Bruce Dickinson on if he relived his life, he'd still quit Iron Maiden

Bruce Dickinson talked in a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock about whether, if he had the chance to redo some things from his past, he'd still quit Iron Maiden, although with a newer hindsight on it.

He joined the band in 1982, but left in 1993, making nine albums with Iron Maiden. He left for a solo career to blow off the frustration of writing just as many songs as bassist / founding member Steve Harris, but his songs getting tossed aside. He rejoined Iron Maiden in 1999 and has been with the band ever since. In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Bruce said "I would have done, yes. I wouldn't have changed that, but I would have done it better. I would have had more of a plan."

During the interview, he said it was a "spur of the moment decision. I realized Iron Maiden [was] doing it's thing and there was nothing anybody could do to change its trajectory. At the time, I was sitting there making what ended up being [second solo album] Balls to Picasso, and I realized that I didn't have much clue what to do outside of Iron Maiden." He mentioned it was a "shock" to find out he felt he was institutionalized in the band that earned him fame. "I thought 'What do I do about that?' I made the decision that either I stay...for the rest of my life, or I have to leave." Bruce mentions that he would not have been happy juggling a solo career and fronting Iron Maiden. "I was in this state of limbo then. I thought 'I have to leave, because otherwise...nobody's going to take it seriously. They'll just go: 'Oh, bless his pointy little head, it's his little side project.'"

Bruce even said that it takes something to sing the songs Steve Harris writes. He said "I [take great] pride in being able to voice Steve's riffs. There's not many people that can do it. I could never figure out why he wrote such bloody difficult words, though. Then we were chatting one day and it came out - the words follow the bass and drum. I tried to explain to him early on: 'Look, Steve, I'm going to lose my front teeth trying to sing this.' I never thought I'd be able to sing "Alexander the Great" when I first heard it, but that worked out fine."

Musicians We've Lost in 2024

We're in 2024 and thankfully, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be behind us. That pandemic took a toll on everyone. And with 2024, we also experienced deaths in the music world

There are too many to list, so if you would like to see them all, the link above will allow that

Tony Clarkin

-DOD: 1/7/2024

-He's a founding member of the band Magnum, where he played guitar. He died just days before the release of the band's 23rd studio album Here Comes the Rain. The band had plans of touring, but had to cancel upon learning news that Clarkin had a rare spinal condition. At the time of his death, he was only 77

James Kottak

-DOD: 1/9/2024

-He was the drummer for the German band Scorpions. He was only 61 at the time he passed. He drummed in several bands over the course of his life, including Montrose, Asia, Warrant, Kingdom Come. His career with Scorpions started on their 1999 album Eye II Eye and ran all the way through to 2015's Return to Forever. His alcoholism led to his dismissal from the band

Mojo Nixon

-DOD: 2/7/2024

-This kooky character is known for his goofy songs, that seemingly make no sense to some and bring others to tears from laughing so hard that it hurts. He was 66 at the time of his death. His biggest success came in the 1980s. Nixon was on the Outlaw Country Cruise when he appeared to have a "cardiac event" occurring. He was known for kooky songs like "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child", "Elvis is Everywhere", "I Hate Banks" and even has a Christmas album

Bobby Tench

-DOD: 2/19/2024

-He was 79 at the time of his death. This ex-Jeff Beck Group member started out in a band called The Gass, but his ticket to fame came when Jeff Beck came calling. He asked Tench to replace Rod Stewart in The Jeff Beck Group. Tench appeared on at least two albums-Rough and Ready and 1972's The Jeff Beck Group. Playing with this band provided multiple opportunities for Tench, allowing him to play with some of the titans of the rock world, including Humble Pie, Ginger Baker, Van Morrison and more

Jim Beard

-DOD: 3/2/2024

-A pianist, keyboard player and composer who not only played with Steely Dan, but jazz legends Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin and Pat Metheny, this iconic musician died at age 63 from an unknown illness. He had been part of Steely Dan since 2008. He even recorded six solo albums, the most recent being 2013's Show of Hands

Brit Turner

-DOD: 3/3/2024

-This Blackberry Smoke drummer was only 57 years old at the time of his passing. Fall of 2022 seen him getting diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of cancer that affects the brain and is fast-acting and aggressive. He underwent surgery to remove the cancer in November, just months after a massive heart attack at his home during the summer. He founded the band Blackberry Smoke in 2000, in Atlanta, Georgia

Dickey Betts

-DOD: 4/18/2024

-This Allman Brothers Band guitarist had just recently passed. One of the band's best known songs, "Ramblin' Man", was a #1 hit in 1973 and written by Betts. He left the group for good in 2000 following a legal issue with the band

Rain Man (1988)

This is one of my favorite movies.

Summary

-When a self-centered L.A. businessman learns that his father left his fortune to an autistic savant brother in Ohio that he never knew existed, he takes his brother out on a road trip, hoping to get a bigger share of the inheritance

Cast

-Dustin Hoffman: Raymond Babbitt

-Tom Cruise: Charlie Babbitt

-Valeria Golino: Susanna

-Gerald Molen: Dr. Bruner

-Bonnie Hunt: Sally Dibbs

-Jack Murdock: John Mooney

-Michael D. Roberts: Vern

-Ralph Seymour: Lenny

Did You Know?

-When Raymond Babbitt starts rambling off random facts, including one about Qantas Airlines, the fact he utters is true. From 1921 to 2023, that airline never lost any airplanes

-The elderly man talking about the Pony Express in the waiting room is an 89 year old local named Byron Cavnar. He was there already when film crews arrived. He got onto the topic of the Pony Express and director Barry Levinson got such a thrill out of it. He let Cavnar keep talking. The dialogue he speaks was genuine and not scripted

-Sir Michael Caine states this is one of his favorite movies. Later on, he found out that he had a brother he never knew about. This brother had lived in the Cane Hill Mental Hospital with a diagnosis of epilepsy. With great care, he said "Tom's performance was beautifully done."

-The character Raymond Babbitt was inspired by a savant named Kim Meek. Meek would travel the world, impressing all with his knowledge of minute details from history. Dustin Hoffman spent time with Meek and made a promise to Kim's father, who was his caregiver, that he would "share Kim with the world"

-Initially, Raymond Babbitt was supposed to be a mentally handicapped person. Dustin Hoffman insisted on Raymond being an autistic savant. His insistence is the reason director Martin Brest quit

-Dustin Hoffman got a thorough understanding of of how men with autism and their families interact by working with them for a year. Also, while first starting out in acting, Hoffman worked in a psychiatric care home, taking his experiences from there as well

-The boy at the pancake counter is Jake Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman's son

-When scenes were filmed in the casino, Dustin Hoffman would take off to play blackjack. Someone had to be assigned to him during takes

-The Italian restaurant that Raymond and Charlie go to, where Raymond counts the dropped toothpicks, is Pompilio's Restaurant in Newport, Kentucky. That restaurant is still there today and still open for business. There's a large mural on the wall depicting Charlie and Raymond in their Buick Roadmaster, parking in front of the restaurant

-Tom Cruise wearing Ray Ban sunglasses helped boost sales of that company's sunglasses

-Bonnie Hunt's film debut

-The radio station slogan Raymond repeats is from an actual radio station. "The future of rock and roll" is from independent radio station WOXY, 97.7 FM, in Oxford, Ohio. It shut down completely in 2011, moving to internet broadcasting in 2004

-During one of the Blackjack casino scenes at Caesar's Palace, the dealer is a real life Blackjack dealer named Nick Mazzola. He appeared in the 1995 film Casino. He was a real dealer between the 1970s-1980s

-When Charlie takes Raymond from the Walbrook center, they are seen walking down a long tree-lined driveway. In 2007, a lot of these trees were diseased, most likely from emerald ash borers that had invaded and destroyed the trees. These insects are from Asia and can destroy trees. They had to be removed and replacements planted. Prior to the trees' removal, many people came and recreated the scene of Charlie and Raymond walking down the drive from the convent

-"Walbrook" is actually the St. Anne's Convent, in Melbourne, Kentucky. It houses over 200 hundred nuns

-Originally, the character of Charlie Babbitt was supposed to be a 56-year old man

-The address that Raymond keeps repeating, the Walmart at 400 Oak Street, where he buys underwear, is the address for the Vernon Manor Hotel. It's where a lot of the production crew and cast were staying at the time of filming

-When Charlie and Raymond enter Las Vegas, they see a billboard for a radio station called KOMP. 92.3 KOMP is a real Las Vegas-based rock music station still on the air as of 2019

-In the scene where Raymond is experiencing a violent outburst from a smoke detector beeping, from a toaster oven fire, is one of the reasons that adults with autism need to be in a group home that can provide the loving care they need to prevent issues like that from happening

Musicians Lost in 2023

 2023 was a hard year for some. Of course, just getting through the COVID-19 pandemic was a tough one. With that pandemic firmly behind us, we can all relax a little. Of course, we think of all the people who perished from COVID-19. According to Loudwire.com, here are musicians we lost in 2023.

I do apologize if I don't list every one of them. There were a lot of them. That's why I've included the link so you can see all of them. I don't want this to be too long

Jeff Beck

-DOD: 1/10/2023

-He died just ten days into the new year from bacterial meningitis. He was only 78. His fame came from being not only a member of The Yardbirds, but his unique talents at jazz rock fusion. His career was long enough to produce 14 albums, 8 Grammy Awards. He was even a favorite collaborator of Ozzy Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi and others

David Crosby

-DOD: 1/19/2023

-A member of iconic group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, David Crosby died at age 81 on January 19, 2023. He was a founding member of 60s group The Byrds. Throughout his life, he suffered from various health issues, such as obesity, addiction, diabetes and liver problems. In 1994, he received a liver transplant, which was considered controversial due to his history with addiction

Tina Turner

-DOD: 5/24/2023

-This iconic legend was initially part of the R&B Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Unfortunately, she suffered domestic abuse at Ike's hands. When she finally broke free of his abusive reign, she was able to rebuild herself up again to massive success. She struggled to gain a foothold as a solo artist until she released Private Dancer in 1983, containing the massive hit "What's Love Got to Do With It".

Gary Rossington

-DOD: 3/5/2023

-He was a founding member of legendary Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was one of the band members who survived the tragic crash that took vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie, who was a backing singer. He was part of the band from 1964-1977 and left, returning in 1987 for their reunion. He returned in 1991 and played until his death

Gordon Lightfoot

-DOD: 5/1/2023

-This iconic folk singer, behind hits such as "Carefree Highway", "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", "If You Could Read My Mind", died in the hospital in Toronto. On the social media account for him, his family posted "Gordon died peacefully on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. He died of natural causes. He was 84 years old. He is survived by his wife Kim Hasse, six children - Fred, Ingrid, Eric, Galen, Miles, and Meredith, as well as several grandchildren."

Wayne Swinny

-DOD: 3/22/2023

-A guitarist for the band Saliva, the band had been out on tour, supporting their recently released single "High on Me". He had been rushed to the hospital, where he was in the ICU for a brain hemorrhage. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the brain hemorrhage. He played on 11 studio albums of Saliva

Tony Bennett

-DOD: 7/21/2023

-This legendary crooner died in New York at the age of 96. He had been battling Alzheimer's Disease, but despite that, he still wrote and recorded music. He even recorded music with pop singer Lady Gaga. His career experienced a halt in success in the 80s, but his success returned with the advent of a session on MTV Unplugged. This helped introduce him to a new generation of fans. Later on, he recorded a full album of big band, jazz type music that he's known for with Lady Gaga, who said she thoroughly enjoyed doing that album with him

Robbie Robertson

-DOD: 8/9/2023

-As a founding member of The Band, he died at the age of 80. At the time of his death, he was surrounded by family. Just before he passed, he had been working on a score for the Martin Scorsese-directed film Killers of the Flower Moon. The Band started out backing Bob Dylan in the 1960s, but forged out on their own, calling themselves The Band. One of their most well known songs is "The Weight" among others

Jimmy Buffett

-DOD: 9/1/2023

-Every one of his concerts was a giant party. The vibe at his concerts was that of one big party. He had been battling a type of skin cancer called Merkle cell skin cancer. He lost his battle on September 1, 2023. Some of his most famous songs include "Cheeseburger in Paradise", Margaritaville", "Come Monday". Because his grandfather used to take him sailing, he gained experiences involving the ocean and sailing, which figured into his music

Steve Harwell

-DOD: 9/4/2023

-The front man for 90s group Smash Mouth, succumbed to liver failure at his Boise, Idaho home. He had entered hospice prior to his death. He was only 56 at the time of his death. Smash Mouth was known for songs like "Walking On the Sun", "All Star" and their cover of The Monkees' classic "I'm a Believer", which appeared on the soundtrack for the film Shrek.

Hiroshi "Heath" Morie

-DOD: 10/29/2023

-The bass player for X Japan, he was diagnosed with cancer. At the time of discovery, it was already in advanced stages. He joined X Japan in 1992 and appeared on two of their albums - 1993's Art of Life and 1996's Dahlia. The band split up in 1997. He replaced the band's old bassist, Taiji, who played bass for the band in 1985. When X Japan reunited in 2007, Heath was one of the members present, alongside drummer/pianist Yoshiki, singer Toshi and guitarist Pata

Denny Laine

-DOD: 12/5/2023

-This musician was one of the founders of The Moody Blues and Wings. He died on December5, 2023 from issues related to intestinal lung disease. He helped form The Moody Blues in 1964 and stayed with them until 1966. When he left the band, Justin Hayward stepped in to sing, taking the band in a more symphonic rock direction. 1971 seen him joining forces with former Beatles member Paul McCartney in the band Wings. The band broke up 10 years later, though. Despite the breakup of Wings, Laine continued releasing solo songs and album. His official last studio album was in 2008, The Blue Musician

Robbie Bachman

-DOD: 1/12/2023

-Drummer for iconic band Bachman Turner Overdrive, he died at age 69. His brother and bandmate Randy Bachman reported his death. This band churned out iconic songs such as "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet", "Takin' Care of Business", "Let It Ride" in the 1970s

She's All That (1999)

This movie is like a film version of the famed story Pygmalion

Summary

-A popular high school jock makes a bet with a friend that he can turn the school's nerdiest girl into the reigning prom queen

Cast

-Freddie Prinze Jr.: Zack Siler

-Rachel Leigh Cook: Laney Boggs

-Matthew Lillard: Brock Hudson

-Paul Walker: Dean Sampson

-Jodi Lynn O'Keefe: Taylor Vaughan

-Kevin Pollak: Wayne Boggs

-Anna Paquin: Mackenzie Siler

-Kieran Culkin: Simon Boggs

-Elden Henson: Jesse Jackson

-Lil Kim: Alex

-Usher: Campus DJ

-Dule Hill: Preston

-Tim Matheson: Harlan Siler

Did You Know?

-The high school used in this film is the same high school used on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer

-Zach tells his dad that he does not want to attend his father's alma matter, Dartmouth. His dad, played by Tim Matheson, was in the film National Lampoon's Animal House. That film was inspired by some of the writers attending Dartmouth University. At the end of Animal House, when it is describing what each character went on to do, Matheson's character was said to have moved to California to become a doctor, which is the profession he's in in this film

-The photo Laney has of her mother is actress Bonnie Bedelia, who, in real life, is the aunt of Kieran Culkin who played Lacey's younger brother Simon

-Rachel Leigh Cook's character name Laney Boggs is a combination of two of Winona Ryder's characters. Kim Boggs in the film Edward Scissorhands and Lelaina "Laney" Pierce in Reality Bites. Both Rachel Leigh Cook and Winona Ryder are said to be physically similar to each other

-Leelee Sobieski, Mena Suvari and Jordana Brewster auditioned for the role of Laney Boggs

-Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard appeared in another movie together. The film adaptation of the classic cartoon Scooby Doo. Freddie Prinze Jr. played Fred while Matthew Lillard played Shaggy. Those films also featured Sarah Michelle Gellar as redheaded Daphne

-Simon Boggs (Kieran Culkin) is often seen wearing hearing aids in both ears

-Lil Kim's acting debut

-Freddie Prinze Jr's future wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has a small cameo in this film. She's asking Simon if they need pepper

-Kevin Pollak is seen wearing a baseball hat throughout the whole film

20 Facts You May or May Not Know About Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are known as the Godfathers of British Heavy Metal. Where it all started for the genre known as heavy metal. Some think heavy metal started elsewhere while other people think it all started with this four piece band from Birmingham. According to the people at Loudwire.com, here are 20 facts you may or may not know about Black Sabbath

1. Their debut album only took one session to record

-Their iconic 1968 debut album, Black Sabbath, was recorded in one session

2. Tony nearly destroyed the band before it started

-When the band formed, he was asked to join the more established Jethro Tull in 1969. After seeing how it was with them, he rejoined the band he was previously with and the four of them made it work, using the same discipline he saw with Tull

3. Their name was inspired by the film with Boris Karloff

-Even the band say that the name of their band came from the Boris Karloff film Black Sabbath

4. The whereabouts of the woman from their debut album are unknown

-It's not known what became of the woman who graces their debut album, until a 2020 interview revealed all about her.

5. In his younger days, Ozzy was a soul fan

-Since soul is big in Birmingham, Ozzy listed soul acts such as Sam and Dave among his favorite musicians

6. Don't interrupt their concerts

-The iconic song "Fairies Wear Boots" was inspired by one of Black Sabbath's early concerts getting interrupted by a gang of skinheads wearing combat boots

7. Phone a friend

-During the making of their 1973 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album, the band wanted to add a little something extra to the album. They called in legendary Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman to add his talent on keyboards

8. Their Technical Ecstasy album cover confuses a lot of people

-When Black Sabbath recorded their 1976 Technical Ecstasy album, they hired famed artists Hipgnosis to create a complex, sophisticated cover. Later on, Ozzy said it looked like "two robots screwing in an elevator"

9. Coming and Going

-When Ozzy had quit the first time in 1977, the band hired vocalist Dave Walker from the band Savoy Brown to fill in for a televised performance. Ozzy left the band for good in 1979, after missing a gig in Memphis, Tennessee. This led the rest of the band to fear that something bad had happened to Ozzy, leading up to the band issuing a missing persons report

10. Dio on board

-As suggested by Sharon Arden, later to become Sharon Osbourne, she suggested former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. His unique singing voice allowed Black Sabbath to stretch their creative muscles and go in directions they couldn't before with Ozzy

11. Deep Sabbath

-When Ronnie left in 1983, after some issues with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan joined. Only one album was made with him on vocals, 1983's Born Again. Tony discovered that Ian was insane off stage and quiet on. He tried to get Ian to dress in darker colors, since most of Black Sabbath wore black clothing or leather

12. Almost a comeback

-The original four piece lineup had plans to record a reunion album in 2001 with legendary producer Rick Rubin. It didn't happen because Ozzy was busy with his reality show The Osbournes

13. Kiss Me Deadly (Think Again)

-At one point, Tony Iommi was engaged to metal vocalist Lita Ford. She broke the engagement off when she saw he was having issues with drug addiction. Soon Lita was singing with Ozzy on the iconic duet "Close My Eyes Forever"

14. The album artwork for Paranoid has baffled fans for years

-The original idea behind their 1970 album Paranoid was supposed to be a reference to the song "War Pigs". In fact, that was the original name for the album. Unfortunately, the Vietnam War was still raging on and Warner Bros was not comfortable with that as an album name. They chose the safer-sounding "Paranoid" as the album title. The album artwork shows a blurred neon warrior

15. Thanks for your support

-When Black Sabbath agreed to open for Ozzy as a solo act, Ronnie refused to sing. "I will not support a clown" were his words. So, a replacement was needed. The band brought in Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford to fill in on short notice, since Judas Priest was playing at the same music festival as Ozzy and Black Sabbath

16. Brian May...on a Black Sabbath song

-On the 1989 Headless Cross album, Queen guitarist Brian May plays guitar on the track "When Death Calls"

17. Inspiration for Bill Ward

-Bill Ward lists his drumming inspiration from big band legends like Gene Krupa or Buddy Rich. He wanted to play with the same energy and reckless abandon as they did

18. A good friend of Geezer

-Legendary actor Tom Hanks is a good friend of Geezer's. They're both fans of Aston Villa FC

19. Assistance behind the music

-Geoff Nicholls is a long time musician who has helped Black Sabbath on and off again since 1979. He's played mostly if not all keyboards. It's been said that the unique bass line of "Heaven and Hell", from the 1980 album of the same name is similar to the song "Mainline Riders" by the band Quartz, the band Geoff Nicholls performed with

20. Multi Talented

-Besides being the master of malevolent, doomy riffs, Tony Iommi penned a pop song for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. It was eventually performed by Armenian band Dorians

As Good As It Gets (1997)

This is one of my favorite movies. It's funny in some parts. Sweet in others. Just overall a good film

Summary

-When a gay artist is assaulted after a robbery, he forms an unlikely friendship with a single mother with a sick child and an author with OCD

Cast

-Jack Nicholson: Melvin Udall

-Greg Kinnear: Simon Bishop

-Helen Hunt: Carol Connelly

-Cuba Gooding Jr.: Frank Sachs

-Skeet Ulrich: Vincent

-Yeardley Smith: Jackie

-Lupe Ontiveros: Nora

-Jill the Dog: Verdell

Did You Know?

-There were little obstacles placed on the sidewalk so the dog would walk like Jack Nicholson, stepping over the cracks. The obstacles were removed digitally

-While filming, the dog playing Verdell stayed at Jack Nicholson's house

-When this film concluded, Helen Hunt took a two year break from acting. She had been acting non stop since she was nine years old

-Jack Nicholson was worried that no one would like this movie because of how horrible his character was

-Greg Kinnear was nervous to work with Jack Nicholson. He said the legendary actor was of "great unpredictability"

-Despite being the owner of the dog Verdell in the film, Greg Kinnear had a rough time of getting along with the dog in real life

-The character Carol Connelly was supposed to be 44 years of age. Helen Hunt was actually only 34 at the time

-At the time of filming, both Greg Kinnear and Helen Hunt were the same age, 34

-The couple insulted by Melvin early in the movie, Lisa Edelstein and Peter Jacobson, would later appear on the 2004 TV show House

-The neighborhood Carol lives in, Windsor Terrace, is an actual area, just off Prospect Park in Brooklyn

-While it's never mentioned in the movie, Frank Sachs (Cuba Gooding Jr) was bisexual

-Both Jack Nicholson and Cuba Gooding Jr. appeared in A Few Good Men

20 Films That Got Mental Health Issues Right

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, MSN.com has compiled a list of 20 films they believe have gotten mental health issues right.

1. Palm Springs (2020)

-Summary: A sci-fi romantic comedy focusing on two wedding guests, Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) who are stuck in an infinite time loop, repeating the same day over and over again, almost identical to Groundhog Day.

-This movie references depression and anxiety, as the characters wake up each day, feeling unhappy, lonely and not seeing any resolution to their issues. Not all movies dealing with mental health need to have psychiatric evals. People can relate to this movie because there is a subtle nod to mental health issues at play here

2. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

-Summary: An American mathematician named John Nash (Russell Crowe) is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Early in his career, he made a discovery that would win him international fame, but his schizophrenia threatens to destroy it

-Russell Crowe was said to nail each and every exact step showing the progression of schizophrenia, from mannerisms to behaviors associated with this widely known mental health disorder. It's also shown in this movie the stigmas facing those who battle this condition every day. Even experts in mental health agreed that Russell Crowe's role in here helped people better understand the condition known as schizophrenia

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

-Summary: A family takes a cross country trip in their VW Microbus to get their youngest daughter in to the finals for a beauty pageant

-In this movie, the patriarch Frank Ginsberg (Steve Carrell), suffers from Major Depressive Disorder, which can often lead to suicide attempts. After attempting suicide, he goes to live with his sister's family. His character shows what it is like to live with Major Depressive Disorder. The rapid changes in mood, how to function every day without letting it control your life and that, with treatment, you can live your life to the fullest and that things do get better with time

4. Good Will Hunting (1997)

-Summary: Will Hunting is a janitor at the famed M.I.T. He has a talent for high-level mathematics, but he suffers from mental health issues and needs help from a psychologist to find meaning in his life

-This movie explores the troubles and often mental health issues that stem from abuse. Matt Damon's character talks to a psychologist named Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) about his horrifying child abuse. He was also diagnosed with attachment disorder, a somewhat unknown condition that involves difficulty in developing adult relationships. At the time of the release, it was still considered very taboo about men opening up about trauma. It was often thought that only females could endure child abuse, usually of the sexual kind, not always the physical kind. That men were never abused as children. This movie changes the way we look at men's mental health. Any health expert will state that men or women can suffer from any type of abuse or mental health issues

5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

-Summary: When their relationship goes south, a couple undergo a medical procedure to erase each other from their memories

-The couple in this movie both show they have mental health issues at play. Jim Carrey's character Joel shows signs of having anxiety and depression while Kate Winslet's character Clementine shows she has borderline personality disorder. Clementine is seen as wild, impulsive while Joel is seen as more reserved and reflective. This movie shows that people can coexist together while also trying to handle their mental health

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

-Summary: A 15 year old is about to enter high school. He's an introvert and is nervous. He befriends a group of seniors and they help him process and deal with his troubled past and his friend's recent suicide

-In this movie, the stigma of depression is addressed. Fears of ridicule for being hospitalized due to depression. PTSD after a traumatic event. This film addresses, in the most tender, caring way, trauma, abuse and the stigma of PTSD and what it looks like from the teenaged perspective

7. Eight Grade (2018)

-Summary: A shy eighth grader tries to survive the last week of school before moving on to high school

-Like most teens, she's almost obsessed with social media. Teens addicted to social media can sometimes develop and use it to overcome social anxiety. Creating online personas help those with social anxiety feel accepted somewhere and give them confidence they normally don't have in real life. Some regard this movie as nothing more than a silly, coming of age movie about teens learning to find themselves, but it does address the issue of teens and social media and the influence social media has on people's mental health

8. First Blood (1982)

-Summary: A Vietnam War-ravaged Green Beret is simply on his way to meet up with his former teammates. But a cruel sheriff and his deputies, unaware that this man suffers from PTSD, trigger the man's flashbacks and blows up into a war between the soldier and the sheriff

-This movie shows exactly the kind of trauma that Vietnam War veterans suffered from. They suffer from PTSD, which, in their case, is also known as "Vietnam Syndrome". It's flashbacks of what they saw, what they endured, what they were forced to do and more. This movie also explores survivor's guilt, as the main character witnessed the death of a friend from a roadside bomb. Mental health experts were just now beginning to explore "Vietnam Syndrome" in the early 80s, as the Vietnam War had just ended several years prior. This film handled the concept of PTSD and "Vietnam Syndrome" perfectly; it was even considered ahead of its time and well handled for an action film

9. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

-Summary: A former teacher spends time in a mental hospital and when he gets out, he moves in with his parents while trying to fix issues with his ex-wife. When he meets a woman named Tiffany, who has issues of her own, things get worse

-This movie shows what it is like to live with bipolar disorder, the symptoms, the types of episodes that can occur. This movie shows what a rollercoaster of emotions that bipolar disorder is. How it can affect relationships and your life

10. Copycat (1995)

-Summary: A psychologist suffering from agoraphobia and a female detective team up to stop a serial killer who killing in the styles of serial killers from the past

-Here panic disorder with agoraphobia is mentioned. This movie shows what it is like to not feel safe in your surroundings and how any little change might trigger a panic attack

11. All the Bright Places (2020)

-Summary: Two people, Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) and Theodore Finch (Justice Smith) both with emotional and physical scars from their troubled pasts, meet and change each other's lives for the better

-This movie explores teen depression and how living with mental health issues makes you feel alone. Violet suffers from depression after learning her sister died in a car crash. Theodore suffers from bipolar disorder that has not been diagnosed. Unfortunately for Theo, mental health is often highly stigmatized in black communities, and in the case of Theo, he has an abusive parent and the fear of being judged for his bipolar disorder making things worse. This film shows just how much you should support your loved ones when they're hurting inside

12. As Good As It Gets (1997)

-Summary: Three unlikely people, a gay artist, an author with OCD and a single mother with a sick child, form an unusual friendship after the artist is beaten during a robbery

-Jack Nicholson perfectly captures what it is like to live with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). From repetitive actions such as locking doors, turning off lights, fear of contamination and constant doubt to intrusive thoughts. But this film shows that those with OCD can learn to manage what triggers the condition and undergo treatment to live a good life

13. Cake (2014)

-Summary: A patient in a chronic pain group is still reeling over the loss of her son in a car accident. A fellow group member commits suicide and Claire starts exploring the idea of self-harm.

-In this movie, you see what physical and emotional toll chronic pain can have on someone. It can push them to the point of self-harm, even depression and suicide. Jennifer Aniston shows exactly what going through chronic pain can do to a person's mental health

14. The Skeleton Twins (2014)

-Summary: Two siblings hope to mend their relationship after cheating death on the same day

-Here, you can see two different forms of depression-smiling depression and clinical depression. This film highlights all the trademarks of both forms. One character is happy, content, seemingly carefree. The other is more reserved, dealing with bouts of tiredness and sadness. It shows the wide range of emotions that can one can suffer with. It also breaks that stigma that says depressed people are only sad and broken

15. The Hours (2002)

-Summary: Three generations of women, in one way or another, are affected by suicide in their lives and how the novel Mrs. Dalloway helps them

-This movie shows that back then, help for mental health was all but nonexistent. That the only solution was to forget it, move on, cheer up or something else

16. Black Swan (2010)

-Summary: Nina, a talented ballerina, is on the brink of stardom. A seductive rival and her artistic director push her to her limits and eventually her grip on reality starts slipping, sending her to a nightmarish life

-In this movie, the topic of psychosis is explored. The main character has hallucinations that seem so real. This is one common trait of psychosis. While it's not diagnosed, it worsens over time, and gives people a great idea of what struggling with psychosis is like

17. Garden State (2004)

-Summary: A man battling personal demons returns to his home state of New Jersey for his mother's funeral after being estranged from his family for over a decade

-One thing about depression. It can leave a numbing feeling on those affected by it. The main character here is suffering from depression. It can leave a person feeling numb, detached, emotionless. It alters the theory that if you find happiness, you'll be cured for good. This movie shows the struggle to stay medicated, stay on the path that will cure your depression

18. Melancholia (2011)

-Summary: Two sisters, with an already strained relationship, face a new challenge as a mysterious new planet threatens to hit Earth

-Lars Von Trier, the director of the film, has suffered with depressive episodes. The main character, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is slipping into deep depression. She becomes fatigued, thin and is seemingly unable to pull herself out from the darkness of depression. Von Trier shows just how depression can affect some people

19. It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

-Summary: A teenager contemplating suicide checks himself into a mental health facility. He's not allowed to medically signed out until he's proved he's not a threat to himself

-This movie explores the concept behind depression so strong it leads to thoughts of suicide. Talking about those who contemplate suicide can be a risky subject, but this movie shows what it is like for those who contemplate suicide and show the steps they take to try and overcome those feelings

20. Benny & Joon (1993)

-Summary: A young woman, suffering from undiagnosed mental illness, lives with her brother, who takes care of her. She falls in love with a unique young man who fashions himself after Buster Keaton

-While the condition Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) is never diagnosed, this movie shows just how multi-layered mental health conditions can go. It also shows that people with mental health conditions should be given the chance to move away from being dependent on one person and live life as they should, despite their mental health. It shows that someone can live a full life, even with mental health concerns