Will & Harper drives across the country while The Christopher Reeves Story flies in the sky

Two documentaries are amongst the fine features vying for the prize this coming award season with very different perspectives on the world around them. After being screened at the 40th Sundance Film Festival this year Will & Harper was snatched up by Netflix and Warner Bros. Pictures nabbed Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story for distribution.

Forget Will & Grace's dated storytelling, Will & Harper is here to educate a new generation on the LGBTQ+ community. The documentary covers longtime friends Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as they travel across the country while addressing Steele's gender transformation. There are many Saturday Night Live cameos throughout the journey as support from friends and family becomes an important theme within the story.

Director Josh Greenbaum originally met Steele through Kristen Wiig who contributes to the film's soundtrack. During a recent conference call Steele described comedy as the basis of their friendship together, “Because we came from a humorous background we wanted to show that life is messy with friendship and as long as it was respectful anything could be discussed.”

Steele also stated that politicians and lawmakers are crucial for the future of healthcare with the trans community. While medical rights are being revoked at an alarming rate and hate continues to run amok at a population of people who just want to be treated equally a doc like Will & Harper should be required homework for everyone. Education and empathy go hand in hand to stop the stigma that's happening to this day and this film is quickly changing hearts and minds as it travels cinematically across the United States.

Will Farrell and Harper Steele's story fits into the buddy flick genre and so does Christoper Reeve and Robin Williams' tale. It's mentioned in one segment that the friendship between the two could have possibly saved Williams' life if Reeve had lived longer to help him.

Unless a future release acts like Kryptonite and defeats it, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story will be a top contender for upcoming Best Documentary accolades.

Co-directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Etledgui attended a separate conference call to explain their project together. Bonhôte enthusiastically said, “We got involved straight away and it was a no-brainer for us.”

The powerful story told through clips and testimonies from friends and relatives conveys the trials and tribulations of the esteemed actor. Reeve was involved in a horse riding accident that changed his life dramatically before his death. Don't forget the tissues as this tale of a hero might move one to tears before it is over.

Will & Harper keeps viewers grounded in reality while Super/Man floats above the clouds with ghosts from the past. Dig into docs like these this fall that smartly use celebrities to shed light on topics that deserve attention.

Will & Harper can be seen on the big screen at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema locally or be streamed at home on netflix.com now.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story flies into theaters on October 11, 2024.