Powaqqatsi - Life in Transformation

Rating:
Summary: Haunting, overwhelming and stangely hopeful
Review: Video is no way to see Powaqqatsi or Koyaanisqatsi, seeing it on the big screen is the only way to capture Reggio's brilliant work. But if it is your only option, don't pass it up. I never imagined Reggio could follow up Koyaanisqatsi with such a gem...it gives me hope the third movie in the trilogy, Naqoyqatsi, will be as brilliant. Powaqqatsi shocks you out of the comfort of your safe middle class (or better) existence and reminds you that we are very much in the minority with our creature comforts. Yet, despite the haunting images and the curious juxtaposition of the Glass music, the film leaves you with courage that the human animal can rise above the harsh realities of the current state of our economically segregated world. These two movies changed my life. If you ever get a chance to see Glass perform the sound track live while he shows either move, don't miss it at any price. Now, where can I get my copy?

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, haunting
Review: When I first watched this film last night, I was rather disappointed. It was different in a BIG way from "Koyaanisqatsi". I then went to sleep going over the images that I saw in this film as I slept. The next morning, I had myself set down to watch it again. I learned this time, that my perspective was all wrong. I thought, probably just like everybody else, that this second installment of the "qatsi" trilogy was suppose to be more of what we saw in "Koyaanisqatsi." We shouldn't think this way at all. Don't connect these two films as if they belong together. They ARE two separate projects with two separate ideas to be viewed with the mind's eye.

"Powaqqatsi" is a masterful piece of work addressing a cold and/or warm view of several third world countries. Godfrey Reggio gave us this visual exactly as we should see it. Maybe it wasn't as FUN to watch as "Koyaaniqatsi", but, I really don't think Reggio is trying to entertain us, as much as he is trying to inform us about our world without the use of words. Which, in itself, is an act of genius. To tell us what he is showing us, would present it all as "some guy's opinion" which could arrouse doubt and argument. He gave us the world in a way that allows us to say what we see and can form our own opinion of what we see. This allows everyone to walk away from this film with a different perspective than somebody sitting right beside you watching it.

This film is definately very colorful. There is beauty in the devastation. Plus there is unpleasant discourse in what seems to present a sense of order. All in all, it's a window to another part of the world that we may never see in our own real lives.

However, if you still have doubts about the integrity of "Powaqqatsi." Think of this DVD as a great music video collection from "Philip Glass". The music on this DVD is truly awesome! And much more glorifying, as a whole, than the music of "Koyaanisqatsi". "Powaqqatsi" is a great DVD to have on to listen to when you don't feel like watching ANY TV.

Anyone who hasn't seen either of these two films, I would reccommend that you see "Powaqqatsi" first, so that your opinion won't be tainted with an expectation that it's supposed to be an extension of "Koyaanisqatsi".

"Powaqqatsi" is it's own masterpiece! Not a follow-up. And the third film in the "qatsi" trilogy, is also its own work of art. It too, should not be preceived as, yet another follow-up to Reggio's other two films.

I hope my review has optimistically enhanced your perspective.

Rating:
Summary: This might be the only review you'll need to read.
Review: When I first watched this film last night, I was rather disappointed. It was different in a BIG way from "Koyaanisqatsi". I then went to sleep going over the images that I saw in this film as I slept. The next morning, I had myself set down to watch it again. I learned this time, that my perspective was all wrong. I thought, probably just like everybody else, that this second installment of the "qatsi" trilogy was suppose to be more of what we saw in "Koyaanisqatsi." We shouldn't think this way at all. Don't connect these two films as if they belong together. They ARE two separate projects with two separate ideas to be viewed with the mind's eye. "Powaqqatsi" is a masterful piece of work addressing a cold and/or warm view of several third world countries. Godfrey Reggio gave us this visual exactly as we should see it. Maybe it wasn't as FUN to watch as "Koyaaniqatsi", but, I really don't think Reggio is trying to entertain us, as much as he is trying to inform us about our world without the use of words. Which, in itself, is an act of genius. To tell us what he is showing us, would present it all as "some guy's opinion" which could arrouse doubt and argument. He gave us the world in a way that allows us to say what we see and can form our own opinion of what we see. This allows everyone to walk away from this film with a different perspective than somebody sitting right beside you watching it.
This film is definately very colorful. There is beauty in the devastation. Plus there is unpleasant discourse in what seems to present a sense of order. All in all, it's a window to another part of the world that we may never see in our own real lives.
From my prespective, here's what this film does for me. My life consists of sitting on an expressway at 8 o'clock in the morning. Barely moving. It takes me 45 minutes just to go 9 miles to work. Plus, the hell of working with a bitter public, thankless of the luxuries they have in their lives, for 9 straight hours a day, and then get back out on that ungodly non-moving freeway to go home. If you live a life simular to these few words that I just stated (that could represent everyone's life), then you'll truly appreciate all that is there for your mind's eye in "Powaqqatsi." It is meant to be different from "Koyaanisqatsi." They are, in fact, TWO different films. Not one, that follows the other. I actually keep them separated from each other in my DVD library so that they are are perceived as belonging to each other.
One last thing, if you still have doubts about the integrity of "Powaqqatsi." Think of this DVD as a great music video collection from "Philip Glass". The music on this DVD is truly awesome! And much more glorifying, as a whole, than the music of "Koyaanisqatsi". "Powaqqatsi" is a great DVD to have on to listen to when you don't feel like watching ANY TV.
Anyone who hasn't seen either of these two films, I would reccommend that you see "Powaqqatsi" first, so that your opinion won't be tainted with an expectation that it's supposed to be an extension of "Koyaanisqatsi".
REMEMBER! "Powaqqatsi" is it's own masterpiece! Not a follow-up. And the third film in the "qatsi" trilogy, is also its own work of art. It too, should not be preceived as, yet another follow-up to Reggio's other two films.
I hope my review has changed your perspective.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, haunting
Review: When you are dealing with a film that uses no words, only images and movement and music, putting together a coherent narrative that gets the point across is a challenge, but rewarding when it works. There are many disturbing images here, but also images of life as usual, day in the life stuff, the tasks of the world as performed for a thousand generations. Collectively, it adds up to a kaleidescope of human activity. Some reviewers questioned the political message of the film There is no political message. Its a catalog of human activity, blood, sweat, tears, and striving. If you are open to the flow he is trying to entrain the viewer into, its an interesting journey.