Console
best movie i've ever seen.
Luecarou
What begins as a feel-good-human-interest story turns into a mystery, then a tragedy, and ultimately an outrage.
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
Frances Chung
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
AskMK
Director Mark Wexler freaks out about growing older, and decides to fight back. Luckily for us, he takes his camera along for the journey. With characteristic wit and depth, Wexler tackles the complex and prickly subject of aging with a surprising variety of opinions. This gem of a film gives us the cutting-edge science of futurist Ray Kurzweil, the wisdom of author Marianne Williamson, and the genius of science fiction legend Ray Bradbury, alongside more controversial voices like a 101 year old chain-smoking marathoner and an elder porn star. Wexler works out with fitness legend Jack LaLanne, contemplates a future on ice at a cryonics lab, laughs with comedienne Phyllis Diller, drinks gallons of green tea, and extracts promises of immortality from life-extension expert Aubrey de Grey, but draws a blank when asked by his friend, writer Pico Iyer, the actual merits of simply wanting more. It is the ultimate question, and one the director sagely leaves to the viewer. After all, as the subtitle warns us, results may vary.
courtesyflushblush
The movie is about Mark Wexler's search for purpose in a world full of commercialism and trivial meanderings. Here, the human condition is highlighted in interviews with the young and old, famous and humble, happy and melancholic; essentially the fragility of life is matched against our inherit fear of death. Thus, there is a strong sense of urgency in the film's message which dares its audience to get out of their seat and into life.I gave this movie ten out of ten because of its eclectic cast which is dominated by those well into the later stages in life, and despite the inevitable grievances of aging, these characters never roll over, but embrace the opportunities and miracles in every stage of life. http://lat.ms/mBlPmG
Carter Crisp
As I approach 25 years of age, I'm becoming more and more aware of my own mortality. I still feel quite young of course, but taking care of myself with the aim of a long, healthy life is now much more a priority than it was in my years of teenage reckless abandon. The realities of aging weigh down on me, the dread of my body turning on me for all I've put it through, the idea that possibilities and opportunities will diminish exponentially. Death has never sat particularly well with me either. I know I'm not alone in all this. But I realize now that this line of thinking is a result of a negative social perception of growing old, and that subscribing to this mindset without some optimistic moderation makes it rather self-fulfilling. The documentary How To Live Forever doesn't provide guidelines to answer its title, but it does provide variable glimpses at lives lived to the fullest and a few suggestions for getting there yourself. It's inspiring and funny and fascinating as filmmaker Mark Wexler confronts his own anxieties about aging and looks into how modern society is not only dealing with it, but trying to slow it down. I never imagined I could make it to 80 with any sort of quality in my life until I saw this film. The end result illustrates how unique and simultaneously universal each one of us is.
gdt07
I personally really enjoyed this documentary. I feel like people that have disliked it have missed the actual message of the movie. I don't think its supposed to answer our questions about how to actually live forever, as much as its supposed to answer our questions about the best ways to live. If we figure out how to live right (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically) and living to the fullest by doing the things we love, we may end up figuring out how to live as long as we can. I think he tries to show us that if we lead happy lives, our lives will thank us with extra time and longevity. He does an excellent job at combining both the non physical things we can do (i.e. spiritually, emotionally) with the physical things like nutrition and cosmetic. Although handling a touchy subject he manages a smooth unfolding with lighthearted humor.