ThiefHott Too much of everything

Lawbolisted Powerful

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Christopher Culver BARAKA is a 1993 film, shot by Ron Fricke in some 24 countries, that is a sort of documentary on three universal themes: 1) the grandeur of the natural world, from the peaks of Everest to low deserts, 2) the oneness of the human race illustrated by juxtaposing almost identical shots from vastly separated cultures, and 3) the desire for a connection with something transcendent. Shot in 70mm film, watching the Bluray on a projector or a large-screen television offers one of the most visually stunning cinematic experiences around. There is no dialogue or voice-over, no characters, but the enormous amount of footage is presented here in a way that gives BARAKA a gripping dramatic arc, and it's a sequence that, on repeated viewings, increasingly seems the most matter-of-course way in which all this could have been edited.With unquenchable anthropological curiosity, Fricke identifies commonalities that link us all. A shot of a Japanese mafioso's tattoos, for example, are followed immediately by a shot of the same on an indigenous resident of Papua New Guinea. But's not only exotic tribalism. A shot of Japanese schoolgirls looking at the camera is mirrored later by an almost identical shot of low-caste girls in Calcutta. Don't expect a mushy call for tolerance; Fricke's editing indeed makes a convincing case for appreciating differences, but there is nuance.Fricke's occasional use of footage from churches, mosques, temples, etc. is less an advocacy for belief in religion than an extension of the commonalities he identifies. Human beings have an urge for contemplation as solace among the complicated and sometimes senseless world around them, and they draw on inner sources of mercy to go against the cruelty that people show to their fellow man. The consequences of a world cut adrift from calm and compassion are shown during a heartbreaking sequence that ranges from Auschwitz and the Cambodian killing fields to homeless across the globe and teenage prostitutes in a Bangkok nightclub.The footage is accompanied by an array of musical pieces which help to set the mood for each series of shots: minimalist loops form the soundtrack for scenes of industrial production, we hear harsh bagpipes as the camera tours the burning oil fields of Kuwait, and Dead Can Dance's "The Host of Seraphim" plays during an indictment of poverty worldwide. Some of musicians involved are rather New-Agey and would never have a place in my music listening, but when integrated into the film they are remarkably effective. The 5.1 surround sound excellently balances cinematic effect and faithfulness to the scenes portrayed.I've watched BARAKA many times now, each time discovering many new things and always being moved, whether to pity (Calcutta garbage-pickers) or wonder (the unreal glittering hall of Shiraz's Shahcheragh mausoleum). I would certainly rank it among my favourite films. Will you like it? That's hard to say. BARAKA is my go-to Bluray when friends and family want to try out my fancy home theatre setup with HD projector and surround sound, and while some of them have been just as stunned as I am, others don't really care. Apparently many people, even those with a well-rounded education, don't have much curiosity for things outside their own everyday experience, and so Fricke's survey of world cultures doesn't resonate with them.(Note that while Fricke created a 2011 follow-up called SAMSARA, I would recommend staying away from it, as it is less focused and only repeats BARAKA to diminishing effect.)

Jack Hawkins (Hawkensian) A bold statement certainly, however Baraka has an immense beauty that is surely universal in appeal. It is a documentary that's without narrative or narration, it captures a veritable plethora of imagery that reminds us that Earth is indeed a baraka, which is Arabic and Hebrew for 'blessing'.Any attempt to derive meaning or identify connection becomes merely incidental as you're presented with the hypnotic scenery that Ron Fricke and his team have captured; it must have been difficult for them to cut their glorious footage down to 97 minutes. The film traverses verdant jungles, epic mountain ranges, sweeping temple complexes, arid deserts, imposing cityscapes and haunting landmarks of evil such as Auschwitz and the Cambodian S-21 prison. Its human subjects are of all colours and creeds, with much of the film focusing on those who are less fortunate and sometimes utterly destitute. It is a sensational and occasionally disturbing cross-section of the planet's landscapes, cultures and history.The stunning wide shots and time lapses are scored with heady ambient music by Michael Stearns. His music is a cacophony of tribal chants, chimes and drums that's vital in creating Baraka's truly sensory immersion. My favourite piece is Baraka Theme, its broad, sonorous notes create a vast scope that perfectly accompanies the boundless panoramas.There are so many moments I could talk about, I could throw effusive adjectives at almost every frame, however I feel mere words can't do it justice. Baraka is a purely cinematic experience that's somewhat futile to describe.However, one memorable sequence I will mention is the factory processing of chicks that's interspersed with the frenetic pace of the Tokyo railway commuters; it is fascinating and ultimately quite unpleasant as the birds' destiny in battery cages is revealed after having their beaks burnt. The camera offers insights into an array of factories, showcasing their subjects' perfectly rehearsed skills in computer hardware assembly, textiles and poultry.It is a film that demands to be shown on good equipment, a film that serves as a benchmark for one's TV or projector. Apparently, it was the first film to receive an 8K transfer, what an awesome experience that must be, most likely better than real life!When Baraka sadly finishes, you eventually move your eyes away from the screen for the first time in 97 minutes and realise that you've been dead still the whole time as you check your watch, surprised to see that many hours haven't passed. It is a triumph that the moving image alone can achieve such engrossment.86%www.hawkensian.com

akash_sebastian Originally shot in 24 countries on six continents, Director Ron Fricke calls his film 'Baraka' "a guided mediation on humanity"; it is, indeed. Even with no narrative or a regular flow of events, the breathtaking shots from around the world show the beauty and destruction of nature and humans. Whether one's high or not high, for an intelligent person who has interests in the fields of art, nature, human life and culture, this film is a trippy meditation on our wide and varied existence on this planet. 'Baraka', in Sufi, means "a blessing, or as the breath, or essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds." From meditative slow motion to bewildering time-lapse photography, Ron Fricke (cinematographer and director of the film) captures the scenes with such earnest interest and curiosity, it's like watching memories of places you haven't even been to, and firing various random thoughts in your mind that you never even complete. The incredible soundtrack by Michael Stearns which is sort of a hybrid world-music, and on-site recordings help push us to the dimension where all these thoughts take place.The film begins with a few shots of the mountains, then moving onto showing a snow monkey relaxing in the hot springs of mountains in Japan; it looks so calm and deep-in-thought, reminiscent of human life. It goes on to show so many diverse places and peoples, it's really difficult to list all of them here because there are so many scenes that are awe-inspiring. But just to mention, the most spectacular and memorable sequences include: the Kecak dance (Balinese Monkey Chant) at temple in Tampaksiring (Bali, Indonesia) - dance of Maasai tribe in Kenya - Japanese Buddhist monk on a pavement in walking meditation, with a bell an bowl in hands, asking handout in such a peaceful way - the mass and systematic breeding of chicks in a factory - scenes of photographs and abandoned buildings of Auschwitz in Poland (concentration camp) and Killing Fields in Cambodia (Khmer Rouge torture chambers) - dance of Dervishes in Istanbul (Turkey). And for me, the most powerful and absorbing stretch of sequences start with a father and son on a cycle, on a street in India, and ending with the Butoh dance of Japan; a hauntingly beautiful and enigmatic score accompanies these scenes, which makes the whole sequence out-of-this-world.It's thousands of stories etched into a single movie. Legacies, history, cultures, diversity, pain, suffering, joy, humanity - it's like watching and experiencing so many things at once. It makes you proud to be a part, though the tiniest, of all this. If one can watch only one movie before he dies, this should be it. If an alien race comes to this planet and wants to learn about us, this is the movie they should begin with. Before dying, this is what I would want to see last, thinking all the while - though I may not have been to these places and seen or known them firsthand, but to be able to know of their existence is enough for me.It's one of the best non-verbal documentaries ever made. Watch it on the biggest screen and the best resolution possible, because it's the kind of experience which never leaves your mind, and delights each of your senses. To not have seen this visual masterpiece is to deny oneself the knowledge and understanding of our very existence.

Umang Shukla Baraka showed, how we were a part of nature and how we detached ourselves from it, to become a being, who are just using/abusing nature and where it have lead us to. Baraka explores the most beautiful and breathtaking landscapes one can ever imagine. Director Ron Fricke used a special time lapse camera that he invented for this film. He had used his imagination in the ways that will blow your mind. I loved this movie for the way The Earth was explored and how the small pieces were put together to show nature, landscapes, wildlife, culture, believes, society, industrialization, urbanization, war. Most amazing thing is the usage of time lapse camera, and i can watch those scenes again and again. This is a must watch for nature-lovers.