Film
The Immortalists
A documentary following two longevity researchers—Aubrey de Grey and Michael Rae—as they pursue biological immortality. It's a portrait of obsession, grief, and the gap between scientific ambition and human fragility. For anyone fascinated by the edges of human endeavor, mortality, and what we're willing to sacrifice chasing the impossible.
If you liked this
The Fountain2006
Darren Aronofsky's meditation on mortality across three timelines, with Tommy Lee Jones and Hugh Jackman. Visual spectacle in service of genuine philosophical wrestle with aging, loss, and what we leave behind.
But Demands patience with ambition that doesn't always land. Some find it self-serious or emotionally manipulative rather than moving.
Ikiru1952
Kurosawa's masterpiece about a dying bureaucrat discovering what his life meant. Confronts mortality with such clarity and tenderness that it becomes transcendent. The answer to every 'what makes a life worth living' question.
But Slow, formally composed, and unrelenting in its focus on aging and regret. Not a film that lets you look away or feel comforted.
The Alzheimer's Project2009
HBO's intimate documentary series following Alzheimer's patients and their families. It's devastating and unsentimental, showing the real texture of cognitive decline without flinching or exploiting.
But Emotionally punishing. Watching memory dissolve in real time is hard viewing, and there's no redemptive arc or triumph.
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The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Being Mortal
Both center on brilliant, obsessive people confronting what science actually can't solve—The Immortalists tries to transcend mortality, Being Mortal argues we should accept it. They're opposite responses to the same terror.
Aziz Ansari adapts Atul Gawande's book about choosing quality of life over futile medical intervention. Quietly brilliant about the limits of medicine and science's failure to answer what matters most. Starring Ansari, Bill Burr, and Samuel Jackson.
But Medical realism about aging means genuine discomfort with bodily decline and end-of-life scenarios. Not cathartic, and doesn't offer easy answers.
More like this (5)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind2004
Charlie Kaufman explores whether we can escape suffering by erasing memory itself. Jim Carrey gives a subdued, perfect performance. Profound without being heavy-handed about what we lose when we try to cheat time.
But Fractured narrative structure. Deliberately disorienting editing that mirrors memory loss—some find it confusing rather than clever.
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World2016
Herzog documents the internet's architects and its impact on human connection. Rhapsodic, weird, and genuinely curious about technology's promise and peril. A companion piece to human ambition in general.
But Herzog's voice and style are particular. Some find his philosophical tangents pretentious or the pacing meditative to the point of indulgence.
It Might Get Loud2008
Three guitar legends (Page, The Edge, White) at different career stages discussing creativity and obsession. Relevant to any deep dive into how mastery consumes a life and whether it's worth it.
But More a jam session than a documentary. If you want structured narrative or aren't interested in guitar, this is mostly self-indulgent.
Citizenfour2014
Poitras's real-time documentary of Edward Snowden's NSA revelations. Tense, urgent, about someone willing to sacrifice everything for principle. Shows ambition and consequence at their most urgent.
But Heavy geopolitical material. Some find the pacing dry, and it assumes interest in surveillance politics that not everyone shares.
The Last Vermeer2019
Both explore obsessive attempts to beat time—de Grey through science, van Meegeren through art. Both ask: what do we create to outlive ourselves? Both suggest the answer might be hollow.
Han van Meegeren, a forger, fakes paintings so perfectly that his life becomes a meditation on legacy, authenticity, and what survives us. Starring Guy Pearce in a role that deserves more attention. Quietly philosophical about time and permanence.
But Slow, intellectually demanding, and doesn't resolve neatly. The thriller elements are muted; this is really about ideas, not plot.
People
Cast
Aubrey de GreyHimself
Directing
- David AlvaradoDirector
- Jason SussbergDirector
Production
- Kate McLeanProducer