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.
Review of Heaven
