Finding Michael

" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ moving account of a man’s attempt to retrieve the body of his brother from Everest after 20 years. The cinematography is stunning. You get a real feel for this family’s grief as well as for the mountain and what it takes to make the trek. However I couldn’t help but feel the glaring disparity between these highly privileged people who could afford the thousands and thousands of dollars (maybe as much as a hundred thousand?) to finance an expedition and recovery of this magnitude, to the Nepalese Sherpas who make their living guiding and caring for the rich white people who do it for adventure and bragging rights. They are the real heroes, expert climbers who do it over and again without any glory or recognition and whose families experience the same losses without the means to attempt retrieval of their loved ones. The contrast is the real story for me. "

"First things first: this documentary is harrowing in the extreme to watch. I barely held it together almost from the documentary’s start. You will likely cry throughout too. But behind the strong emotions it inevitably garners is a beautifully crafted movie. The cinematography is breathtaking and what is attempted here is epic. That the movies subtext is the bonds of family, the spirit of adventure - and bravery is never lost. Altogether this is a remarkable piece of film-making that is as exciting as any adventure movie you’ll ever see. I’ve deliberately avoided spoilers as to what happens. Highly recommended. "