Heaven's Neighbors

I discovered this wonderful film a few weeks ago at indieflix.com. Being a film major I keep on the lookout for movies that are slightly out of the mainstream. Usually this means sitting through atrocious horror films that lack style, substance, or for that matter, a plot. It was extremely refreshing to finally unearth an indie that does quite well in all three of these areas. I decide to write a paper for class on the Human condition as expressed in Heaven's Neighbors. My professor was so intrigued with my paper (I got at 3.8!) that he wanted me to show the film to the whole class. He thought it might incite a good discussion. He was right! Overall, the response was extremely favorable. It was interesting to note that females overwhelmingly loved this movie. The male students where split between those who thought it was good, but not great, and one or two who didn't like it at all. This sparked a quite a debate! Especially when it was noted that those who didn't like it were all "jocks" whose taste in films runs more toward action films like Terminator and Armageddon. And those that loved the film said that it was precisely because it wasn't "action laden with over the top special effects, that they enjoyed it so much. They noted the emphasis on story and the insights on life were the best part about Heaven's Neighbors. Judging by the comments here I see that many others feel the same way. Those of us who love the film are going to expand out research. I, for one, have found deeper levels after repeated viewings. Maybe it's fodder for a term paper? If I could only figure out what Dr. Boreas is all about? What's the real motivation for suicide? What does his name mean?

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

It took a while. I had to watch this movie several times before I began to notice just what held me captivated. The story is heartwarming and beautifully acted, but there was something more, something deeper, that seemed to affect my soul. What the film makers have done here is to create a world that is extremely compelling. The world inside the half way house is a bit stark and barren, but nonetheless is stunning. It makes a nice contrast to the "outside" world, which is the epitome of a perfect summer day, shot in soft focus. Several scenes stand out as some of the best cinematography I have seen in any independent film. The whole sequence in the park when the two leads, John and Jake, discuss writing and painting is so perfectly shot that you almost feel the warm breeze and the sun on you face. On top of that it is so nice to watch actors "communicating" with each other without resorting to some type of overly dramatic action that usually punctuates so many "talking" scenes. Not every scene needs a kicker ending; that's not the way life works. Kudo's to the director for keeping this film grounded in human reality. Another scene that stands out as truly magnificent is the sequence when the two leads walk at night to the doctors house. This scene makes a nice compliment to the park scene as it captures the beautifully ethereal qualities of a warm summer night. Using the dark night, which can be both inspiring and fear inducing, we dig deeper into the problems of these two young men. Their journey is both physical and metaphorical at the same time. The deeply troubled John, with the help of Jake, learns to confront the demons in the dark, and begin the process of healing. This is probably one of the most hauntingly sublime scenes you will ever see in any movie. Finally, I must mention one of the key aspects that help make this "film world" so appealing. I can tell that a great deal of thought and effort went into the musical score. Many independent films look upon the music as an afterthought. Not so with Heaven's Neighbors. You can tell that each piece was carefully crafted to embellish and help bring out the emotional heart of the scene. Put together, the whole score weaves a brilliant tapestry of the highs, lows, humor, and sadness, of everyday life. By the time the last song (the Heaven's Neighbors theme) begins to play, I'm reduced to tears. The music and vocals are as heartbreakingly beautiful as Titanic's theme. A fitting end for a remarkable movie.

A friend clued me in to indieflix.com. I was hooked immediately and single handedly probably kept them in business for a month or so. Quite a few of the shorts they offer are better than average, but without a doubt the crown jewel of them all is Heaven's Neighbors. Not only is it shot well, but it has what many indie flicks do not have, a story. The film makers have taken what is usually a handicap for small production companies (lack of funds), and turned it into an advantage. The problem with most indie movies is that they try to bite off more than they can chew. You end up with a movie of high aspirations, that fails to reach it's goals. Here you have a story that works within the framework of what they can actually do. Instead of half baked actions scenes that only illustrate their limitations, you have a wonderful character study that shows that you can accomplish great things if you only understand the medium. Everyone should surf on over to indieflix.com and buy Heaven's Neighbors right now. Keep the spirit of independent film alive and treat your self to one of the finest examples of "film making with limitations."

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!