Chewie... We're Home! Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser and Panel Review

On April 16, 2015, there was a great disturbance in the Force. As if millions of voices cried out in tears of joy, and we're suddenly silenced.

That's right... The new teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released! In the first 24 hours alone, the teaser had 30 million views! Take that, 50 Shades of Grey!

Millions have already watched the teaser, but I was among the first to actually see it. In person. 

This blog post will not only be my analysis to the trailer, but a recollection of the experience. 

It was Wedsnday night, April 15th, at the Aneheim Convention Center. I had brought a sleeping bag, a reclining chair, a Yoda backpack, a black buttoned shirt, and a green Lightsaber, all part of my Luke Skywalker Cosplay. 

My Dad and I arrived at the convention at around 11:00 PM. There had already been about a few hundred attendees waiting in line for the event. This panel was announced a few weeks prior. All we knew that it had something to do with JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy, and something to do with that art house film, The Force Awakens. And as everyone knows about JJ Abrams, the man loves to keep things to his chest. Not just big twist reveals. He HATES giving plot summaries, period. And since we're talking about Stars Wars Episode VII, the most anticipated film of the year... decade... century... Millenium... OF ALL TIME... You just know millions of fans around the world have been gasping for details as much as an imperial officer gasps for air when being choked by Darth Vader!

So hearing that JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy MIGHT reveal some nuggets on the next chapter in the Star Wars saga caused some fans, including me, to choose spending the night in a cold, bright waiting room, as opposed to our nice warm beds in the dark. 

But the wait wasn't so bad. As always happens at conventions, especially Star Wars Celebration, I made a new friend. Lisa. 

No. Not that Lisa.

That is Lisa. A fellow Star Wars fan from out of town. And one of the nicest people I met! She was very talkative, and even offered to take my sleeping bag and reclining chair to her hotel room, without ever once thinking of anything in return. Now that is the Jedi Spirit!

So we sat in line for a few house. And we could not step out of line for too long, or we would move to the back of the line, and probably not make it to the panel. They told us at the beginning we might not make it in the panel at all. As Han Solo would say, "Never tell me the odds!" 

As we waited in line, we were delivered delicious, hand made, and FREE, pizza! Sponsored by none other than JJ Abrams himself! It was beyond generous of JJ to think about the fans in line, and their stomachs. Surprisingly though, it didn't come with any lens flare! 

After a slice of pizza, I drifted to a brief sleep for two hours. Then my friend, Lisa, woke me up to alert me that James Arnold Taylor, the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Johnny Test, Fred Flintstone, and countless other cartoon characters you've probably heard him as, had walked in to greet the fans. Having someone save my spot, I walked over to James, told him I loved his take on Obi-Wan, and took a selfie. He was totally awesome! The Force is strong with him!

Once we went back in line, a couple was sweet enough to hand me their copy of the Star Wars: Kanan The Last Padawan comic. It was great reading. Poor Kanan. I also finished reading Carrie Fisher's brilliant, shocking, tragic, and hilarious biography, Wishful Drinking. It's amazing that a talented woman like her could take all her pain and hardships, and make them funny and entertaining.

I fell back to sleep. Full of anxiety about what this panel could possibly be about, and wondering if the agonizing wait would be worth it.

After ten hours, it was finally time to walk in. The line traveled inside the convention center in single file.. To hide our numbers! (Badum, tss!) 

While I was in line, Scott Mantz (Access Hollywood, Profiles), Kristian Harloff (Schmoes Know, AMC Movie Talk, Far Far Away Podcast), and Tiffany Smith (Schmoes Know, Fandango, DC ALL ACCESS, Far Far Away Podcast) walked by and gave me a high five. It's a small Galaxy after all! (If you are getting sick of these Star Wars puns, then I apologize.)

We finally made it into the Arena. We found decent seats in the back row on the first floor. It was a near perfect view of the stage. In the audience, I saw Dave Filoni (creator of Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Star Wars: Rebels), 

With less than half an hour for the show to start, the crowd passed the time by rapping along to Star Wars rap, and singing along to Weird Al Yankovic's The Saga Begins (parody of Don McLeanms American Pie). And yes, I know all the words to that song! (The former)

The show finally starts as Anthony Breznican, editor at Entertainment Weekly, walks on stage. He shared a brief story of seeing The Empire Strikes Back in theaters when he was 3 years old. He said it felt like looking at a window into another world. Could not have put it better myself. 

Shortly after, we see Kathleen Kennedy, the President of Lucasfilm, and JJ Abrams, the director of The Force Awakens, walk on stage. The crowd cheers. 

JJ Abrams begins telling the crowd stories of how Star Wars inspired him as a kid to become a filmmaker. And he described the brilliance of George Lucas' vision and why his saga means so much to us.

Kathleen Kennedy talked about how she had lunch with George in New York City in 2012. He told her he was retiring, and she asked him "Who will run the company?" And he said "I was thinking about you..." Talk about pressure! 

JJ Abrams then talked about picking the new actors for the film by setting auditions on the Internet. 

I myself made an audition tape, hoping to be cast in the film. We all know how that turned out...

Anyways, JJ Abrams introduced the new cast, John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), and Daisy Riddley (Rey). The actors talked about their lifelong love of Star Wars, and their experiences being cast. 

Daisy Riddley said she felt so excited that Star Wars will have more female characters for little girls to relate to. I mean, we have to have more than just Princess Leia and Padme Amidala, right? When asked what character would she be in Star Wars, Kathleen Kennedy said "I used to never have an answer for that question. That's about to change." 

John Boyega confessed he didn't tell his parents at all, and that they only found out with the trailer. That cast photo reveal last year? "That's for 24!" John Boyega claimed to his parents.

Boyega also mentioned that he brought a Stormtrooper action figure for Harrison Ford to sign. As Harrison signed it, he gave a confused look and muttered "This is weird." Classic Harrison Ford!

Speaking of Harrison Ford, the veteran actor's near fatal plane crash from March was also brought up. Kathleen Kennedy said that Ford is in the hospital recovering, and that he really wished he could be here. She also said "Harrison Ford is the only man who can make an emergency landing in a golf course with two doctors standing by." JJ Abrams said "The fact that Harrison Ford landed a plane in a golf course instead of houses makes him even more heroic in real life than any of his films."

JJ Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, and the cast also gave some details about the filming process and the summaries of the characters. For example, that desert planet we saw in the teaser in November? It's actually Jakku! And you thought it was Tatooine! 

JJ Abrams also mentioned using more practical effects and locations as opposed to the CGI in the prequels. The crowd errupted in applause. 

JJ Abrams said one of the things he loved about the Original Trilogy was how used up it felt. How the technology felt dated, and the worlds felt lived in. It felt real. Well said JJ. Well said.

That cute ball droid in the teaser? B-88?  That's a real robot! No, not a prop. A REAL ROBOT! And it came on stage! Along with a familiar droid, R2-D2! The two droids engaged in a staring contest. I think Artoo won. 

Then, a group of stormtroopers marched on stage. Not the classic ones we all know. The newly designed ones from the movie! And they didn't come on worth the sinister Imperial March theme. They came on with the triumphant Throne Room theme. Could this mean they are on the good guys' side? Who knows.

And as if the panel couldn't get any more amazing, we saw what could easily be compared to if the Beatles had a reunion.

Anthony Daniels (C-3PO, Human Cyborgs Relations) walked on, followed by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia, my fantasy woman), Peter Mayheww (the mighty Chewbacca), and of course, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight)!

What we witnessed was more than a Star Wars reunion. It was Star Wars Royalty.

"Even when he's sitting down he's taller than me!" Said Mark Hamill about Peter Mayheww. "I'm standing up, and I'm shorter than all of you!" Said Carrie Fisher. 

"You were there at the beginning. You are still here. And you always will be." Said Anthony Daniels to the fans.

"You're more than fans, you're family." Said Mark Hamill.

So touching.

So it seemed like the panel was over. We heard details about the filming process, and the characters. Saw B-88, R2-D2, new Stormtroopers, the old AND new cast, all assembled together on stage for the first time! With John Williams' Across The Stars playing.

The panel was already glorious. But then they do a mic drop...

We saw the second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens!!!

Where do I start? We see the iconic Lucasfilm logo.

Then a speeder bike, and an Imperial Star Destroyer crashed on the desert planet Jakku, not Tatooine.

Then we hear Luke Skywalker's voice...

The Force is strong in my family...

My Father has it...

I have it...

My Sister has it...

You have that power too...

That is a monologue from Return of the Jedi. Luke was talking to his sister, Leia, in that scene. But that last sentence was not in the scene. So who is Luke talking to? Is it his son? Daughter? A new Padawan? And when that little girl handed that Lightsaber to that woman, was it Leia herself? Some of those thoughts were racing through my mind that minute..

What followed was nonstop action! With Yoda and the Force theme by John Williams playing. 

And then we see Han Solo and Chewbacca...

Chewie... We're home!

AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!

I've never been to a Hall H panel at Comic-Con before. But I doubt they were anything like this panel. The type of reaction in the Arena after that trailer was something I had never seen before. The anticipation, the excitement, the emotions, the tears... It was history.

Star Wars is back! In fact, it's as if it never really left.

Watching that teaser not only got me more hyped for the film, it made me feel like a kid again. It was as if I was 10 years old again. Kevin Smith was right! 

In closing, that panel was an experience I will tell my children and my grandchildren about. I can watch that teaser any time I want on YouTube. But I will never experience anything like that audience reaction again.

In the words of Darth Vader, It was a day long remembered...

This is going to be the best Christmas ever! Or best Life Day ever...

May the Force be with you...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ngElkyQ6Rhs

My Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015!

Wow! Crazy, right? It feels like just yesterday we were saying goodbye to 2013, and hello to 2014. And now 2015 is only a couple days away (at least as I'm writing this)! By now, we've all formed an opinion on this year. For some, it was a good year. For others, it was a lousy year, especially if you're a New York Jets fan. But I think we can all agree that it was a crazy year. It was the year we learned that SHIELD was actually HYDRA in disguise, when that no good rat King Joffrey finally met his fate, when Ted Mosby completed his story to his kids of how he met their mother (and angered people in the process), when people all over the world dumped buckets of ice on their heads, and when a typical Seth Rogen/James Franco bromantic comedy led to Sony getting their personal information exposed and almost caused a war between America and North Korea. It was definitely one for the books!

And we all have much to look forward to in 2015! Whether it's getting married, getting divorced, having children, graduation, or getting a promotion. But the thing I'm the most excited about in 2015 is the movies! We get to revisit beloved worlds, catch up with our favorite characters, see new worlds and meet new characters, and we get not one, but TWO Pixar movies!

As we turn the page on 2014, and begin a new chapter with 2015, Here are my Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2015:

10.) Tomorrowland

Once upon a time, Disney made attractions based on their films. And now, due to the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney makes films based on their attractions. And now, they're doing Tomorrowland. Tomorrowland has always been one of my favorite parts of Disneyland. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I love sic-fi. I've been looking forward to this movie since it was announced. However, when Disney decides to make a movie based on their most beloved attractions, sometimes we get winners like Pirates, and other times we get The Haunted Mansion. But with a cool teaser, a solid cast which includes George Clooney, and the fact that Brad Bird, one of my favorite directors, is helping the project, this looks like it will be a winner! There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow's just a dream away!

9.) Furious 7

I have a confession to make. I never really followed the Fast and the Furious franchise. It's not that I wasn't interested in them. It's just that I never really found time to go out and see them. The only one I've watched all the way through so far is Fast Five. And I thought it was action-packed, exciting, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat entertainment. It made me with I made more effort to see the movies in theaters. And now, with the tragic passing of Paul Walker, it seems like everyone, both fans and non-fans of this franchise, will go check out the last movie in his honor. The trailer definitely has me sold. It looks like the filmmaker and the cast have not lost sight of what makes this franchise so popular. And since this might be the last movie in the franchise, it seems like everyone will be giving their all. It will be one hell of a finish!

8.) The Good Dinosaur 

If there's one thing that Pixar is famous for, it's making great movies out of weird premises. They've done almost everything: Toys, Bugs, Monsters, Fish, Superheroes, Cars, Rats, Robots, A Scottish teenage girl who's into archery, and even a grumpy old man! And now, it's dinosaurs! And why not? For creatures that have been extinct for almost a billion years, they are definitely rich with movie ideas! From Jurassic Park to The Land Before Time to The Flintstones to Barney, dinosaurs have left a huge footprint in our pop culture. With The Good Dinosaur, Pixar is asking a very fascinating question I'm sure we all asked as little kids; What if the dinosaurs never went extinct? What if they roamed the earth with us right now? Would they be our pets? Would they be dangerous? Some of you might argue that we already know the answer to this question from Jurassic Park. And true, maybe we have. But we've never seen it in a Pixar movie before! And that sound pretty awesome! Right?

7.) Jurassic World

Speaking of Jurassic Park, it's hard to think about dinosaurs without at least the theme song to this series. We all remember when we first saw Jurassic Park. It was like the Avengers of its time. It featured groundbreaking effects, had a cast of memorable characters and quotable dialogue, and some of the biggest, scariest, most amazing monsters to ever grace the silver screen! It was one of the biggest films of the 90s, and some of Steven Spielberg's best work (which is saying a lot!). I have another confession to make. I've only seen the first Jurassic Park movie. What can I say? I just don't have as much time to watch movies these days! But from what I've heard, the sequels were nothing to roar about. And they made the franchise go extinct for almost a decade. But with a new up-and-coming director, a great cast which stars Star-Lord himself, Christ Pratt, and the adorable little brat from Iron Man 3, Ty Simpkins, it seems like the franchise will come roaring back! The only thing it needed to be higher on my list was Jeff Goldblum!

6.) Peanuts

Admit it. You're humming the theme song right now, aren't you? Come on! Yes, it's hard to call yourself a human being, and say you've never watched at least one Peanuts special, or even read one comic strip. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, and the rest of the gang have a special place in our hearts. They are the only remedy I can think of to put you in the proper holiday spirit. It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and Merry Christmas Charlie Brown. It's hard to have a sad face when watching Charles Schultz's beloved characters every year. And now they're finally coming back to the big screen! Sure, it's a little disappointing that they're CGI instead of the hand-drawn style we know and love them for. But based on the teaser, the spirit and charm is clearly there. And the filmmakers have said they won't try to modernize it or "make it hip for the cool kids, homey!", which is a mistake many movies based on cartoons make. The kids won't have any iPods, Snoopy won't rap, etc. It promises to be just as simple and just as timeless as the cartoon it's based on. I'll definitely check it out. I'd be a blockhead if I didn't!

5.) Mission Impossible 5

Another franchise I barely followed until recently! If there's a New Year's Resolution I'm going to make, it's to watch more movies and get up to date on more franchises, considering that it's going to be a year full of beloved franchises! The only Mission Impossible film I watched all the way through was 2011's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. If you want to know my opinion of it, well. If I hated it, you don't think I'd put the next movie this high on my list, would you? I loved almost everything from the cast to the director, and especially the action! If it didn't convert you to this franchise, nothing will! It even helped Tom Cruise bounce back after a long period of being a media punching bag. And even though Live. Die. Repeat. Edge of Tomorrow wasn't a blockbuster, everyone who did see it including me thought it was awesome! Tom Cruise is definitely on a role lately. Even though Brad Bird hasn't come back, the director they chose seems like a decent choice. And most of the cast is returning, including Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg, and filming is set to take place in Vienna, Austria. It would be a "Mission: Impossible" to not get even a little hyped!

4.) Spectre

Bond... James Bond.

Mission Impossible isn't the only spy franchise on a mission this year. With the massively successful Skyfall, 007 has never been hotter! Daniel Craig has established himself as one of the best actors to ever don the tuxedo, along with Sean Connery. And now he's going up against the evil Spectre! Before there was Hydra, there was Spectre, a global terrorist group bent on world domination. And his villain this time is Django Unchained's Christoph Waltz! And with Sam Mendes returning to the director's chair, it seems like this will continue Mr. Bond's hot streak. It's great to know this franchise still has a license to thrill!

Shaken... Not stirred.

3.) Inside Out 

As I mentioned before, this is the first year we'll get more than one Pixar movie. And the best part? NEITHER OF THEM ARE SEQUELS!!! I love revisiting beloved characters as much as anyone. But nothing beats the feeling of discovering new characters and new ideas. And both Pixar movies have great ideas. This Pixar movies asks another deep question: What are the emotions in our heads like? What if we could literally go inside our heads and meet our feelings face to face? We all have emotions. Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness. We've seen movies that caused us to have these feelings, especially Pixar movies. But have we ever seen a movie ABOUT them? Again, leave i to Pixar to break new ground and give us something we've never seen or thought of before! The director of the film is Pete Dctor, who directed two of my favorite Pixar movies, Monsters, Inc.  and Up. The cast includes Amy Pohler, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, and of course John Ratzenberger (It wouldn't even be a Pixar movie without him playing at least a tree in the background)! All this combined with the fact that it comes out on my sister's birthday (As most Pixar movies in the past have), this movie gives me the feeling of excitement!

2.) Avengers: Age of Ultron

Is there any franchise in Hollywood that's bigger and hotter than the Marvel Cinematic Universe right now? Honestly? The studio has come a long way from Iron Man back in 2008. Not only did they bring Robert Downy Jr. back to the top of Hollywood's Nice list, but they also created a money-making machine that is bringing all other studios to their knees! And just like Pixar, another Disney-owned company, they've had their success based on wild ideas! A patriotic hero with a heart of gold? A Norse god with a magic hammer that controls thunder? A talking tree and a raccoon with a machine gun? No sane studio would consider those ideas as worth the risk. Thank goodness Marvel is insane! And since the record breaking phenomenon The Avengers, the studio has only gotten bigger and better. They've more than earned audiences' interest and devotion to this world and its characters. And since the team has taken care of Loki, they now have to go against an evil robot designed by Tony Stark called Ultron, who think humans are the biggest problem with Earth and vows to wipe them out. Just how bad is Ultron? He's so evil, he makes "No Strings On Me" from Disney's Pinocchio sound like something from your nightmares! Can the Avengers, with the help of Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, stop Ultron and save the world? We'll find out, but one thing's for sure. It will only make Warner Bros. and DC even more desperate to catch up! I can already hear Kevin Tsujihara whispering in Batfleck's ear "Don't screw this up!"

Since this will be such a legen(wait for it...)dary year for movies, here are some honorable mentions.

Ant-Man - Despite the production drama, and the fact that Edgar Wright's no longer involved, the cast still looks great, and hey. It's Marvel!

The Jungle Book - One of my favorite movies as a kid, and I couldn't be happier with the cast and crew invoked. Jon Favreau, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita N'yongo, Christopher Walken, and Bill Murray as Balloo! It's the Bare Necessities of Life!

Ted 2 - If it's half as funny as the first Ted (and judging by the cast which includes Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson, something tells me it will be), I will be one happy teddy bear. Just hope Sam Jones isn't too busy to make another cameo!

Hunger Games Mocking Jay Part 2 - Never read the books, thought the first one was okay, LOVED Catching Fire, and thought Mocking Jay Part 2 was good enough. But needless to say, I'm hooked on this franchise. Let's hope it ends the franchise on a high note.

Untitled Cameron Crowe Project - Great director, and amazing cast which includes Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, and Bill Murray. I don't know much about it, but I know I'm gonna like it!

And My Number One Most Anticipated Film Of 2015 Is...

1.) Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Not even close! NOT EVEN CLOSE! For some, Star Wars is a series of movies. But for others, including me, it's a religion. It's a way of life. It's imbedded in our pop culture. How many times have you heard the lines quoted yesterday? You may have heard it in your favorite sitcom. It's probably the most influential film of its generation, inspiring filmmakers like Peter Jackson, Christopher Nolan, Brad Bird, James Cameron, Joss Whedon, and even J.J. Abrams! I know it's left a huge impact on my life. I grew up watching the movies on VHS and DVD. Every Spring Break, I watch all six movies from Episode I to Episode VI. I've even watched the documentary Empire of Dreams more times than  I can count! I own more lightsabers than I should. Every final exam I take in school, I pretend I'm Luke Skywalker fighting the Death Star in Episode IV. When I was 10 years old, I saw Episode III: Revenge of the Sith three times in theaters, and dressed up as Darth Vader every time! When someone asks me what is the greatest film of all time, I say "The Empire Strikes Back" without hesitation! Star Wars is what got me interested in movies, and inspired me to become a writer/director/actor. We all love the Original Trilogy: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. They are to movies what the Bible is to books. And true, the prequels were disappointing to many fans, especially those who grew up with the Original Trilogy. Personally, I never minded the prequels. But maybe it's because I was born in the 90s, and have a little nostalgic bias for them. But whatever our opinions on the six films are, we all have a reason to be excited for the next movie! It's being directed by J.J. Abrams, who is responsible for reviving another popular (but not as amazingly awesome) sci-fi series Star Trek. The cast is unbeatable! It includes old favorites such as Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayheww all reprising their iconic roles that made them famous. We even have an exciting new cast which includes John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita N'yongo, Gwendoline Christie, Max Von Sidow, and even Gollum himself, Andy Serkis! And having the legendary John Williams return to do the score won't hurt at all! This will be the first Star Wars movie to not be released in May, but in December. Consider it an awesome Christmas present (or Life Day present). As Darth Vader would say, "Decemebr 18, 2015 will be a day long remembered."

May the Force be with you!

And those are my most anticipated films of 2015! What films are you looking forward to the most? Are they not on this list? Are they not high enough on this list? Do you even have time to go to movies anymore? Let me know in the comments below! Happy New Year everyone!

Remembering Robin Williams (1952 - 2014)

Every month, 2014 is sounding more like the year when giants fell. We lost so many giants this year. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Harold Ramis, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hoskins, James Garner, etc. Whenever someone leaves this world, whether they were recognized by millions around the world, or only by their friends and family, it's almost always shocking. But in recent memory, I have never heard a more shocking, earth shattering, or heartbreaking celebrity death than funny man: Robin Williams.

A couple days ago, it was announced that Robin Williams, the star of so many iconic films, had committed suicide in his home at age 63. Once the news broke, millions around the world voiced their sadness on Twitter and Facebook. Just how shocking was it? This death was so huge, that for a couple house, almost ALL the trending topics that we're not ads were Robin Williams movies.

If this doesn't prove how much of an impact he's left on the world, I have no clue what will.

Since that fateful day, many have speculated how Robin Williams, a man responsible for bringing so much joy and laughter to the whole world for decades, felt so depressed and sad enough to take his own life. Recently, it's been revealed that the actor had been facing financial problems, had to pay his ex-wives alimony, was a recovering drug addict, and on top of it all, had heart issues.

But that's not why I'm writing this article. The reason I want to write this article is to write about his life and career, talk a little about depression and how you and someone you know can cure it, and then share what Robin Williams meant to me.

Robin Williams was born in Chicago, IL,  on July 21, 1952. He studied Drama at Julliard, and was classmates and buddies with the Man of Steel himself, Christopher Reeve.

Williams started doing stand-up in the early 70s, and continued doing it throughout the 80s and 2000s. His schtick involved celebrity and cartoon impressions, observational humor, dark humor, wacky humor, and physical humor. Here is a taste of his mastery in stand-up. Please don't be eating or drinking anything while watching.

Williams got his start in the business with the Happy Days spin-off, Mork & Mindy, where he played an alien. When he auditioned for the role, the series creator, Gary Marshall, told him to sit down, and he sat on his head. Williams was immediately chosen, because Gary Marshall said "he was the only alien who auditioned."

Robin Williams got his first major starring role in the 1980 family comedy, Popeye, based on the famous cartoon of the same name. It made history as the first live-action film based on a cartoon. And we're still seeing this with films today like Alvin and the Chipmunks, Scooby-Doo, The Smurfs, etc.

Williams' breakout role was in the 1982 dramedy, The World According To Garp, based on the novel of the same name by John Irving. The critics generally liked it, and it catapulted Williams' career.

Robin Williams' was nominated for an Academy Award for playing a radio DJ in the 1987 war-comedy, Good Morning Vietnam. I'm pretty sure you've heard his famous catchphrase at least once on the radio.

The rest is history. Since them, Williams has starred in some of the most beloved and re-played films of our generation. Dead Poets Society, in which he plays an English teacher who inspires his students through poetry, and teaches them Carpe Diem ("Seize The Day"). Hook, in which he plays Peter Pan... as an adult. Mrs. Doubtfire, in which he plays a struggling actor going through divorce, who will do anything to be with his kids. Even if it means dressing up like an old woman. Birdcage, Jumanji, etc. The list goes on.

But for many kids my age, the role we remember him most as the Genie in the delightful Disney animated film, Aladdin. The minute he first burst out of that lamp, we knew we were witnessing a character like no other. He was a force of phenomenal cosmic powers trapped in eeney little living space. Since he's traveled to the past and future, he could imitate more celebrities and presidents than you can count. Even if Aladdin and his friends couldn't understand them. And who can forget his showstopping song Friend Like Me? And it's true, we've never had a friend like the Genie.

There was no denying that Robin Williams was hilarious. He could make even the most bitter man at least crack a smile. But in 1997, it was time for the funny man to get serious. He co-starred with Matt Damon (who also wrote the film with co-star Ben Affleck) in the 1997 drama Good Will Hunting. Robin Williams played Matt Damon's psychologist, and connected with him unlike any of his other psychologists. Because while his other psychologists were trying to get into Matt Damon's brain, Robin Williams' succeeded at getting into Matt Damon's heart.

Robin Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that year for the film, and after watching for the first time just yesterday, I can honestly say it was well-deserved. He'll always be the Genie to me, but Good Will Hunting has to have been his greatest role.

Even though he could take on any genre, and any medium, and raise a bar while he was at it, where Robin Williams really shined was when he was a guest on talk shows. Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Conan O' Brien, all agreed that Robin Williams was the best Talk Show guest in the world.

It's pretty much common knowledge that Robin Williams was talented. And I mean REALLY talented. He was so talented, he inspired many comedians like Eddie Murphy, Carrot Top, Josh Gad, etc. But more than that, he was also very generous. Where do I start?

He would spend much of his free time going to war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops with his stand-up. And what's more amazing about that? He almost never talked about it to anyone. Because he didn't do it for publicity. He did it because he loved doing it.

He was a huge supporter of St. Jude's Hospital, donated half his earnings for Weapons of Self Destruction to the Red Cross and all of them to rebuild New Zealand City after the 2010 Cantebury Earthquake.

Now, with a more than fruitful career in movies and TV, combined with the fact that he had a wife and kids, had talent to waste, and a heart bigger than his body, many have wondered how such a wonderful soul could feel so tortured and so beside himself.

As I mentioned earlier, he had financial troubles, he had been divorced twice, his new show The Crazy Ones, which he co starred with Sarah Michelle Gellar, was cancelled after one season, he was a recovering drug addict, and had a bad case of depression.

Now why would a man who's responsible for spreading laughter and joy to billions around the world for decades have depression?

There's a great quote in Alan Moore's Watchmen, where Rorscach is talking about his friend, The Comedian. He tells a joke about a man who goes to see a doctor. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says "Treatment is simple. The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up."

Man bursts into tears. Says "But doctor... I am Pagliacci."

That couldn't be more appropriate for Robin Williams. Here was a man who could cheer anyone up, and could cure anyone else's depression with his humor, but couldn't find a way to cheer himself up. He needed help.

I've known and met people in my life who have depression. It's a serious disease that can cause someone to take their own life. As we have just witnessed with Robin Williams.

You might even know someone with depression. They may not seem like it on the outside. Perhaps whenever you see them, they always have a smile on their face. They always seem fun to be around. Maybe life is going well for them. Maybe they have a lot of money, a successful career, a loving family, and a huge circle of friends.

You know who else did? Robin Williams.

People these days have a great way of hiding their problems, their angst, their worries, and their depression. Maybe they feel embarrassed talking about it. Maybe they feel scared. Feel confused. Feel.... lost.

Whatever problem they have, whether they talk about it or not, it's up to you to help them. In honor of Robin Williams, next time you see your friends and family, give them a hug, let them know how much they mean to you, how they make your life so much better, and tell them if they ever have any problems, they can always talk to you.

If you're reading this, have depression, an shave had thoughts of killing yourself, here is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Phone Number: 1-800-273-8255.

Remember, your life is worth it.

Now that I've written about Robin Williams' life and career, and about his condition, I want to write about what he meant to me.

For as long as I can remember, since I was a little kid, I've wanted to work in show business. I wanted to be an actor/writer/director/comedian. I have had many influences as a kid. From Looney Tunes to the Muppets. But one notable influence I can think of was Robin Williams.

When I was little, I watched a lot of movies, mostly Disney movies. And one of the first movies I ever watched was Aladdin. There was a street rat with a heart of gold, a beautiful princess who wanted freedom, an evil sorcerer with a sassy parrot sidekick, a monkey, a magic carpet, and a sultan. But the character that instantly stole my heart and imagination was the Genie, played by Robin Williams. While many of the characters in the movie were serious, and were very focused on achieving their goals, here the Genie was bouncing around, doing impressions, cracking jokes, and throwing as many gags at the screen as he can. He was insane!

I thought to myself "Wow! He is having the most fun out of all the people in this movie! I wan to be just like him!"

Whenever I was at a party or at Church with my family, I would always run around, making noise, doing cartoon voices, and entertaining the adults. My parents would get a little upset with me, but the other parents seemed to enjoy my antics.

As I grew older, and watched more movies, listened to more comedians, my desire for entertaining people grew and grew and grew. I started signing up for the talent shows at my schools and Church. I would do impressions from celebrities to cartoon characters to even Star Wars characters!

Ever since 2nd Grade, I have been in at least one school play every year. Most people hate being on stage, and feel nervous. But for some reason, it's where I have always felt the most at home. Every-time I do a play, people ask me how on earth I can go out on stage in front of hundreds of people, and still do a good job? I've never really known, until now.

It's because of Robin Williams.

What Robin Williams taught me was that it's okay to be a little weird. It's okay to be different from the crowd. That you shouldn't hide the things that make you different, but share them, and embrace them.

He taught me to be brave. That you should never be afraid to make yourself look like a fool in front of hundreds of people, as long as it makes you and them happy.

He taught me that it's important to find what makes you happy, and do it. Whether it's being a sailor, an English Teacher, a Psychologist, or a Genie.

But most of all. Robin Williams taught me how important it is to make someone laugh.

How in a world of darkness, chaos, sin, and despair, doing something as simple as telling someone a joke, or doing a silly voice to make them smile, can brighten their world. It may not change their life. But it can help them out, even for a little bit.

Nowadays, we take laughter for granted. We forget just how relevant and essential it is to our lives. It's the language of the soul. It's happiness.

Robin Williams, no matter what movie he was in, no matter what show he was on, no matter what he did, he always made me laugh. He always made me happy.

And because of him, I've been inspired to make other people happy. I've been inspired to make other people forget about their lives for a while. I've been inspired to make other people laugh.

There is a quote by Robin Williams from the late 70s that goes like this:

"In life, we're only given a spark of madness. Never lose that spark. Because without that spark, you're nothing."

Thank you, Robin Williams. Thank you for helping me find my spark. Thank you for inspiring me to never lose it.

Thank you for all the joy and laughter you've given me, and everyone, over the years you've been alive. Thanks you for all your charity, all your generosity, and all your kindness to everyone around you.

This world has become much less funny since you left it. But at the same time, Heaven has become even funnier since you entered it. I know the Angels are enjoying your stand-up right now.

Thank you, Robin Williams. Rest In Peace.