DEPARTMENTS: WORDS BY KELLY BEROLD
dvd REVIEWS RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (2008)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme Starring: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Debra Winger Category: Rehab Familial Comedy
I admit I did not want to enjoy Rachel Getting Married, partly due to the overwhelming fuss it generated come Oscar season and partly due to my own tenuous pain threshold when it comes to Anne Hathaway’s innate ability to annoy. Set amidst the chaos of prewedding preparations, former junkie and textbook black sheep Kym (Hathaway) is yanked from the ironic solace of rehab and into the lap of her jubilant, albeit judging, bohemian family. They treat her like a heat-seeking missile as she thrashes through every prenuptial event with a relentless talent for destruction. The camera is invasive, placing the audience in the scene while allowing them to participate in Kym’s social claustrophobia. Hathaway’s raw performance truly deserves its acclaim, while the richness of the dialogue and character interaction almost distract from the film’s few awkward moments and overall glacial pace. I stand corrected.
MAN ON WIRE
(2008)
Directed by: James Marsh Starring: Philippe Petit Category: Highwire Docudrama
RELIGULOUS (2008)
Directed by: Larry Charles Starring: Bill Maher Category: Mockumentary
Blasphemy at its funniest! An irreverent documentary questioning the legitimacy of religion and, by extension, exposing the lunacy it so often breeds. American political comedian, Bill Maher, travels the world to find answers to religious inconsistency and easy targets from all faiths to grill, doing so in the most entertaining of ways. Objectivity has no place here, and it does not seem to phase Maher that he himself is preaching to a very distinct audience, but that’s the point. It’s not your BBC doccie, nor is it republican-friendly, but it’s a hilarious if not disturbing eye-opener to the pitfalls of religion, which end up looking, well, religulous. If you are easily offended or have no desire to watch it, see it only for the Holy Land Theme Park scene. It’s just too good. 102
one small seed
Giddy, breathtaking and epic, Man on Wire documents a French high-wire artist’s 1974 attempt to walk between The Twin Towers at a height of 417 metres, later dubbed ”the artistic crime of the century”. Philippe Petit is the culprit (played by himself), an enigmatic if not questionably unhinged leader whose six-year courtship with the World Trade Centre claims the core of the documentary and the amazing feat that took place. The film is constructed like a heist film, including emotional testimonials from Petit’s accomplices and original footage from the team’s arduous planning process. Man on Wire, winner of the 2008 Oscar for Best Documentary, is an ode to commitment, beautiful rebellion and serious balls. A David and Goliath tale that will make you feel completely inept in your own life achievements.