Cortechba Overrated

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

johnstonjames i love Godfrey Reggio's 'Qatsi' trilogy of films. i watch them over and over again every year and have seen all three many times. not only do they have awesome musical scores by the respected, award winning composer Philip Glass and exquisite photography by Leonidas Zourdoumis and Graham Berry, they are deeply profound and moving journeys through existence as viewed through a divine eye.to say these films are mystical and spiritual is almost an understatement. they are positively life changing and affirming. after viewing these films i always feel somewhat altered or changed in my perception of people, places and things. which is what the 'Qatsi' trilogy is all about. people, places, and things. not to mention our profound relationship with God, the creator.'Powaqqatsi' is probably my favorite of the trilogy because it deals with third world countries and is more about the human experience than the other two films. it deals with the heartening plight of third world countries and the effect technology and so-called progress is having on them. the faces of so many of the little third world children photographed here is enough to melt the hardest of hearts(lets hope so). i especially thought the footage of a little girl driving an ox cart like a angel out of hell was very arresting. and the scene with the children on the run-down, antique ferris wheel is probably one of sweetest, most endearing things ever photographed for film.this film is very much about children and very much about humanity. few films have captured the plight of humanity nearly as well.this is definitely my favorite. but all of Reggio's 'Qatsi' films are amazing and timeless. they effect the mind and soul on a variety of levels and stimulate our interest in life and in each other. God Bless and Merry Christmas. 12/10/10.

Jay Ducharme Koyaanisqatsi is one of my all-time favorite films. I eagerly awaited the release of Powaqqatsi. I ended up somewhat disappointed, though. Philip Glass' musical score is brilliant and powerful. Many of the images in the film (for example, the boy driving his pony cart through a traffic jam) are vivid and memorable. But unlike Reggio's first film, Powaqqatsi doesn't all come together as well. Koyaanisqatsi was structured like a visual thesis, with a premise and a systematic development of the premise to the powerful conclusion (technology is destroying humanity). There's no such story arc in Powaqqatsi. I felt drained at the end, but I also felt confused. I wasn't sure what to think about the visual overload I had just experienced. Perhaps that was Reggio's intent, to leave the audience to fill in the blanks. But I really wanted the scenes to add up to something, as they did in Koyaanisqatsi. Nevertheless, the movie is well worth viewing for its dazzling visuals alone, and its brilliant soundtrack (possibly the best work Glass has ever done).

Galina Last week, I watched for the firs time Qatsi trilogy, which includes the films Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi. All of the film titles are taken from the Hopi language; Koyaanisquatsi meaning "life out of balance," Powaqqatsi - "life in transformation," and Naqoyqatsi - "life as war".The films were made by Godfrey Reggio and the music score which plays as important role as the images do, was written by Philipp Glass.The films have no spoken dialog or plot and have to be experienced viscerally first, and then analyzed because everyone sees different in them. For some viewers - they are glorified long music videos, for the others - the revelation that may change the way we perceive ourselves as human kind and our place on Earth.As for me, personally, I realized that the collaboration between Reggio and Glass may be one of the best creative unions between a visionary director and a brilliant composer ever.Of three Qatsi movies, my favorite is certainly, Powaqqatsi, and I know I'll come back to it many times more until my last day because it is not just a gorgeous movie with amazing images; it is one of very precious experiences that happen rarely in life. What made this experience possible is above all and without doubt the MUSIC. It was not the first music by Philip Glass I heard. I like his minimalistic and somehow disturbing scores that go right to your senses for "The Hours", "Notes of the Scandal", and "The Illusionist" (2006). Powaqqatsi was the second movie in Reggio's "Qatsi" trilogy for me. Just before it, I saw "Koyaanisqatsi" (1982) or Life out of Balance", the first of three Reggio-Glass movies. I like "Koyaanisqatsi" very much but I think it is the images that make it so memorable. "Powaqqatsi" for me, is about Glass's magnificent, un-earthy, divine and literally uplifting and transcending score. It is the music that could've been played after God had finished his work of creation and looked down at Earth and saw that it was good. I am a music lover, and I love music of different genres, epochs, and cultures. I enjoy listening to Mozart and Beatles, Nino Rota and Metallica, Zamphir and Scott Joplin, Bob Dylan and Lucianno Pavarotti, Bach and Edith Piaf. I love them all but I don't recall ever being so moved and taken out of this reality, feeling happy and overwhelmed, proud to be able to witness and enjoy the incredible achievement of human creativity and genius as when I was watching and listening to three "Anthems" and "Mosque and Temple" scenes of "Powwaqatsi: Life in Transformation". I don't buy the DVDs very often, I am not a collector but when the movie leaves unforgettable impression, when it brings something amazing into my life, I have to have it. I already ordered and received both, "Koyaanisqatsi" and "Powwaqatsi" on DVDs and I keep rewatching my favorite scenes and the music has the same impact at me making tears of joy coming to my eyes every time I hear the majestic hypnotic triumphant sounds of music written by Phillip Glass.I would like to add the words of one of my favorite writers. They match perfectly the feelings and emotions the film has evoked in me: "Mother Earth. She lived, this world of trees and rivers and rocks with deep stone thoughts. She breathed, had feelings, dreamed dreams, gave birth, laughed, and grew contemplative for millennia. This great creature swimming in the sea of space. What a wonder thought the man, for he had never understood that the Earth was his mother, before this. He had never understood, before this that the Earth had a life of its own, at once part of mankind and quite separated from mankind, another with a life of her own." Harlan Ellison "The Deathbird"

Roger Burke The imagery, metaphors and sound track in this, the second of the Glass/Reggio trilogy, are, in my opinion, better than those in Koyanisqatsi (1982). As much as I admired the latter, it did concentrate on the 'life-out-of-balance' scene in USA, to the exclusion of the bulk of the world's population.Powaqqatsi redresses that imbalance...and adds the second chapter in this trilogy.First, a few words about the music, a choral and orchestral mix that is simply spine-chilling and transcendental at the same time, a thematic tour-de-force that celebrates the almost tireless strength and perseverance of today's pre-industrial world, which encompasses South America, Africa, India and China. It's worth seeing this film just to listen to that music, in my opinion.The visual, however, is just as compelling, beginning – and briefly ending – with scenes from an earthly hell: the gold mines at Serra Pelada – Bald Mountain – somewhere in Brazil, where the workers march to the lure of riches, accompanied by staccato tom-toms, to carry bags of gold-flecked earth to the top of a ridge for collection. This is work at its meanest... and often most grueling, as shown by two men bearing a stricken worker on their backs to the top.But, it's not all bad. Sparkling images of boats on the sea; glistening sunlight shimmering; a lone eagle silhouetted against an evening sun; masses of people celebrating in dance; reflections, in water, of people walking; an amazing shot of a tree reflected in water...All of which segues into the modern accoutrements that enhance and yet which begin the process of enslavement to the god of consumerism: trains in motion; videos on TV; the crowded commercial areas in China, Africa and India (watching a cricket game, no less); industrial smog; garbage dumps; bizarre bazaars; international trade; commuter trains and boats, staggering under the load of humanity that joins the daily rush, rush, rush...except for one little girl who stops and stares at the camera for the longest time, watching, thinking, wondering...You could argue, I suppose, that the negative side of industrial development is over-done; I'm sure many would see this film in that regard. However, considering the time that this film was made – twenty years ago – I tend to think that the negativity is appropriate because much is now worse, particularly in China and India, where unchecked development is – literally – a smoking time bomb of industrial pollution.Powaqqatsi's message about life on earth going the wrong way is spot on: from the despair in the eyes of workers as they grind away at their wheels or machines, to somber children facing the camera, to once again the symbolically crucified worker on the backs of his co-workers at Serra Pelada, every person who sees this must pause and reflect upon themselves and their purpose on this earth, however imperfectly, just as those who, in the final scene, often see themselves reflected in shimmering water – but ever moving, walking, jostling forward to, we all hope, better times and bigger rewards.At the end of this film, the viewer learns that powaqqatsi is formed by the combination of two Hopi Indian words: 'powaq', meaning 'sorcerer' and 'qatsi' meaning 'life'. Thus – life sorcerer, one who has power over life and death.Was it Pogo who said: I have seen the enemy and they is us? See this movie and answer for yourself.