2) At Berkeley
Even before this past year, no one was making movies like Frederick Wiseman. His uncompromising style of documentary features no interviews, voiceover or title cards: only the purest cinéma vérité imaginable. It sounds boring to describe, but that only makes the accomplishment more impressive. The observational and passive style quickly becomes deeply engaging and mesmerizing. It’s the closest you can come to occupying the same space as the subjects he’s presenting.
At Berkeley takes this style to an even further extreme in that it is a 4-hour movie. If that seems daunting, that’s ok; its recent airing on PBS provides it with perhaps a more suitable space to be viewed, on TV, rather than at a film festival. That being said, it’s probably best to be watched with as little interruption as possible.
A major part of the magic of Wiseman’s movies is the feeling as though you’re inhabiting a new space, and every break taken from watching and listening to the sights and sounds of a movie like At Berkeley takes away from this experience.
Patience with this documentary will pay off though, as it offers a unique perspective on university life from the various points of view of students, professors and administrators. Think of it as a rewarding binge watch.
