How to Live Forever (2011)

Nice effects though.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Fresh and Exciting

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I enjoy documentaries for what they are intended to do. A good documentary will detail a specific story line and usually avoid providing any particular biased point of view. Kudos to Mark Wexler, writer, producer, director and the main star of "How To Live Forever". Not only did he shy away from providing a specific point of view but he also coined the films sub title as "Results May Vary". This is very true based on the various real life experiences of the people that Mark interviews from around the world and how they explain their longevity which varies by many different life styles and countries.Some do not eat red meat, some drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes daily, and others just tend to live a happy life and not worry about their health at all. Other than Jack LaLanne's power juicer promotion which good old Jack promoted for half a century, and Susanne Somers extensive use of a various array of hormonal stimulants and vitamins, I did not feel Mark was plugging any particular line of products which would have driven me nuts, so thanks Mark for keeping your documentary real.Phyllis Diller was entertaining, as were some of the people being interviewed such as Britain's Buster Martin who was a 104-year-old beer drinking and chain-smoking marathon runner. Buster cleaned vans for a living which he did right up to his last day. On April 12, 2011, Buster finished work, went to the pub for his regular pint of beer and then went home and died at the young age of 104.I thought maybe the film would dig in to some of the centenarians family background and gene pool but it did not. To digress for just a minute, there was a PBS documentary titled the Italian Americans, based on an Italian neighborhood pocket in Roseto Pennsylvania that I thought Mark may have discussed that details the Roseto effect. In 1912 Roseto became the first 100% Italian borough in the USA. A scientific study was done in the 1960's by Dr. Stewart Wolf that identified the entire towns people of Roseto had a substantially longer life span, suffered no heart attacks, was not attributed to diet, and died simply from old age. The study concluded that it was the strong family support circle of the entire Italian neighborhood that provided the people who lived in Roseto Pennsylvania with a serene, stable, calming and loving life of their family and friends from birth through their eventual death from old age.The message I took away from this documentary was to eat and drink in moderation, maintain a positive attitude, don't get too worked up about what MAY happen, and make sure you take time to smell the coffee, enjoy friends, exercise regularly and most especially laugh.I think the next film I will watch will be the John Candy/Steve Martin film Planes, Trains and Automobiles which is one of my all time favorite comedy films that will be sure to make me laugh regardless of how many times I watch it.I give How To Live Forever a strong 7 out of 10 rating. Well done Mark Wexler!

When I went to go see the Film How To Live Forever, I though i would be watching something that dealt with just issue that only elder people face. Being a member of generation X myself I learned through out the course of the film, not to just how to stay healthy, but to know how to be happy in life. As some one just starting my adult life, I thought the film offered valuable insight from a host of people that will help guide me. I loved how the director was able to balance the seriousness of the dialogue with comedic vignettes such as the great Phyllis Diller. The dark horse of the film is Buster, he was the oldest working person in the UK and trained for marathons at the age of 101, but he did this all while drinking and smoking. If there was an award for best supporting person in a documentary it would go to Buster. You can help but fall in love with a man who has lived for so long but yet reminds you of a college student. The countless stories told in the film How To Live Forever are what make this film a gem, stories that before this film was made were only known to a select few. Now this film will share with us the amazing stories of some amazing people.

"If there was a pill to live for 500 years, would you take it?" The million dollar question asked throughout this film by director Mark Wexler. From Eleanor Wasson, a 100 year old vegetarian that drinks vodka every night, to Buster, a 101 year old beer drinking, marathon runner, what is the true secret to living a longer life and is it fulfilling to do so? In this terrific documentary, the audience is taken on a journey through multiple characters around the world that are quite unique and delightful to watch. Their stories have inspired me to live my life to the fullest and I find it will do the same for you.

If only this documentary could really tell you how to do it or even come close. Director, writer and producer Mark S. Wexler who has also been a successful photojournalist as well as a documentary maker is the son of an award winning cinema photographer. He has used his own funds to make this film, which basically looks at old people and tries to explain what is their secret to a long life. He doesn't really come up with an answer other than maybe they have a passion for living and don't worry very much about dying. Perhaps the film could have used a better focus and a stronger point of view. We also found it very interesting that in all the interviews, the role of family never came up in the questions or in the discussion, nor were any children or grandchildren ever shown. There were certainly some unforgettable characters such as the 114 year old women from Indiana who was the oldest person in the world at that moment, the Senior Beauty Pageant and the effervescent Ms. Arkansas who was competing for the national crown, the funeral directors conference in Las Vegas where the latest marketing ploys reflected the attitudes of the baby boomers about their mortality, the 93 year old guy in Oklahoma who would regularly eat a diet which is the antitheses of a healthy diet and a clip of Wexler with the unforgettable Jack LaLane who actually died this year at age of 96. The subtitle of this movie is "Results May Vary" and this probably sums up how we think most people will react to this film. (2011)