Baraka [Blu-ray]
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Movie Reviews of Baraka [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: Baraka BluRay - Yes, Please!
Summary: 5 Stars
There are already plenty of detailed reviews here about the film itself---I've been a huge fan since seeing the theatrical release, and consider it probably my all-time favorite film ever.
However, I'd been holding out on buying a BluRay player. That is, until I saw that the BluRay version of Baraka was available; that was enough to get me to buy a player and the disc (making it the third copy I've owned, from VHS, to DVD, to BluRay.)
The quality of the BluRay version is simply astonishing. How much of that has to do with BluRay's technology, and how much is the 8K scan used to transfer from the original film, I'm not sure. (The documentary of the BluRay transfer & restoration process is fascinating and impressive. I would agree with the comment expressed there, that this represents the finest transfer of film to digital, ever.) It is simply a revelation seeing the BluRay version. Picture and sound are brilliant, details crisp and visible once more, like in the theater. (Even the menu to navigate through the chapters is a wonderful improvement over the DVD version!)
I will point out here that my first BluRay disc of Baraka seemed to be a bad copy---it locked up in the player at 1:12:10. I could play everything before that point, and from the next chapter to the end of the film, plus the bonus material... but not right at the 1hr-12min mark. I saw no obvious damage on the disc, and returned it for an exchange; the second disc worked just fine.
I highly recommend this BluRay version to every fan of Baraka, and of course, the film itself is something I think everyone should see at least twice...!
And if like me, you were seeking a reason to go out and buy a BluRay, your reason is here.
Movie Review: Simply AMAZING
Summary: 5 Stars
This Blu-ray version is simply outstanding, incredible, breathtaking and mesmerizing. I rarely recommend people buy a film but this one is truly worth every penny. If it were $50 or more I'd buy it. You can find many stories if you like in this film or none at all. I know it sounds shallow to simply watch it for the eye/ear candy but you can do that and walk away very satisfied. The cinematography, the editing, the music, the scenery, the flow is all beyond words. This is the way this film was meant to be. I bought the first DVD version years ago and it was a sheer piece of junk. I hesitated before purchasing this because some people had praised the first DVD and it was awful. This is the way the film was meant to be shown. The care and the quality that went into the scanning can be seen from the very first frame. So many older documentaries have been converted to Blu-ray and look horrible once you've seen the BBC's Planet Earth (many older films were not even properly cleaned so you see many artifacts like cracks, dust etc). Not in this version (ok, if you look very closely I think I found a few small dust artifacts in a couple of frames but barely noticeable).
Look, stop reading. Buy it and forget about it no matter the cost. This is the film I always imagined it should be. It is truly amazing that this film was shot in 1992. It looks like a modern BBC Hi-def production. Actually it's of an even better quality. You can tell that the people who did the re-mastering spent a great deal of time and effort to make this a reality. If I could give it 6 stars, this film would get it.
Movie Review: Baraka BaROCKS!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had never heard of this documentary until I stumbled upon it on CNET's top 40 must own blu ray discs. I moved it straight to the top of my Netflix queue to see what they were raving about. When Baraka starts, it puts you near the top of the Himalaya Mountains and I thought, "Oh this is nice, like Planet Earth with no words, I wonder how long this is...". Then it depicts a baboon in a hot spring...WOW! The video quality in this scene is PHENOMENAL! I literally felt 'there' and wanted to dip my feet in the hot spring. From there, 'Baraka' takes you on a journey across the globe, visiting hidden cultures and places, along with some well known places such as Hong Kong and NYC. Clearly it wanted to show the extremes between modern and undeveloped cultures. I loved the photography in this film; every view has a purpose and tells a story. The transfer to blu ray is fantastic! With sharp details, accurate colors, and a great sense of depth and scope, the video is easily one of the best I've seen on blu ray. The audio ranks right up there with the video. The musical score of the film further extends the photography beyond the screen. Depth and clarity of the audio gives it the purest sounding audio track I've ever heard. I got lost in this film within the first few minutes, and I only found my way back when the credits rolled. I would recommend 'Baraka' to everyone. Documentary, audio, and video enthusiasts will especially enjoy this film.Movie Review: Amazon Movie Reviews: An Exploration Into Our Consumer Culture
Summary: 5 Stars
The critical reviews of this, one of my favorite films, have been thoroughly fascinating and illustrative of the range of intellect in our online consumer culture. This variation spans psychology and intellect, from a large group of viewers who felt the filmmaker was pushing a message about the evils of modern society to those that found his message too shallow and merely voyeuristic. Some were lost without the structure of narration or plot line. Amazon has included many reviews critical of the transfer and encoding, which were for the original, out-of-print, poorly-transferred DVD version under the listing for the Blu-Ray version, which is stunning. There is a negative review by a technology freak who has built himself a home theater and refined his technical knowledge beyond being able to enjoy a thing of beauty.
To these people I say: try turning off you're your feelings of inadequacy and stop projecting your own fears and discomfort onto the joy of experience and wonder. Although not beyond criticism, this disc offers you an uncommon opportunity to peer into a window of experience unlike any other. The Reggio films were great, and Frick has continued along that path with his own, alternate vision, refining and expanding the theme of using a visual transport to spiritual realm; looking at our world in a way that transcends time and mere cultural associations.
Movie Review: Visually stunning journey-provokes without words
Summary: 5 Stars
PQ 5/5, Sound 4/5. The film was watched on a 42" Panasonic Plasma, and BD30K Blu-Ray player.
The film presents a worldly journey and without having read the film makers mission, an inevitable interconnectedness between cultures, socio-econimic statuses, and societal position was apparent throughout. Due to the powerful sound track, I felt as though I had been meditating for an hour and a half. Some of the images were beautiful,some were sad, and most were inexplicably stirring. This is a film that showcases humanity, for its unversality, and its relevance for the past and future centuries to come. The scenes are shown without reference to location, which increase wonder and speculation and really lends power to the images.
The Making of Featurette was very interesting from a film making perspective, and there was some discussion about the locations and challenges faced in completing the film.
If you are a hi-def enthusiast and enjoy documentaries and sturring cinema, this is one not to be missed. Roger Ebert was certainly correct in his assessment of naming this one the reason why Blu-Ray was brough to market. It's simply stunning and the pace and shots of the film will leave you breathless.