Afterwards was a film about not taking life for granted, with an interesting mix of Final Destination and What Dreams May Come. An focused look at coming to terms with death, and having the ability to to ‘wrap-up’ your life. The film does a great job of analyzing this process through different angles – grief, anger, sorrow, confusion. I think the think  I liked most about the film is that the “antagonist” is not really your traditional ‘good-guy’. He is a jerk, although we are given reasons why, but despite that, his current position is that he treats people like machines. We see the unraveling of his flaw as he becomes increasingly aware of his situation, and this unfolds at a perfect pace. The film never makes a decision about what is in the “afterwards” – scenarios are given, but none are picked, which I liked because had they done that, I feel as if the entire point of the film would have been lost. The film was about having ample time to make amends with others. As a side note, the poster makes no sense for this film, guns are not an important part of the plot, and Evangeline Lilly is a side character. John Malkovich did a great job and bordered on creepy-mysterious guy, and ‘helper of the year’. Like I said before, the film had an interesting mix of Final Destination — the fact that we are given a certain time, and death will come for us even if we try to avoid it, and What Dreams May Come – mostly the relationship between Nathan and Claire, but also themes of death, moving on, and coping. Also, I put “romance” as a category, and though it isn’t a concurrent theme, I think a lot of what propels the basis for the theme is based on love. Overall, good film.

Trailer

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• Drama

80%

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

75%

Friends with Kids (2011)

75%

Drive (2011)

60%

Melancholia (2011)

65%

Red State (2011)