Jessica Forever

I was excited by the 'reverse lost boys' premise of this film. Ultimately, though, the film aims high but definitely isn't able to pull it off. It is true that sometimes 'less is more', but JF provides zero reasoning for why the characters are in the situation we find them in, and no hints about WHY this should be a secret. Ultimately, a lot of posturing but very little substance.

One star for a very cute kitten.

In a parallel universe of the not so distant future a lone young woman, Jessica, leads a band of male orphans rejected by the outside world for their violent tendencies. Her influence calms their will to create mayhem. Without Jessica these misfits are easy prey to the security forces who wish to eliminate them. Together they form a strike force protecting similarity situated male youth. With Jessica there is no blame, and all are free to leave. She searches for ways that the orphans can be happy again. "Bad things don't last forever," Jessica declares "we have to stop them from happening." Yet when one of the more vulnerable members of the group is killed, even Jessica struggles to contain their rage.

This original and refreshingly independent film contains attractive scenery, characters and actors, and wonderful ideas. Departed relatives reappear to talk to the living, there are night swims in the moonlight and the landscape seems to come alive to protect its residents. Given a better budget, organization and acting talent, this film could go somewhere. World premiere seen at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

Don't be fooled by the cover, which boasts a more impressive color palette than this entire "movie." Beyond an interesting open, things quickly self-immolate after some drones show up.

People walk, people talk, people go to the mall, people do some drugs, people break and make some chandeliers, and a girl gets eaten out. Honestly, that is all that happens post-drones.

Take a hint from this and keep some gasoline ready for self-immolation, you'll likely be needing it if you give this a shot. At the very least, keep that 15 second FF button handy.

Yes this is a very beautiful movie. Cinematography is superb, artistic design - first class. In fact, all the technical aspects of film making are at their peak. So What!!?? We also get here a confused Christian fable with Jessica a mysterious woman and her twelve orphans. Twelve persecuted, tormented orphans all of whom get to participate in Pieta like scenes over and over again. And that's not all we get, we get loads of pretentious mysticism the idiotic notion that one can equate death with redemption and therefore with love. In other words we get a thematic mumbo jumbo that the director and script writer confused with a story.

It's beautiful, but it's also hollow and pompous and a waste of some obvious talents that did participate in its making.

Don't waste your time with this movie. Dull and boring!