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Best movie of this year hands down!

Such a frustrating disappointment

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

It is a performances centric movie

Samsara is beyond pretty visuals though that's the first thing you notice. There is a story and a connection between every image in this movie which is a sequel to the similarly made Baraka in 1992. From Tibetian Buddhist retreats to the sprawling freeways of Los Angeles, from pictures of a tattooed hulking giant cuddling his baby to sex dolls being mass produced Samsara will at once shock and humble you. This documentary is universally admired, and you should definitely give it a shot. If you love photography than this is a must watch.

Samsara has no voice-over, but it speaks volumes. It's cleverly constructed, drawing visual queues and combining completely different subjects, which will make your mind make up the compliments and critique it has to make. Samsara starts and never holds back, and it has left me in awe.

A common quote I've heard several times before is "A picture is worth a thousand words". It depends on what picture you're looking at but if you're watching Samsara then its images will take a lifetime to read.Filmed over a period of 5 years in 25 countries, Samsara transports us to disaster zones, enormous cities, and natural landmarks as we get to witness breathtaking imagery.This movie is unlike any other film I have ever seen. It has no words, no plot, and no characters. Its only purpose is to present us with dozens upon dozens of overwhelmingly beautiful photographs featuring many wonders around the world. Just about every single shot is masterfully filmed. I could take almost every single photo from the movie, hang it on a poster on my wall, and admire it for years. This movie displays some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen before.The music is also great too. But most of the time, you won't notice it because you'll be distracted on a great shot. However, the music is just noticeable and quiet enough to give you a good feeling and you'll find that it immerses you even more into the film even when you pay more attention to the shots. It works with the movie very well and it engaged me even more.I really want to give this a 5/5 but there were a few sequences which bugged me. One of the scenes contained a group of female strippers dancing around in a circle. The other one contained a slaughter house and it showed us animals getting turned into food (don't worry, it's not too graphic). There were also a few other scenes which didn't interest me. Those scenes kind of took me out of the experience for a bit because I didn't feel that they looked as dazzling as many of the other scenes in the movie. Fortunately, there were only a few of those scenes in the entire film but it did annoy me a great deal when those sequences happened.Despite the few weaker sequences, I for one extremely enjoyed the film. I can safely say that I've felt more engaged in this movie then almost every other film I've ever seen before (even some of my top 10 favorite movies of all time). If you're a fan of photography then this is definitely the biggest must-see film ever. I might check out Ron Fricke's other 2 films (Baraka and Chronos) sometime in the future to see if they can match up to this one.

First of all, its important to outline that Samsara is not your typical movie, at all. At first glance, this film looks more like a screensaver than a feature length film. However, this film is much more than that. Ron Fricke uses incredible precise and elegant Cinematography to capture the story behind an array of Landscapes, Environments and Characters, and the end result is simply breathtaking. This is not just a film, it is a visual masterpiece.Every scene captures something different, something spectacular. From sophisticated yet entrancing time lapses, to immersive and emotional portraits, every shot is careful and masterfully planned and preformed. Every shot is different, yet all of them fit together in some sort of massive jigsaw puzzle, which is the real beauty of this film. There is a story within Samsara, yet its not one the director is shoving down your throat. The story that arises from this film is created by the audiences own interpretation, something that many movies struggle to do today. The message drawn out of Samsara is present in every frame, yet Fricke spends just enough time on each shot to keep the audience engaged, before transitioning to another frame, another shot, another message. The soundtrack in this film is also praiseworthy. It works hand in hand with the visual element, adding more context to the film, and only serves to strengthen the mood and impact of Samsara. Its nothing to rave about on its own, but its incorporation with the rest of Samsara is definitely an honorable achievement. And thats about it, there really isn't anything else to this film, and there doesn't need to be. These two elements, the masterful cinematography and the excellent use of the soundtrack are not just the strongest features of this film, they are the only features worth mentioning, and thats not a bad thing, at all. Indeed, this film is not for everyone. If you watch this movie asking for a narrative, a plot, or anything resembling a blockbuster film, you will be left severely disappointed, and very likely bored. However, if you seek a feast for your eyes, incredible cinematography, and a visually stunning experience, then this film is exactly what you want. It will keep you entranced, excited, and wanting more. I highly recommend this film for any aspiring film-maker, lover of film, or even if you are someone who can get lost for hours in your local art gallery.