Microcosmos

Rating:
Summary: How did they do it?
Review: I was absolutely mesmerized by this film. I was switching channels and locked onto "Microcosmos", didn't know the name until I looked it up! I couldn't even leave it for three minutes to get my morning coffee incase I missed anything. No naration, just stunning photography - "How did they get that?" every scene, absolutely breathtaking..... I hope the makers of this "Documentary" get some award for brilliance!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Amazing!
Review: I watched this movie lastnight and it was, as my title suggests, absolutely amazing! The people that made this movie spend 3 YEARS developing their lenses and cameras for this specific project and it shows! The detail on these highly magnified insects is breath taking. Literally. I was in awe for ever second that I watch this. And by amplifying the sounds I was sucked right in. I felt like I was there, surrounded by GIGANTIC insects!
I highly recommend this movie to EVERYONE (yes, even you, you filthy wormbaby!).

Rating:
Summary: MIND BLOWER
Review: I'll never forget the first time I saw this film. It was a totally enveloping, beautiful experience. You are absolutely IN the extremely small, lush green world of brave carpenter ants and sensuous snails. Not to mention a bunch of other previously creepy and now fabulously, gloriously creepy creatures. The music score completes the picture ranging from triumphant to sublime.

Since this world is a bit closer to a child's recent experience than an adult, you might think it's for kids. But the production values make it a great escape movie, full youthful feelings of wonder for adults.

WE NEED IT ON DVD. A HOME THEATER EXPERIENCE OF THIS FILM WOULD BE TREMENDOUS.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely inspiring
Review: If this does not inspire or fascinate people interested in nature, I do not know what will.

This film depicts the activities of an outwardly quiet and calm meadow and following a brief narrative, zooms in on a scale that captures insects at their active best over the entire day and hence the title "Microcosmos". The makers of the film let the pictures speak for themselves and provide no narrative.

This is the perfect film for people to show to school level children. Although some have commented that the weakness of the film is the fact that it has no narrative, I personally feel this the strength of the film. So many of the natural history films try and provide so much information about the visuals that the viewer is unable to bask in the beauty of the image. It is often quite easy to interpret the visuals if it is striking and vivid as is the case with this film.

The reason why I believe it is ideal for school children is that it is bound to kindle their curiosity and once this is achieved at least some of them will be inclined to pursue "what is going on" and "why is it going on" questions. Nature videos with narratives may provide valuable information, but their ability to inspire the spirit of enquiry is often suspect. The fact that this film does not plant any preconceptions renders it an invaluable tool in teaching.

This is not to say that university level students or academics or the lay person will not enjoy it. It's educational value may be less for this audience, but it will certainly fascinate anyone interested in natural history.

Rating:
Summary: Inspires thinking about the world around you
Review: In addition to the great cinematography and sound, the best thing about Microcosmos is the lack of narration. Throughout the movie you will find yourself wondering why an insect behaves a certain way. Why did it EVOLVE to behave that way, etc. You will have theories about what an insect is doing, and sometimes you will see things that corroborate your theory or disprove it. More often than not you never really know for sure what the point or the details of a particular behavior is. I had to do some research the day after I saw it to find out what really was going on with some of the bugs.

Rating:
Summary: Mesmeric, beautiful, astonishing
Review: In similar vein to Reggio's seminal Koyaanisqatsi, Microcosmos is a film without commentary, other than a one-sentence introduction and a few poetic words at the close.

It presents the viewer with a gorgeous series of tableaux starring the amazing micro-fauna occupying a meadow. I guarantee the first thing that springs to mind when viewing Microcosmos for the first time is "how did they film that?!!" Achingly beautiful close-ups of ants, caterpillars, butterflies, snails, ladybirds, the bizarrely alien-looking mantis and dozens more give us an unique insight into the oft-ignored world beneath our feet.

The whole 72 minutes is one great therapeutic trip - just sit in your comfiest chair and let the vivid colours and sumptuous sound (natural insect noises occasionally punctuated with minimalist ambient music) wash over you.

Favourite scenes include the sissyphus-like dung-beetle, the ants at the "waterhole", the snail lovers, the spider's "aqualung", the stag beetles' battle and the jaw-droppingly stunning finale of the nascent mosquito breaking free of the meniscus of the pond on its impossibly long legs. Even the moment of microcosmic horror, when a strangely prehistoric looking pheasant perpetrates some genocide, is magnificently filmed and utterly satisfying.

Possibly the first wildlife film to cross the boundary into pure art.

I guarantee you will feel a better and more harmonious person for having viewed Microcosmos.

Rating:
Summary: Big movie about little creatures
Review: Insects have had a bit of a run in movies recently. But rather than relying on anthropomorphism too much, it is worth taking a while to look at what they are really like.

'Microcosmos' is a movie supposedly about one day in a field. Since it took three years to film, we know this isn't quite true... With no storyline, we are simply treated to nature in her infinite variety with snippets of the lives of insects forming a montage of scenes which allows us, as viewers, to infer how big and busy a simple field really is.

The filming is excellent, and I am sure that Claude Nuridsany and Marie Perennou were delighted with the ad lib performances their cast gave them - real animals do amazing things that no amount of computer animation can ever compare to.

My one complaint: a movie of this kind is likely to appeal to people who enjoyed such films as 'Koyaanisqatsi' and 'Baraka'. One of the way those movies succeeded that 'Microcosmos' doesn't is in the soundtrack. In "Microcosmos', some scenes are accompanied by strong musical scores, whilst others are virtually silent. This shifting of aural gears becomes distracting, and I believe detracts from the film. It would have benefited from either a strong score throughout the film, or minimal or no music.

Rating:
Summary: a brilliant demostration of evil-ution
Review: Looks like the French are on to me. Better move to Brookfield.

-God

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic! Don't miss it!!
Review: One of the most incredible videos ever viewed by my family. Our four-month old grandchild was mesmerized while I cradled her in my arms. We loved the photography, music, and comprehensive interaction between the insects and their beautiful world. I'm sending a copy to everyone!

Rating:
Summary: Truly amazing insects world
Review: One word to describe it; it is just "Excellent"; I have got it on a VHS. You will be amazed; with minimal narration, but many spectacular scenes of insects to watch! It makes you think and wonder more about the greatness of the Creator.I wished there were other type of insects included in this program.