Rating: 
Summary: Weak film -- great soundtrack
Review: Koyaanisqatsi is one of my favorite films of all time, so of course I was excited to see this. Major letdown - while Koyaanisqatsi drew its strength from the expert editing that builds to a fevered pitch at the end, this film is more like watching someone flip through the pages of National Geographic, it never strays from its laconic pace. Its politics are questionable as well -- indigenous cultures are glorified and the first world is damned; we never get to see such 'picturesque' scenes of the third world as the Sudanese slave trade or petty criminals having their limbs chopped off in Saudi Arabia.My advice -- buy the Koy/Pow 2-pack at a very reasonable price, then you can at least enjoy the gorgeous and stirring Pow soundtrack in DVD 5.1 audio.
Rating:
Summary: Weak film -- great soundtrack
Review: Koyaanisqatsi is one of my favorite films of all time, so of course I was excited to see this. Major letdown - while Koyaanisqatsi drew its strength from the expert editing that builds to a fevered pitch at the end, this film is more like watching someone flip through the pages of National Geographic, it never strays from its laconic pace. Its politics are questionable as well -- indigenous cultures are glorified and the first world is damned; we never get to see such 'picturesque' scenes of the third world as the Sudanese slave trade or petty criminals having their limbs chopped off in Saudi Arabia. My advice -- buy the Koy/Pow 2-pack at a very reasonable price, then you can at least enjoy the gorgeous and stirring Pow soundtrack in DVD 5.1 audio.
Rating: 
Summary: Please watch this trilogy in order.
Review: Powaqqatsi (1988) is the second DVD in the Qatsi trilogy, an I suggest that you consider watching this release second. The first to view is Koyaanisqatsi (1983); the third, Naqoyqatsi (2002). With the filming of the trilogy taking over 20 years to complete, the advances in the music, technology and filming makes me suggest that you start from the beginning to watch how things have changed in that time. POWA (Powaqqatsi) focuses on life for people mainly in the southern hemisphere. Please also view my review of KOYA (Koyaanisqatsi), which I will complete shortly after submitting this. I plan to soon purchase NAQO (Naqoyqatsi) and will review that as well (obviously I found the film concept entertaining). KOYA focuses on the northern hemisphere's lifestyles of living with technology in all aspecfts of their lives while POWA shows life that is more driven by manual labor. Yet as the movie progresses, you see more and more hints of the introduction of technology, which will inevitably wind up permeating and consuming the current culture. Watch for the placement of a SEIKO billboard, which really stuck in my mind. It can be difficult not to feel some sense of pain for the people's lifestyles, but please stay open- minded to an understanding that perhaps the lifestyle that DP's Graham Berry and Leonidas Zourdoumis documented is what the subjects being filmed are most comfortable with. Watching POWA first, however, may take the whole trilogy out of order and context for you. That's why I suggest that you purchase the two- DVD set. And I'm sure that plans have been in the works to release the trilogy as a boxed set. Make certain also to watch director Godfrey Reggio's comments (highlighted with composer Philip Glass). They give insight into filming and Reggio also addresses viewer/critic feedback. One sharp criticism I wanted to note was that Glass used some of the music in this film years later for the runaway hit "Truman Show" (Jim Carrey, 1998). How silly and petty to reuse a score in a completely different movie, which I feel should be a Cardinal sin. I had to try tuning out Truman in my mind while watching POWA, and I scold Glass for recycling his music. That was an absolutely pathetic decision for him to make. The transfer from the film to DVD (MGM/UA 1003767) was sweet. The colors seemed stunning and saturated. Make certain, however to try having your monitor calibrated to get the full impact of the hues, colors and tones. Tech specs: 1988, color, 97 minutes, 1.85:1 screen aspect ratio; optional French and Spanish subtitles for English text (there is absolutely NO dialogue in POWA), which is used at the end of the film to give description of term "Powaqqatsi" (and also for any prominent text on some billboards or televisions). A postscript: Baraka (filmed by Ron Fricke, 1992) isn't related to the trilogy, but should be in your collection if you enjoy any of these. However watch Baraka last, because to me it is the benchmark in this type of filmmaking. You may feel a slight letdown KOYA and POWA if Baraka is viewed first. Chronos (1985), another by Fricke, is an alternate choice, but the weakest of these.
Rating:
Summary: A vivid journey into the third world
Review: Powaqqatsi took me out of my safe, clean, technological "First World" existence into the empoverished, exploited, and sad reality that is the third world. But I found it to be a very good film. And any fan of Philip Glass' music would not want to miss it. For that reason alone I thoroughly enjoyed Powaqqatsi. The vivid images of people being used as pack animals in the opening sequence were disturbing, perhaps more so by the incongruently joyful music during those scenes. Thereafter the movie alternated between the themes of poverty, religion, exploitation, and innocence, all to the music of one of our most original and creative composers. Actually, Philip Glass' score was strongly influenced by Near- and Far-Eastern Asian music (with heavy sampling according to the soundtrack notes), as well as South American rhythms. Most sequences (like the train) were definitely Glassian. The movie itself suffered a little from a lack of a unified and flowing theme, such as was obvious in Reggio's first and by far the best 'Qatsi film, Koyaanisqatsi. These reflections are fading, as it has been about seven years since I saw Powaqqatsi in the theater. I am looking forward to the video's re-release.
Rating:
Summary: A vivid journey into the third world
Review: Powaqqatsi took me out of my safe, clean, technological "First World" existence into the empoverished, exploited, and sad reality that is the third world. But I found it to be a very good film. And any fan of Philip Glass' music would not want to miss it. For that reason alone I thoroughly enjoyed Powaqqatsi. The vivid images of people being used as pack animals in the opening sequence were disturbing, perhaps more so by the incongruently joyful music during those scenes. Thereafter the movie alternated between the themes of poverty, religion, exploitation, and innocence, all to the music of one of our most original and creative composers. Actually, Philip Glass' score was strongly influenced by Near- and Far-Eastern Asian music (with heavy sampling according to the soundtrack notes), as well as South American rhythms. Most sequences (like the train) were definitely Glassian. The movie itself suffered a little from a lack of a unified and flowing theme, such as was obvious in Reggio's first and by far the best 'Qatsi film, Koyaanisqatsi. These reflections are fading, as it has been about seven years since I saw Powaqqatsi in the theater. I am looking forward to the video's re-release.
Rating: 
Summary: A Film for Transforming Perceptions
Review: Some reviewers have expressed confusion or displeasure over the message of this film. Having attended a question-and-answer session with the director, Godfrey Reggio, and having worked as an editor in the journalism field, I hope I can assist in interpretation. Here is mine in a nutshell: Exploitation produces poverty. The principle that the filmmakers were seeking to illustrate was that while colonization comes in diverse forms, it is always destructive in the end -- even if the means are through economic domination rather than brute occupation. So-called "civilized" societies prey upon the Third World for their own gain, thereby ravaging the spirit of its people, depleting the natural resources of its nations, and tainting the uniqueness of its cultures. The film reveals scenes that the U.S. media often fail to show -- the backbreaking labor and environmental destruction inflicted as offerings to the Almighty God of Profit. Worship at the altar of financial markets generates our wealth (the trilogy's first film, Koyaanisqatsi, covers technology- and consumer-based culture), yet as we acquire greater strength and contentment, our business practices shorten the life span and deteriorate the quality of life in weaker countries. The extraction and importation of their very vitality seems to be the fundamental wellspring for our Gross Domestic Product, essentially amounting to a lopsided transaction akin to parasitism. For contrast, the music for the soundtrack incorporates energetic elements of this highly valued commodity from faraway lands: pounding rhythms, intricate phrases, meditative passages, foreign melodies, exotic harmonies, and even a dynamic children's chorus. This soundscape was intended to provide a sense of the heart and soul of the camera's subjects, i.e., the people in the images. I highly recommend Powaqqatsi, especially since after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it presents renewed significance and compelling insight. After all, what do Americans perceive about other cultures and the ways we affect them? For example, would not a survey of natural-born U.S. citizens indicate that only a small percentage of us know more than three common first names from the Arabic world? And how many of us are familiar with the opinions that other nations' citizens hold about our activities in their countries? For that matter, are we fully informed about the actions abroad by our government and our companies? Although a single film can't completely fill in all the gaps in our awareness, Powaqqatsi does help bring to our attention that such voids exist. As long as a lack of understanding and concern typifies the pursuit of "capitalism" and "freedom" by the world's greatest democracies, we should anticipate that this attitude will continue to cause suffering. Powaqqatsi is a call for compassion, the true front in civilization's ongoing "war on terror," otherwise known as the fight for humanity's survival.
Rating:
Summary: A Film for Transforming Perceptions
Review: Some reviewers have expressed confusion or displeasure over the message of this film. Having attended a question-and-answer session with the director, Godfrey Reggio, and having worked as an editor in the journalism field, I hope I can assist in interpretation. Here is mine in a nutshell: Exploitation produces poverty. The principle that the filmmakers were seeking to illustrate was that while colonization comes in diverse forms, it is always destructive in the end -- even if the means are through economic domination rather than brute occupation. So-called "civilized" societies prey upon the Third World for their own gain, thereby ravaging the spirit of its people, depleting the natural resources of its nations, and tainting the uniqueness of its cultures. The film reveals scenes that the U.S. media often fail to show -- the backbreaking labor and environmental destruction inflicted as offerings to the Almighty God of Profit. Worship at the altar of financial markets generates our wealth (the trilogy's first film, Koyaanisqatsi, covers technology- and consumer-based culture), yet as we acquire greater strength and contentment, our business practices shorten the life span and deteriorate the quality of life in weaker countries. The extraction and importation of their very vitality seems to be the fundamental wellspring for our Gross Domestic Product, essentially amounting to a lopsided transaction akin to parasitism. For contrast, the music for the soundtrack incorporates energetic elements of this highly valued commodity from faraway lands: pounding rhythms, intricate phrases, meditative passages, foreign melodies, exotic harmonies, and even a dynamic children's chorus. This soundscape was intended to provide a sense of the heart and soul of the camera's subjects, i.e., the people in the images. I highly recommend Powaqqatsi, especially since after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it presents renewed significance and compelling insight. After all, what do Americans perceive about other cultures and the ways we affect them? For example, would not a survey of natural-born U.S. citizens indicate that only a small percentage of us know more than three common first names from the Arabic world? And how many of us are familiar with the opinions that other nations' citizens hold about our activities in their countries? For that matter, are we fully informed about the actions abroad by our government and our companies? Although a single film can't completely fill in all the gaps in our awareness, Powaqqatsi does help bring to our attention that such voids exist. As long as a lack of understanding and concern typifies the pursuit of "capitalism" and "freedom" by the world's greatest democracies, we should anticipate that this attitude will continue to cause suffering. Powaqqatsi is a call for compassion, the true front in civilization's ongoing "war on terror," otherwise known as the fight for humanity's survival.
Rating:
Summary: This movie should be required viewing in school.
Review: This movie is simply a portrait of the way most people in this world live. Vastly different from modern western culture. This movie tells us more about our humanity than any other movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Powaqqatsi
Review: Very disappointed. While I cannot say enough good things about Koyannisqatsi, Powaqqatsi left me bored, looking for something interesting to watch. The genius that Reggio and Glass displayed in Koyannisqatsi is not to be found here. I understand what they are trying to do, but it is just not entertaining. I think Reggio forgot that when making a movie with out dialogue or plot, the pictures need to be either of something interesting, spectacular, original with interesting moments. And Powaqqatsi has few of these moments. Monotonous and bland, Reggio's camera has agonizingly long shots that move from third world human misery to more human misery. He's preaching here, and in this mode it does not work. Glass' sounds track is little better, sounding much like the score from Koyannisqatsi with a tracks of children singing and bong drums over top. Essentially, Powaqqatsi is just more of the same from Koyannisqatsi, but all the interesting and beautiful shots are removed. It's now only the parts they called "People Moving Slowly" form the first one. At times this worked in the first movie because it showed the juxtaposition of the inhuman technology and the very human faces. Now it's just miserable people in slums or people working in conditions that look like slave labour. No juxtaposition, just more sadness. If you want to see a great movie of a similar vein that does what Powaqqatsi should have done, buy Baraka. Baraka is everything that Powaqqatsi should have been. It's directed by the same cinematographer and so offers much of the same as Koyannisqatsi, minus the technology. It shows interesting things in the third world, people with dignity, other civilizations, not just muddy, miserable souls. Baraka has the interesting sequences, different perspectives, striking photography and original fantastic moments. It's all I had hoped for in Powaqqatsi but did not see. So do yourself a favor, forget about Powaqqatsi and get Baraka
Rating:
Summary: Powaqqatsi
Review: Very disappointed. While I cannot say enough good things about Koyannisqatsi, Powaqqatsi left me bored, looking for something interesting to watch. The genius that Reggio and Glass displayed in Koyannisqatsi is not to be found here. I understand what they are trying to do, but it is just not entertaining. I think Reggio forgot that when making a movie with out dialogue or plot, the pictures need to be either of something interesting, spectacular, original with interesting moments. And Powaqqatsi has few of these moments. Monotonous and bland, Reggio's camera has agonizingly long shots that move from third world human misery to more human misery. He's preaching here, and in this mode it does not work. Glass' sounds track is little better, sounding much like the score from Koyannisqatsi with a tracks of children singing and bong drums over top. Essentially, Powaqqatsi is just more of the same from Koyannisqatsi, but all the interesting and beautiful shots are removed. It's now only the parts they called "People Moving Slowly" form the first one. At times this worked in the first movie because it showed the juxtaposition of the inhuman technology and the very human faces. Now it's just miserable people in slums or people working in conditions that look like slave labour. No juxtaposition, just more sadness. If you want to see a great movie of a similar vein that does what Powaqqatsi should have done, buy Baraka. Baraka is everything that Powaqqatsi should have been. It's directed by the same cinematographer and so offers much of the same as Koyannisqatsi, minus the technology. It shows interesting things in the third world, people with dignity, other civilizations, not just muddy, miserable souls. Baraka has the interesting sequences, different perspectives, striking photography and original fantastic moments. It's all I had hoped for in Powaqqatsi but did not see. So do yourself a favor, forget about Powaqqatsi and get Baraka
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