Review by Amos Lassen
Rating:
“Altitude Falling”

Sacrificing Privacy

Amos Lassen

Paul Bright has made some really interesting films, “Angora Ranch”, “Aaron…Albeit a Sex Hero” and now” Altitude Falling”. What is amazing is how different these three film are. In “Altitude Falling” we get a science fiction look at gay life and Bright gives us a very interesting film.

In 2009, everyone receives an injection with an identification chip which was originally used for medical purposes but is now being used to track certain aspects of life–travel patterns, purchases, politics, diseases and relationships. The man responsible for this is Greg Forrester and he has since fled to a remote town in the mountains as he does not much like the world that he has created. He is alone and sad but then he meets Danny who just moved to where Greg lives and the two men discover connections. Greg helps Danny to get a job with the government but he later learns that Danny is a member of a covert army group undertaking a suicide mission. In order for Greg to save Danny’s life, he must destroy his own life and it is in this film that we are allowed to take a peek into the future of a world that has no privacy.

At first I thought that the idea for this film was a bit far fetched but I soon realized that this could easily happen. I do not know if Bright meant for this film to be a warning or a lesson but it certainly can be. It is an interesting film not only because it is well made and with good actors but because it could actually happen.

Review by Howard R. Stump
Rating:
With the latest release from writer/director/actor Paul Bright, I found he moved in yet another direction, this time tackling a futuristic view of the world, one in the not-so-distant future that is both apolitical and scary, making a distinct political statement. At it’s heart, Altitude Falling is a story of romance between Greg and Danny. But it is the love that wakes both up from the stupor they, as well was Danny’s mother [intensely played by Brenda Kuciemba], grandmother [played with nuance and a deft touch by Cynthia Schiebel], and his displaced father. Making a human connection helps put into perspective the artificial, be it the trappings of the internet or the judgments placed on people who don’t conform to the ‘accepted’ norm. The strong script coupled with the strong performances of the leads make this film move from pleasant entertainment to a higher level, a story that pushes you to examine your own life, as well as our collective future. I highly recommend Altitude Falling.