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[Scrow]

Really good. Worth watching in theaters.

Some imagery was notably more confronting than Baraka, but overall I feel like Baraka is the better of the two.

Baraka's themes, editing, pacing and soundscape were a notch above Samsara's. Don't let that deter you though. Go watch it.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

Really good. Worth watching in theaters.

Some imagery was notably more confronting than Baraka, but overall I feel like Baraka is the better of the two.

Baraka's themes, editing, pacing and soundscape were a notch above Samsara's. Don't let that deter you though. Go watch it.

Not to mention the use of the haunting Host of Seraphim in Baraka.

 

[East Lake]

That scene disturbed me greatly :/

I'm still not convinced its a better film than Baraka. There seemed to be too much dead time with all the landscapes at the start. These films are at their best when showing people.

I think the lansdcapes are great when they get more creative with them. Something like the night shot inside the sand house where moonlight pours through the slats in the roof and pans around the room, or when they swoop above the highways at night and follow the cars. I was a bit negative earlier in the thread and I did feel like there was a bit too much repetion in style from Baraka but I loved every minute of it.

Also that segment where they go through the meat processing facilities and then end with the fatasses eating mcdonalds or wherever was kinda depressing.

 

[Messofanego]

Finally got the blu ray to gif the best parts like the dancers at the beginning.

And the holy Kabah whirpool of people in Mecca

Couldn't even tell if this was human after seeing so many convincing androids/dolls before.

 

[genjiZERO]

Really good. Worth watching in theaters.

Some imagery was notably more confronting than Baraka, but overall I feel like Baraka is the better of the two.

Baraka's themes, editing, pacing and soundscape were a notch above Samsara's. Don't let that deter you though. Go watch it.

This is basically exactly how I feel about it. I couldn't watch it without comparing it to Baraka. If Baraka had never existed this would have been one of the best films ever. However, Baraka exists. In comparison, I think it lacked both the subtlety and well-paced narrative as Baraka. With Baraka I never felt it was making a moral judgment, but Samsara definitely is. Other than that I found the comedy scenes unnecessary, and the scripted scenes (mainly at the beginning) too obvious. Also, the music wasn't nearly as good or impactful. Still though, one of the best films of the year if not in several years.

 

[Loofy]

Just watched this. For some reason I got emotional in the end when the monks were cleaning up the chalk.

 

[Scrow]

Just watched this. For some reason I got emotional in the end when the monks were cleaning up the chalk.

chalk?

or sand?

 

[Edmond Dantès]

chalk?

or sand?

Sand mandalas.

 

[Scrow]

Just watched this. For some reason I got emotional in the end when the monks were cleaning up the chalk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandala#Wisdom_and_impermanence

In the mandala, the outer circle of fire usually symbolises wisdom. The ring of eight charnel grounds[19] represents the Buddhist exhortation to always be mindful of death, and the impermanence with which samsara is suffused: "such locations were utilized in order to confront and to realize the transient nature of life."[20]

...

As a meditation on impermanence (a central teaching of Buddhism), after days or weeks of creating the intricate pattern of a sand mandala, the sand is brushed together and placed in a body of running water to spread the blessings of the mandala.

buddhism is such an amazing "religion". i use the term loosely because i see it more as way of life and a form of psychotherapy

 

[Krev]

Just watched this. For some reason I got emotional in the end when the monks were cleaning up the chalk.

I did too. I thought it tied the themes of the film together very nicely.

 

[Nerdstrom]

Ordered last Friday, arrived yesterday. LOVED it. Better than Baraka imo. Watching again today because I enjoyed it so much

 

[Lime]

The local cinemas are doing a run of this film in my city at the moment and I went yesterday to see it with some friends.

Needless to say, the film was incredibly stunning. I was also pleasantly surprised that this wasn't just a purely aesthetic film, but that it also had ethical considerations embedded into its audiovisual narrative. It was really refreshing to experience and I definitely encourage anyone to see this film in the cinema or a big screen with good sound.