Incredibly Moving Film

Just saw this last night at the Phoenix Film Festival. Had to be dragged in kicking & screaming, but halfway through the movie Fred Knittle sings "Ghost Riders in the Sky", which my grandpa used to sing to me, and the tears began to fall fast & hard...and didn't stop.

Especially good are the scenes in the prison - seeing the realization on the faces of the prisoners, that not everyone has given up on them, that life does go on, is miraculous. Even the "music video" scenes, which are really just pure filler and for entertainment, can be deconstructed into a message for the masses - we aren't dead yet, we know what you think of us old folks, we can laugh at ourselves, too...

I always had a fear of growing old, getting sick, being alone...no more. These beautiful people welcome the aging process, accept it, and go on. They sing from the heart, with all their heart. They accept challenges. They accept what comes their way. They go defiantly into that good light (or, sometimes they don't - inside joke!) and are still singing on the other side. I hear you, Joe. I hear you, Bob. I hear you, Helen...

It will be in nationwide release soon. If you can't see it on a big screen, at least get ahold of a DVD and see it. I didn't hear one person at the PFF screening who didn't get something out of it, didn't find something to admire in it, either from a filmmaking viewpoint or a storytelling viewpoint.

Wonderful film.