When his artistic, humorous, unbiased mom, Kathy, started to exhibit indicators of dementia, the author Max Lugavere moved cross-country and picked up a digicam to begin documenting his journey to determine easy methods to assist her. The result’s “Little Empty Packing containers,” a brand new documentary that’s strongest when it chronicles their relationship. Kathy’s reminiscences of Max’s upbringing and his need to be near her deliver them each an odd consolation. (She handed away in 2019.) The remainder of the movie — notably interviews with researchers finding out hyperlinks between diet, train and mind well being — is uneven. Its visible language ranges from conventional, brightly lit speaking heads to an observational strategy, which might provoke whiplash for the viewer.
However “Little Empty Packing containers,” directed by Lugavere and Chris Newhard, made me take into consideration different highly effective documentaries that chronicle strolling via reminiscence loss with a liked one. The expertise will be tremendously painful, with household and associates feeling helpless; watching a movie about it will probably in flip be each gut-wrenching and cathartic.
Among the finest current films about reminiscence loss — nominated for an Oscar final 12 months — is “The Everlasting Reminiscence” concerning the Chilean journalist Augusto Góngora and his spouse, the actress Paulina Urrutia. Directed by Maite Alberdi, the movie (streaming on Paramount+) weaves Góngora’s gradual decline right into a broader meditation on cultural reminiscence, and on what we lose as communities once we’re denied the power to retain these reminiscences — via guide bans and state propaganda that whitewashes historic fact. However the broader metaphor doesn’t obscure Góngora and Urrutia’s love story, which is heartwrenchingly lovely.
Much more harrowing is “Inform Me Who I Am” (Netflix) directed by Ed Perkins. Like “Little Empty Packing containers,” this 2019 movie is simpler when exploring its topics’ relationship than when it turns journalistic. Alex Lewis was in a motorbike accident at 18, and when he awakened, he’d misplaced his reminiscence. His twin brother, Marcus, helped him reconstruct his life, however because the movie goes on, Alex — and the viewers — notice that Marcus was holding again details about their previous, and that revealing it’s fraught. The brothers’ belief and love holds the movie collectively.
Essentially the most unmissable and life-affirming movie of this type, although, is “Dick Johnson Is Useless” (Netflix) from 2020. Dick Johnson is the daddy of the director Kirsten Johnson; years after shedding his spouse (Kirsten’s mom) to Alzheimer’s, he begins to exhibit indicators of dementia. Dealing with an unsure future, Dick and Kirsten work collectively to humorously and movingly stage other ways he may die, whereas exploring their relationship and the which means of affection, historical past and remembrance. It’s an important, hilarious, attractive and really revolutionary movie, and I can’t consider a greater exploration of the bond between a filmmaker and a mum or dad within the face of impending loss.
