Media Type : DVD | Rating : 7.5 out of 10 | Watched on : May 26th^th, 2004

Release Date : September 25^th, 2001 | New & Used DVD Price : $14.99 & $13.99

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This movie-documentary combo was released in 1992. Very few movies have the power to pull the viewer into the movie and make them feel a part of the movie itself. Baraka is such a movie. It is a journey through 24 different countries, all from different parts of the world and shows us the very surprising connections between many different cultures and people in the world. Baraka means “blessing” in many languages, and that is the purpose of the movie itself; to give you like a blessing through the enriched experience this movie will take you through. Shot on a Todd AO-70mm film, Baraka takes you on a visual journey which needs no special effects, nor any special costumes or background sets to give you something that no cgi-enriched sci-fi movie can you give; reality, something we have right in our own world. We do not need another planet or another galaxy or a virtual world to enjoy these views; we have them right in front of us.

The movie includes no commentary; only the sounds of the sceneries being filmed, and a background score that changes for every scenery, every country and every theme. Visually stunning landscapes that are natural in this world, are the norm throughout the movie. You can see some of the snapshots of the movie stills on the Baraka movie site itself to get a very small glimpse of what this movie has to offer. This is a brilliant movie that you can also own as a part of your permanent favorite collection. From the very second it starts, Baraka keeps you hooked with all the images of nature, an animal in the start [which was just amazing], people of different cultures in the middle of their prayers and daily lives, landscapes, mountains, oceans and more. You will probably not notice how the time passes as you see this movie; when it ends, you will probably want more.

Movies like this should be made more often than the usual pace [every few years, surprisingly], Not only is our knowledge about our world necessary, it is also fundamentally required in our understanding of everyday life and how to lead our life with respect to our surrounding. When we have an idea of what our relationship is to others around us, we can have a better understanding on how to cope together with other species and planet earth. the movie took 7 years to make, which is evident with all the precision every shot in the movie is taken and how everything is shown in its normal posture, without any change at all. Everything is natural; nothing is changed or touched or no one is told to do anything to make the movie better; it is all natural. This is a movie you can see anytime, whether to see before you sleep or to see during the day as a feature presentation. Be warned, though; if you see it before you sleep, you may either sleep a lot since you will be really relaxed, or you may not be able to sleep as you will be thinking about nature and this world the way you never thought before.