The Secret Art of Human Flight

Last updated
The Secret Art of Human Flight
Directed by H.P. Mendoza
Written byJesse Orenshein
Produced by Grant Rosenmeyer
Tina Carbone
Benjamin Wiessner
StarringGrant Rosenmeyer
CinematographyMarkus Mentzer
Edited byH.P. Mendoza
Music byH.P. Mendoza
Distributed byLevel 33 Entertainment
Release dates
  • June 8, 2023 (2023-06-08)(Tribeca)
  • July 3, 2024 (2024-07-03)(United States)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Secret Art of Human Flight is a 2023 American fantasy comedy drama film written by Jesse Orenshein, directed by H.P. Mendoza and starring Grant Rosenmeyer.

Contents

Plot

After the sudden death of his wife, author Ben Grady falls into deep grief and ends contact with his sister Gloria and her husband Tom. While the widower is on the darknet, he discovers a mysterious self-help book written by an enigmatic guru named "Mealworm" who claims to have acquired the ability to fly. Ben wants to learn this too.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 8, 2023. [1] In March 2024, it was announced that Level 33 Entertainment acquired the distribution rights to the film, which will be released in theaters in July 3, 2024. [2]

Reception

The film has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews. [3]

Peter Debruge of Variety gave the film a positive review and wrote, "This high-concept, lo-fi indie drama could have gone spiraling off into insufferably eccentric territory, but instead remains grounded in its focus on a young creative type coping with the loss off his soulmate." [4]

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com also gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Writer Jesse Orenstein and director H.P. Mendoza are good at poker-faced goofiness, and there's a characteristically excellent supporting performance by Sound of Metal star Paul Raci..." [5]

Related Research Articles

H. P. Mendoza is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He is best known for his micro-budget work as screenwriter, composer and lyricist on Colma: The Musical (2006) which was placed in the Los Angeles Times Top 20 Best Asian American Films List, as well as his follow-up musical and directorial debut, Fruit Fly (2010).

<i>Our Nixon</i> 2013 American documentary film by Penny Lane

Our Nixon is an all-archival documentary providing a view of the Nixon presidency through the use of Super-8 format home movies filmed by top Nixon aides H.R. Haldeman, Dwight Chapin and John Ehrlichman, combined with other historical material such as interviews, oral histories and news clips. It was directed by Penny Lane.

<i>Sacro GRA</i> 2013 Italian film

Sacro GRA is a 2013 Italian documentary film directed by Gianfranco Rosi. It won the Golden Lion at the 70th Venice International Film Festival. It was the first documentary film to win the top Prize at the Venice film Festival.

Matt Zoller Seitz is an American film and television critic, author and filmmaker.

<i>RogerEbert.com</i> American film review website

RogerEbert.com is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the Chicago Sun-Times, was launched in 2002. Ebert handpicked writers from around the world to contribute to the website. After Ebert died in 2013, the website was relaunched under Ebert Digital, a partnership founded between Ebert, his wife Chaz, and friend Josh Golden.

<i>A Lego Brickumentary</i> 2014 film

A Lego Brickumentary is a 2014 Danish-American documentary film directed by Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge, focused on the Danish construction toy Lego. The film was released on July 31, 2015. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its appeal but criticized the promotional tone of the film. It grossed over $100,000 against a production budget of $1 million, although it fared better in home media sales.

<i>Galveston</i> (film) 2018 American film

Galveston is a 2018 American thriller film directed by Mélanie Laurent in her English-language directorial debut. It is written by Nic Pizzolatto and based on his 2010 novel of the same name. It follows a dying hitman, who escapes a set up and heads to the titular town to plan his revenge, taking a young girl who was kidnapped by his boss.

<i>The Endless</i> (film) 2017 film by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

The Endless is a 2017 American science fiction horror film directed, produced by and starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Benson wrote the film, while Moorhead was the cinematographer; both also acted as editors. It premiered on April 21, 2017, at the Tribeca Film Festival, before being released nationwide on April 6, 2018.

<i>Mapplethorpe</i> (film) 2018 American film

Mapplethorpe is a 2018 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ondi Timoner about the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Shooting began on July 11, 2017 in New York and lasted only 19 days. It premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.

<i>Love, Gilda</i> 2018 documentary directed by Lisa DApolito

Love, Gilda is a 2018 American-Canadian documentary film directed and co-produced by Lisa D'Apolito. The film is about the life and career of American comedian Gilda Radner. Love, Gilda premiered on April 18, 2018, at the Tribeca Film Festival and was limited released in the United States on September 21, 2018. The movie received widespread acclaim from critics.

<i>Gabriel</i> (2014 film) 2014 American film

Gabriel is a 2014 Independent psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Lou Howe and starring Rory Culkin. It is Howe's directorial debut.

<i>The Dark and the Wicked</i> 2020 American horror film

The Dark and the Wicked is a 2020 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, starring Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., and Xander Berkeley. It follows two siblings who encounter a demonic entity at their familial farm after the suicide of their mother, who had long been caring for their infirm father.

<i>Good Night Oppy</i> 2022 American documentary film

Good Night Oppy is a 2022 American documentary film directed by Ryan White and narrated by Angela Bassett. It had its world premiere at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2022. It was released in a limited release on November 4, 2022, by Amazon Studios, prior to streaming on Prime Video on November 23, 2022.

My Name is Sara is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed by Steven Oritt, starring Zuzanna Surowy, Eryk Lubos and Michalina Olszańska. It is based on the life of Holocaust survivor Sara Góralnik.

<i>Mami Wata</i> (film) 2023 Nigerian film

Mami Wata is a 2023 black-and-white fantasy thriller film written and directed by C.J. "Fiery" Obasi, based on West African folklore. It is a co-production between Nigeria, France and the United Kingdom.

<i>One Ranger</i> 2023 American action thriller film

One Ranger is a 2023 American action thriller film written and directed by Jesse V. Johnson and starring Thomas Jane and John Malkovich.

<i>Every Body</i> 2023 documentary by Julie Cohen

Every Body is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Julie Cohen and produced by NBC News Studios. It features Sean Saifa Wall, Alicia Roth Weigel and River Gallo. The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 11, 2023, and was released by Focus Features in the United States on June 30, 2023. It received positive reviews.

<i>Albert Brooks: Defending My Life</i> 2023 documentary film

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Rob Reiner. It is a tribute to the American actor, comedian, film director, and screenwriter Albert Brooks. In addition to directing the film, Reiner also interviews Brooks, revealing the two have been best friends since meeting at Beverly Hills High School. Much of the documentary is a conversation between Brooks and Reiner, who have been friends for nearly 60 years. The film follows the life of Brooks from his early childhood in a showbiz family through his years in the industry.

<i>Look into My Eyes</i> (film) 2024 film by Lana Wilson

Look into My Eyes is a 2024 American documentary film, directed and produced by Lana Wilson. It follows a group of psychics in New York City, conducting intimate readings for their clients.

The Becomers is a 2023 American film by Zach Clark.

References

  1. Lattanzio, Ryan (June 7, 2023). "H.P. Mendoza and Paul Raci Channel Our Weird Obsession with Self-Help in 'Secret Art of Human Flight' — Tribeca First Look". IndieWire. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  2. D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 19, 2024). "Tribeca Film Festival Title 'The Secret Art Of Human Flight' Acquired By Level 33 Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  3. "The Secret Art of Human Flight". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  4. Debruge, Peter (June 9, 2023). "'The Secret Art of Human Flight' Review: A Grieving Man Spreads His Wings in H.P Mendoza's (Not Too) Quirky Fable". Variety. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  5. Matt Zoller Seitz (June 17, 2023). "Tribeca 2023: Fresh Kills, The Graduates, The Secret Art of Human Flight". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved March 30, 2024.