the sake of the status quo is to forever live a deprived life.

Directed by Peter Wier.