Powaqqatsi (1988)

aka Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation

Dir. Reggio's follow up to Koyaanisqatsi (1982) is another spellbinding assemblage of real life captured on film but with a focus this time on the affect of agriculture and industrialisation in third world countries.
The expert eye of the filmmaker is cast over various locations and activities, in CUs and aerial shots, while the music of Philip Glass adds deeper allusions.
The second half of the film, in which cars interrupt and obscure the focal point was obviously purposeful, but it lacks the emotional power of the first half.
Overall, though, there's a feeling that a shared experience, even one that can be described as a burden, can perhaps be a kind of dance that takes on new meaning when observed from a specific vantage point.

3½ distributions out of 5

Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

aka Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance

An enthralling journey into beauty and chaos created from imagery and editing; there's no dialogue. Natural vistas contrast with man-made structures. Rock formations that take millennia to develop are followed by industry built strength created in seconds. It makes the immense seem small. It's life under a very large microscope. Sometimes I was unsure just what I was seeing, but there was no denying the beauty of it all; it's a visual treat that may also make inquisitive viewers think about the world around them in new ways.
The music of composer Philip Glass is used throughout the entire film. His unique style functions as a kind of glue that holds everything together and helps elevate the ordinary to extraordinary proportions.

4 ostinatos out of 5