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.
... View MoreWhen I first heard that it was a documentary about aging I was a little hesitant. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the film A LOT. "How to Live Forever" completely opened up my eyes to something that I never really put much thought into. Mark Wexler did an awesome job with the flow of the film and the interviews that he selected. In the beginning of the film, I thought it would conquer the question on how you can live forever. Wexler took us through a variety of interesting diets, exercises and life styles and traveled all around the world, but there was not a clear answer in the end. Not only was it entertaining to watch with the many fascinating interviewees but it was also educational as well. I found it inspiring to see adults in their 80's and 90's so happy. I'm not as afraid about aging as I was before especially if I can tap dance like Dolores Bates can at 81 years old.
... View MoreI really enjoyed the humor of this movie- it sent a great message to every viewer. Aging is such a negative hype and How To Live Forever sheds a new light upon the topic. Screw the typical "health/exercise/eat right" advice; the people interviewed in this film tell it how it is and that positive attitude/enjoyment of life itself is the key. Includes a variety of people ranging from fitness guru Jack LaLanne (deceased) to Suzanne Somers and John Robbins. I'd have to say Buster Martin the smoker/drinker/marathon runner was my favorite. If only more seniors aged as happily as these did the world would be a brighter place! I recommend this to everyone of any age! Entertaining, inspiring, light hearted and fun.
... View MoreAs 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.
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