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Reviews
Everlasting (2016)
Haunting Love Story with a Dark Edge
I was able to catch a screening of Everlasting at the Nevermore Film Festival, where it won Jury Award for Best US Feature. In my opinion, it has a little something for nearly everyone. It's at its core a love story, a tale of two misfit star crossed teen lovers. But it's also a mystery and a thriller, with a broad reach - stretching from your average high school classroom to the seedy underbelly of LA's fetish scene, from beautiful, bright fields, to the dimly lit living room of a murderer.
First and foremost, the film is beautifully shot and well written, weaving the story from a mix of video clips (from a school project), memories, and real time episodes. The non-linear and multi-mode fashion could have turned out clunky and awkward, but it moves us quite smoothly to the climax. The intermittent scenes that capture the young couple in nature, as they make their trip from Denver to LA, are some of the most haunting as they seem to capture the true essence of teen love and that feeling of immortality and bravado that accompanies youth, even in the face of undeniable change.
The lead actors are believable in their roles. Valentina de Angelis portrays Jessie as both adventurous and vulnerable, as she is drawn to the dark side of humanity that ultimately leads to her downfall. Adam David as Matt, her estranged boyfriend desperate for closure and driven by a need to preserve Jessie's true nature. A strong cadre of supporting actors round out the story as well.
Possibly the most jarring aspect of the film is its plausibility. This is the type of story we hear on the news. Another lost girl trying to find her way taken too soon. And though some may not find the ending sensational enough, it felt real. These crimes do happen. The victims are blamed and the perpetrators become renowned and celebrated. Everlasting tries to take that victory away from the criminal by focusing on Matt and Jessie, and their story. Watching this film left me sad, but touched, because it is truly successful in making you care about the characters.
The Self-Made Man (2005)
An intimate portrayal of one man's life and decision
This is a moving story of a man, a self made man, as told by his daughter. Powerful, funny, and brutally honest, it follows the last days of Bob Stern, a man who tries to decide whether he should take his own life following the diagnosis of terminal cancer. But before he makes up his mind, he decides to talk through the issue with his daughters, by way of a video message. Using clips from the recorded session, Susan Stern weaves the impressive story of Bob Stern's life in with the equally riveting story of his death. The most fascinating aspect of this film is how the story tells itself, and the overwhelming sense of reality that it conveys to the audience. A fantastic take on an important social issue that impacts so many families.
Murderball (2005)
Not your typical woe-is-me film...
"Murderball" is what they used to call the sport when it was first created decades ago. Now it's referred to as quadriplegic rugby. It's easy to see how it got its original name though, as the players ram into each other with their souped up wheelchairs, throwing their opponents face first onto the court floor, hurling obscenities at each other the whole time.
This film follows the lives of a group of (mostly) young men who comprise the US quadriplegic rugby team, and their voyage to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. Not to be confused with the Special Olympics, as one of the men points out in the film! These guys are rough, tough athletes who are eager to prove their skills to team Canada due to a bit of a rivalry. The coach for the Canadian team was a star on the US team for years, who moved up north to coach after a bitter legal battle following his cut from the team.
It's truly a great documentary, as viewers are thrown into these men's lives, their dreams, and the amazing recoveries from the accidents and conditions that left them in a wheelchair. Not at all the traditional woe-is-me flick (a la Million Dollar Baby), this film details the triumphs and trivialities of their every day lives as Olympic athletes - who just so happen to be paralyzed.