Heaven

Actress Diane Keaton takes her first stab at directing with this unassuming little documentary about the possibility of an afterlife. It's an odd one, with Keaton (off-screen) interviewing a bizarre assortment of people on the subject of death, God and Jesus, and what is ultimately in store for all of us. The use of old movie clips to spike the action is well-intended but never really pays off, and the picture runs too long and outstays its welcome. Has some arty appeal however, and portions of it look good in a retro/campy way, but it isn't very engaging or enlightening. The soundtrack features an interesting mix of music, including a song by the Dream Academy entitled "Heaven" (natch) that is quite beautiful. **1/2 from ****

A condescending and obnoxious documentary that's sole purpose seems to be depicting the religious as a bunch of crazy people. Irritating use of cross-cutting between old film clips and interviews appear to be done for comedic effect. The camera angles as canted in every scene with either the subject seen askew or with their heads stuck in the bottom corner of the frame. By the end of this film, I had a migraine and had to take a nap. Just awful.

A wonderfully entertaining look at Heaven through the eyes of those who believe in the fairy tale. Diane sets up her interviews in interesting mini-sets, and chooses her interviewees carefully and for a specific reason, which becomes clear when watching the movie. The film quality is grainy, and there are classic edited portions of movies from the early black and white era, but it adds to the affect. This is really a cult classic, and will be re-discovered in a few years for sure.

Why not rent it now. (I found a used laserdisc on ebay) Hopefully it will be re-released on DVD, with directors commentary. I would love to see follow-up interviews with some of the folks.

This is an effective odyssey into the religious beliefs of what appear to be mainly average people off the street, specifically regarding beliefs in "heaven". It also uses stock footage to good ends to illustrate its main themes, drawing from horror films, other old documentaries, Metropolis, etc. Most interviewees are harmless enough, if extremely naieve about fairy-tale types of "heaven", but the actual "ministers" are an arguably controlling, fear-mongering and hateful bunch. One woman claims all ethnic people will become white in heaven, but be allowed to keep their own names. Others have seen Jesus hovering around their homes, modelling different outfits in each room, before disappearing in the bathroom. If you've ever seriously wondered about the benefits of religious belief, what the ultimate "payoff" of those beliefs might be, and what sorts of average people harbor such beliefs, then "Heaven" amply illustrates the topic. Inventive, clever, outrageously funny, and touching and frightening simultaneously. Whether you're religious or not, this film is well worth seeking out.

Heaven's subject is simply that. Diane Keaton interviews a terrific assortment of people on the topic of what they believe heaven is like. Alone or in pairs, she asks her subjects a variety of questions about what they expect to find in the afterlife. The interviews are then edited together to show us how different people responded to the same questions. Keaton sets the mood by introducing her collage technique. Topical clips from black-and-white films, painted title cards, and interviews with her subjects are all interwoven to create a playful and interesting discussion of heaven. The title cards set up themes (Is there Sex in Heaven?), then the next several clips will show people addressing that very question. Keaton herself does not appear in the film. The subjects sit in beautiful, slightly surreal sets, directing their responses off-camera. What really made this film stand out for me, though, is its delightful attitude. By staying off-camera, Keaton removes herself as the questioner and puts me in her place, so I can't help but begin to feel her genuine curiosity in asking questions about heaven. Personal religious beliefs become secondary to a joy I take in hearing what the concept of heaven means to these various people. And I grow to really LIKE these people. The first thing I learn about them is this deeply personal notion of what they think will happen to them after they die. I was totally fascinated, and I bought the movie, and I recommend it to everyone. It's hilarious, sometimes sad, occasionally creepy, and completely interesting. I felt cheated that I had never heard about it until twelve years after it was made. I could have been enjoying it for so much longer.