Samsara (2011)

Wowzers! I loved every minute of this wordless "documentary" with breathtaking photography and gorgeous music, shot entirely in 70mm film with notable use of time lapse techniques. Filmed in 25 countries, from a Van Nuys Costco store to a Namibian village, from the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem to the Château de Versailles, from Philippine prisoners to the Bangkok "Ladyboys of Cascade Bar." I can be this specific because I found a link to the credits on the movie's facebook page. The credits are candy for the world traveler and the photography geek.

Some scenes teem with humanity, others have only landscapes. Some feature performance art, others show one or a few people simply staring at the camera. The title is a Sanskrit word that means the ever turning wheel of life.

With Jack out of town following his favorite American football team, I spent 102 minutes today in meditation with this masterpiece. I didn't see the previous work of director/co-writer/cinematographer/co-editor Ron Fricke (he performed all those duties on Baraka (1992) and all but directing on Koyaanisqatsi (1982)) and co-producer/co-writer/co-editor Mark Magidson (performed those duties on Baraka) but now I want to even more.

Sitting with my head on the chair back, I let the images and sounds wash over me. I've missed a few yoga sessions and this felt like a make up class.

The haunting music is by Michael Stearns (Baraka, more) and Lisa Gerrard (known for her vocals in the group Dead Can Dance, she worked on The Insider (1999) with Pieter Bourke, Gladiator (2000) with Hans Zimmer, and Ali (2001) with Bourke, among others) with Marcello De Francisci (nothing I've seen).

Other than a few advisories (for parents: the ladyboys display clothed sexual characteristics of both men and women and there's a short sequence in a factory making sex dolls; for vegetarians: a few scenes show meat being processed) this is highly recommended for yogis, meditators, photographers, world travelers, dancers, and/or wannabes of all kinds. Make a point of seeing it on the big screen if you can.