We've been getting back into the swing of watching movies since our Hurricane Ike flight. Last week we popped into a nearby Blockbuster and each grabbed a DVD the other two probably wouldn't like but would sit through without complaining. We repeated the process this week. I selected Religulous, Art chose Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (sigh), and Greg picked up The Dark Knight.
Religulous is Bill Maher's occasionally pretentious (and frequently funny) documentary that examines why people of different faiths and creeds cling to their beliefs. It's entertaining, and at times insightful, but it won't open the minds of any zealots. Maher interviews a creationist, a truck stop preacher, an ex-gay (who eschews that moniker), an ex-Mormon, a televangelist, a Holocaust denying rabbi, two gay Muslims, and - deliciously - an amusement park Jesus whose sincerity is almost touching. Interspersed between the interviews are humorous clips from old religious movies, devilishly placed to score points over Maher's subjects. I particularly enjoyed the gossipy Catholic priest who talked about a recent survey in Italy that asked people whom they most often prayed to. In that poll Christ came in Number Six, followed by some popular Catholic saints. If you're a member of the choir Maher is preaching to - and I am - you'll be amused by the irreverent Religulous.
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl stars Abigail Breslin (from Little Miss Sunshine) as a spunky cub reporter wannabe whose family is forced to take in borders during the Great Depression. Considering that the character was inspired by a doll, the film isn't as appalling as it might have been. There are some genuinely tender moments, and a mystery of sorts for Kit and her pals to solve. But the chuckles are few and far between and the film's top-tier supporting actors (Stanley Tucci, Chris O'Donnell, Joan Cusack and a seriously miscast Julia Ormond) all look like they can't wait to get out of there and have a heart-to-heart with their agents. Those who appreciate heartwarming stories could do a lot worse.
The Dark Knight belongs first and foremost to Heath Ledger, who died last year of an accidental drug overdose. His mesmerizing Joker is so powerfully portrayed that when he's onscreen you might forget there's anybody else in this movie. Which is a good thing really, since the residents of Gotham City are just too annoying to elicit much sympathy. You'll find yourself eagerly awaiting the mayhem that Joker foists upon their grimy metropolis, and perhaps even rooting for the evildoer, as we did. Christian Bale capably fills the Bat Suit for a second time (since Batman Begins), instilling the superhero with smoldering gravitas and a voice pitched so low I kept expecting to see elephants following him around. Maggie Gyllenhaal brings some spark to her thankless role as Batman's love interest, and Aaron Eckhart oozes charm as District Attorney Harvey Dent, the film's other antihero/villain. The movie is long and loud, the special effects are eye-popping. Those who don't appreciate heartwarming stories could do a lot worse.
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