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?

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!

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 was sitting in my comparative mythologies class about a week ago when the mention of a single name drew my attention. The professor was going over a few key points in classical Greek mythology when I heard him mention Boreas. Boreas? Where had I heard that name before? It took me a while and then I remembered this movie I had watched not too long ago called Heaven's Neighbors. I couldn't wait to get back to my apartment and check it out again. I liked the movie and I was curious if this were just a coincidence. A quick review of the movie confirmed that this was no coincidence. Every major character's name either comes from Greek mythology, Christian history, or derives it's source from western civilization. Naturally I had to delve deeper. I was soon aware of another level to this little movie. Another level that I had missed in the first viewings. Suffice it to say my second semester thesis is going to be entitled: Western mythological motifs in the movie Heaven's Neighbors. I would like to that the film makers for such fertile ground for my research project. I am sure that I will be moving over ground never crossed before! On a side note I must tell you that I got this movie as a bootleg from a friend. Other researches have turned yup the fact that it is available from indieflix.com and as yet it has no major distributor. This is a wrong that must be corrected. This movie deserves to be distributed through major channels. The depth of the characters and the story are worthy of so much better. Somebody pick this movie up and get it into the stores!

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!