Heaven's Neighbors

This movie is by far the best thing indieflix.com has to offer. That's not to say that there isn't anything else worth while from indieflix, in fact Figure in the Forest (made by the same production company) is quite good. But Heaven's Neighbors outshines them all. The acting is quite good, the story is intelligent and thought provoking with out being too maudlin, and the camera work is novel without being too obtrusive. And while this might not be a glowing recommendation for a typical Hollywood production, at this level of film making these are remarkable achievements. I give the producers a big hand for knowing the limitations forced on low budget indie film makers. Too often independent film producers try for the big bang, when in reality they can't afford much more than a wet firecracker. This doesn't mean they can't find a good script they can work with at this level. Heaven's is a near perfect example of intelligent producers, who understand and work within their financial limitations, creating a small story that has both an emotional depth and a trenchant storyline.

This is quite a good film. While I am not as overwhelmed by it as are a lot of viewers, I was extremely surprised at the storytelling ability of the director. I heard about the film from this site and a couple of others who talked about indieflix offerings, both good and bad. Having watched many shorts and longer length movies that the site has to offer I had always come away with the feeling that these film makers do not know how to string together multiple scenes in an orderly and coherent way as to tell a story as unambiguously as possible. That's what surprised me most about Heaven's Neighbors. It told a story, from beginning to end, without interruption or the need to back track to see if I missed something. The budget was obviously quite low. The time spent on it could not have been more than a few weeks. And yet with such constraints, the acting, locations, and overall ambiance come through loud and clear. It is refreshing to see new film makers who have a distinctive voice, and the ability to transfer that voice into a sharp little story that is truly enjoyable

I bought this movie because I'm a big Aaron Jackson fan. I grew up watching him on California Dreams. I always considered that show to be a weak showcase for the talents for all the actors involved. When I discovered that Jackson played the lead in a small independent movie I hoped, against the odds, that it would be something that could show off his skills as an actor. I was not just pleasantly surprised, I was knocked over by the outstanding work of Jackson and the other actors on this film. The story was funny, poignant, crazy, and sad all at the right times. All of the characters were wonderfully played including Jackson's Jake, his buddy John, and all the way down to the smarmy Reverend Matthews. It was so nice just to sit back and watch a touching emotional story, without being bombarded by explosions or reality bending computer graphics. I hope Jackson and the others involved continue to make these kind of films in the future. In fact this story begs for a sequel. I hope the film makers are reading this because I'm dying to know what happens when Jake and John meet up again in Florida!

I'm a huge independent film fan. You can always find me at the local art-house or the specialty video stores looking for those small films that snuck in under the radar. Believe me I've seen thousands of foreign films, shorts, and good old American made indies. Out of all of them I would rank Heaven's Neighbors in the top ten percent. It's not only a well crafted story, but it also has a wonderful "ambiance" that seeps into your soul. The acting is quite well done for such a small film, in particular the four main leads are impressive. Their characters appear to be four key aspects of either human or, more particular, male personalities. Jake, fun loving and outgoing; John, brooding and tormented; Peter, the square peg in the round hole; and Boreas, a very successful doctor who's personal life is empty and meaningless. I loved the interplay between these four actors as they attempted to find meaning in life. I'm not sure if this has any significance, but they all have unusual last names. I'm going to look into this a bit deeper. All in all a fine art-house film that deserves to be seen by any true fan of indie films.

This film is a tragedy! ...because it hasn't gotten the attention near it's due!! The score is PERFECT! I was incredibly impressed with how well the music fit the mood of the moment! The performances were dead on...but beware it's depth is dedicated to the artists. It's heartfelt journey allows you a window into the human qualities of every person...even those whom are placed within a society that deem them psychotic. Demons haunt each of us, whether your teacher or student, and sometimes help can come from the most unlikely avenues. More often than not, the ones that are most lost are those that appear acceptable under societies conditions. If you asked yourself looking at all the films you've watched in your lifetime, the one's that made your top ten list, what was it that helped them ride that list? I'd guess they shared one incredibly important item, you CARED about what happened to the characters in it. You watched it feeling for them, hoping for them, crying for them, or laughing with them. This was easily achieved here. The element of humor is added in the most unassuming places, creating the 'real' quality to lighten the mood. This film made me laugh, and cry, angry, and feel empathy, as a Mother, Friend. This is exactly this type of film that infuriates me the most, so well executed, yet so few eyes on it...it's the perfect example that bigger budgets don't necessarily mean better films. A frugal Lady, and I bought it to own, for weighing the cost vs entertainment made for a simplistic assessment of an easy ROI.

Amazon to enjoy!