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Koyaanisqatsi

Koyaanisqatsi

1982
Documentary
Music
1h 26m
A movie with no conventional plot: merely a collection of expertly photographed scenes. Subject matter has a highly environmental theme (imdb)
Your probable score
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Koyaanisqatsi

1982
Documentary
Music
1h 26m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 71.71% from 2077 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(2077)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
97th
A cinematic reflection on a world in which permanent innovation means we are now in a perpetual state of disequilibrium. First viewing should be at a well-equipped large-screen cinema.
Rated 27 Mar 2007
80
94th
I had to work through a violent protest when I tried to do a screening to my friends. But as the music develops and we reach civilization, everyone went quiet. It's quite an unconventional movie. The single statement "Life out of balance" is the only plot and only one needed. Apart from revolutionary time-lapse techniques introduced, true hero is Philip Glass with his throbbing track.
Rated 29 Apr 2009
4
93rd
I guess this can be viewed either as a celebration of innovation or as a pessimistic outlook on where innovation has gotten us. For me it was the latter, and the ending is one of the saddest I have witnessed.
Rated 01 Jun 2008
4
35th
A cool movie if you are really fucked up but that's a horrible ad for a film honestly. I never can get into these image based films but it's probably the best of its kind. But again, do some coke off a hooker's tits and then watch this and it's so much better.
Rated 13 May 2007
88
87th
An uncanny synthesis of sight and sound, Koyaanisqatsi evokes such a feeling of wonder and incomprehension and, finally, loss that it becomes nearly unbearable. The final image suggests civilization is just helpless, self-important flailing against the inexorable onslaught of chaos. Fuck me.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
7
88th
A harrowing film that presents humanity as a miserable species, trapped in an infinite number of interconnected assembly lines which produce nothing of any value or meaning. While the film contains many striking and hypnotic imagery, the most powerful moments are during the devastating final act, where the perspective shifts to the individuals helplessly trapped in this system and to their futile attempts to transcend or escape it.
Rated 18 May 2008
100
92nd
Still gripping and relevant. See it immediately.
Rated 12 Apr 2011
60
20th
I think people try real hard to like this one, so they can claim to having gone through an intellectual and aesthetic experience only a certain class of people can go through. Of course, I believe there are some who genuinely like this. Truth is this bored me half to death, the music was excruciating, and although some of the sequences were well shot, the way they were put together was an exercise in arbitrariness.
Rated 24 May 2008
100
90th
Extraordinary. Beautiful shots and beautiful music. What a film. Gets a bit boring at times, but that's only to be expected with no plot, dialog or anything apart from images and music. Well worth it though.
Rated 13 Jan 2012
90
92nd
Watch it with the volume cranked aallllll the way up. Goosebumps, baby.
Rated 13 Nov 2008
85
92nd
Although many images are outdated, I found that the meanings of many scenes still hold true. The 'Clockwork Orange Soundtrack on acid' is far too consistent and tends not to fit the image on the screen during the beginning. I was hoping for more images of industrial and natural contrast, although the few that were presented were satisfactory. The middle section of the film was by far my favorite.
Rated 16 Jan 2009
89
93rd
A great example of creating meaning through editing. The Grid - the film's 20 minute long climax - is the most memorable segment, but none of them disappoint, and it ends on a surprisingly touching note - sympathy for a falling rocket engine. Glass' score is outstanding, and fits like a glove.
Rated 30 Aug 2010
61
69th
The beginning sequences are far too slow for my tastes, and I've never found this type of filmmaking to be as effective as more traditional styles. However, "The Grid" sequence (the images of fast-moving civilization) is absolutely fantastic: great shots, great music, and great juxtaposition of images.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
47th
Not popcorn but THC movie
Rated 21 Jun 2008
90
78th
I think they meant to make a condemning film and inadvertently wound up with something more akin to how an enlightened being might view our planet-- every thing, fleeting, beautiful, even the destruction and sadness. Moving, monumental.
Rated 24 Mar 2016
93
94th
If the intent was to critique humanity it backfired for me. Between the momentum of Glass' music and the hyper-accelerated industry segments I was only able to marvel at what our species puts on display. It's as if the filmmaker wanted to reduce us to ants without realizing that nature docs about ants make them seem impressive as shit. Or maybe I'm not giving Reggio enough credit and he knew exactly what he was doing. That moon is in reach!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
98th
If anyone needs me, I'll be shaving in the streets
Rated 06 Feb 2015
100
95th
My concerns that this would be a dull, pretentious, heavy handed message about how bad humans are were quickly assuaged. Reggio has focused on quality imagery with no agenda, and has made a truly captivating piece of work.
Rated 01 Nov 2018
75
79th
beautiful as an exploration of montage, given its time. but the film today is a reminder of how the most striking images are taken from us and become advertisements. the style of Koyaanisqatsi is seen all over the place, particularly in travel ads. how did a film about environmentalism and globalization become the inspiration for tourism?
Rated 04 Jun 2008
90
91st
I feel almost strange giving this such a high mark. I mean I liked watching it, but it was listening to it that I loved most.
Rated 30 Jul 2022
97
99th
A deeply thought provoking film. This loose collection of shots is an examination of modern America, of modern civilisation and society. The Phillip Glass score truly elevates the film, and is crucial to the emotional impact of the film. Both macro and micro views, the clinical and distant shots of the city are juxtaposed with deeply personal shots of the often struggling individual. Both a celebration and a critique of modern America. Definitely gonna trip shroms on my next viewing of the film.
Rated 30 Jul 2009
94
84th
Maybe it's a little simplistic in its message. However, if such indelible images and sounds don't totally reflect the state of humanity, they should at least give us something of a warning of our dire looking future. A timeless film.
Rated 05 Jan 2010
92
99th
Koyaanisqatsi is wordless but full of words. Amusement ride that is able to communicate with the surrounding world. Yes, Reggio and Fricke successfully managed to Illustrate a simple message which is so beautifully transformed into a visual narration. Phillip Glass...he's not human!
Rated 23 Jan 2015
79
39th
Koyniaaastatsqisi has the perfect dialog without any actual dialog, not overly complex either. Birth, life, death along with other themes are beautifully interconnected. The movie isn't on the chill side, with a lot of dramatic music. Focus on lives of people, not life in general seemed a bit egocentric but we can always rewatch Baraka.
Rated 18 Apr 2022
84
49th
I love the message about life out of balance, including the environment but also our existential outlook, but this is better as a background that trying to watch it as a movie.
Rated 11 Feb 2023
93
97th
Montage in it's most perfect form. Vertov would be crying tears of joy if he could see this.
Rated 25 Jun 2016
80
85th
Unusual, by turns beautiful and hypnotic. The lack of plot is initially unsettling because you're not sure what to do with the imagery.
Rated 12 Mar 2013
95
96th
I was quite conflicted about this film at first, until I encountered a wonderful quote by the director who says the film is not just about humankind choosing between "beauty and the beast", but the film is also about the "beauty of the beast". So the film is perhaps not quite as straightforward and didactic as it first seems. It is also often a stunningly beautiful experience, is impressive as a document of our species and the ending is profoundly sad. I'd love to see it again.
Rated 02 Aug 2012
5
98th
One of these time-lapse, helicopter classical music films? No, the real deal. The techniques are now so overused it's easy to forget how magical this is.
Rated 28 Mar 2021
88
80th
A hypnotic, entertaining, and emotional viewing experience. My main complaint is that this could've been made by at least 100 other filmmakers (assuming they had the same score and DP), whereas Sans Soleil, for example, could've only been made by Chris Marker
Rated 02 Apr 2007
100
95th
Highly creative and original documentary. There was nothing else like it when it came out, and there's still not except for its followups
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
80th
Time lapse photography at its best. It has a dated feel to it, and it's very very soothing to watch. Highly reccomended.
Rated 24 Feb 2014
80
73rd
Waiter? I'd like a dish of exuberant ingredients, arranged in a creative and beautiful way with an obvious artistic vision. Plus, Philip Glass must play the violin while eating and I want to be filmed in time-lapses and slow-motion. Not the best meal I've ever had, but still a very tasty one.
Rated 03 Aug 2007
100
96th
Probably the most moving film I've ever seen. The concept is so simple, but the images and especially the music make it work.
Rated 19 Sep 2015
74
72nd
Good imagery and music. Especially the beginning and the ending are just mesmerizing. However in the middle part I didn't enjoy the music as much and started to get a bit bored. Powerful ending shot.
Rated 02 Sep 2016
90
78th
It's bound to hit some as an exercise in style over substance, but Koyaanisqatsi is both visually stunning and thematically thought-provoking.
Rated 29 Sep 2015
90
94th
The technological drive responsible for and inherent to mankind might lead to the unrooting and suspension of society, into existential purgatory and, subsequently, possibly, disaster. Though I disagree with crucial components belonging to this view, it within the many constraints of the format managed to create complexity from simplicity (e.g. accelerating throughout to then brake into the human level, thereby arguing it to be a futile variation within the larger evolvement of the whole).
Rated 21 Jan 2014
70
65th
The score by Glass is incredible. The time-lapse imagery is also pretty good, though it threatens to become too repetitive at times.
Rated 24 May 2009
99
99th
This is post-rock if it had to be a movie. Absolutely breathtaking. Leaves you thinking about the way we live.
Rated 18 Mar 2012
92
99th
Emotional, thought provoking, beautiful to watch and to hear. As a film that is just music and picture it feels, at the start, like just something to veg out at and not think about but there is a narrative here. Let it tell you what it is saying. What you hear may be different from someone else but this is what makes true art great, it is always to be interpreted on a personal level. Simply mesmerising.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
82nd
Needs to be watched with some mind altering substances to get the full effect of this film :)
Rated 09 Apr 2015
60
8th
made me angry
Rated 30 Jul 2022
85
94th
Wow, a self reflection of dawn of man and modern man, showing the benefits and cons of the new world. It came across as strikingly beautiful, but it would have been nothing without the music, better then hanzimmer. After the first 30 mins it becomes something wonderful becoming better and better until the end. But just sit through the first hour and see the flower blossom
Rated 11 Oct 2011
93
97th
Philip Glass' score alone would secure this a place in film history: it's one of the best scores ever written, hypnotic, thrilling, and haunting in equal measure. But Godfrey Reggio's images are eminently worthy; desolate Southwest landscapes juxtaposed with urban desolation, demolishing buildings practically melting into dust, haunted faces staring into the camera...it's a frequently awe-inspiring film. Reggio's purpose feels a bit vague in spots, but the film's beauty more than compensates.
Rated 26 Mar 2016
5
4th
Boring imagery. Maybe seeing Baraka just before this and recollecting Samsara ruined it for me. Only ended up watching the first 30 mins. Good score though.
Rated 01 Sep 2007
82
82nd
the movie forces us to ask ourself this question: "why dig deeper?"
Rated 06 Jan 2013
76
85th
So iconic that you might feel you know what it's about even before watching it, but don't let that stop you from watching it. Where it exceeds expectations is in the editing, pacing and transitioning of themes over the course of the film. It's good enough that when I'm watching this movie, I even like Philip Glass. The didactic coda at the end doesn't serve the film well, though; I'd suggest it can be ignored.
Rated 11 Jul 2015
20
5th
I mean, I like this world just fine. But I've been here a couple of years. I know that the sun goes up and that later the sun goes down. So don't tell me.
Rated 05 Mar 2011
75
59th
but the score is holy amazeballs good
Rated 30 May 2010
80
80th
To me this felt like an essay analyzing man's attempt to control the physical world with technology, which in itself has brought about its own chaotic results. Considering just how difficult this is to do in words never mind with film Reggio and Glass should be applauded for the result.
Rated 02 Dec 2011
51
2nd
#972
Rated 02 Jul 2008
95
99th
To get the experience you have to watch it in a cinema.
Rated 13 May 2014
49
64th
Doubtless very impressive for its release date.
Rated 20 Jan 2010
10
99th
Beautiful, but surprisingly depressing.
Rated 21 Jul 2014
97
97th
Incredible. There is something incredible about almost every shot in this film. Combined with the relentless Philip Glass soundtrack, it really is an experience. I don't find the film's 'message' overly preachy or even particularly pointed as some have complained, I think there are a multitude of positive and negative takeaways about humanity here. I do feel that it begins to drag a bit after The Grid sequence and does not return to full steam until the final shot, so not a perfect score.
Rated 25 Oct 2009
80
81st
The last scene is breathtaking - perhaps the saddest one ever.
Rated 17 Aug 2012
23
6th
Boring visual essay that should be 20 minutes, not 90 minutes.
Rated 30 Jun 2023
100
99th
How can I rate this?
Rated 14 Aug 2007
96
92nd
If you liked baraka you'll like this. This is all about evolution. Things being forced through channels. More patterns.
Rated 24 Apr 2009
80
62nd
The concept is quite obvious. But some scenes are mesmerizing. The final moment, the spaceship's explosion, is somehow disturbing; seeing the leftovers of the ship slowly fading, burning...
Rated 04 Dec 2013
70
76th
A very decent film on humankind. I think it quite effectively captures the essence of humanity. Not as uncomprehensible as many people make it out to be. Straight-forward and a pleasure to watch.
Rated 13 Sep 2012
8
80th
I feel there's more to humanity than this but the argument is powerful nonetheless. A part of us would certainly benefit from a different way of living. The faces in this movie will make you very sad.
Rated 09 Jan 2010
92
86th
a true large-screen, trippy, cinematic experience that forces you to view film and the world around you differently
Rated 12 Aug 2014
92
92nd
Humans are so evil.
Rated 26 Aug 2008
80
84th
I liked this one slightly more than Baraka.
Rated 09 Mar 2009
10
97th
(2nd viewing) Enthralling, haunting, a must see. Fantastic music by Philip Glass.
Rated 05 Sep 2011
86
84th
Plays out less like a film and more like music. The theme is obvious and should be picked up before the half-way mark, but it's still something to be considered and pondered over for the duration of this piece of music.
Rated 22 Aug 2010
83
72nd
Stunning images with a complementary score that make for an experience worth watching at least once.
Rated 07 Mar 2024
85
79th
just wow, amazing picture, beautiful sound
Rated 02 Mar 2008
54
26th
# 912
Rated 04 Apr 2014
70
54th
The music was indeed good, not the the aimless, structureless, paint slopped on a canvas I feared. I know, given the title, that it's supposed to be a negative view of man as a pox on the world, but I just didn't see a lot of it that way. I enjoyed the time lapses of pedestrians and traffic to the music. I know it's supposed to make us look like insignificant ants, but the flow of blood cells through arteries is a vital but superficial view of human life. Almost all of the individual "portraits"
Rated 03 Jul 2019
80
50th
Unconventional and mildly interesting
Rated 29 Mar 2019
90
83rd
A mesmerizing, hallucinating and petrifying dream made of concrete shots. I haven't seen such a movie before.
Rated 29 Dec 2012
94
91st
Mesmerising soundtrack and images.
Rated 11 Jun 2017
87
87th
A masterpiece of storytelling. Exposing the dichotomy that exists between progress in an industrial sense, and spiritual development.
Rated 15 Nov 2013
85
85th
It's not quite Baraka, but impressive nevertheless.
Rated 09 Dec 2017
100
95th
Imagens e música se casam perfeitamente nesse documentário que mostra quão problemática é a nossa vida moderna... avanços a custos de muitos retrocessos.
Rated 18 Oct 2008
90
91st
It wasn't as moving to me as others, it seems. I appreciate this movie a lot and there's no denying the beauty of the shots and the subject matter. The music is usually on the mark and there's loads of talent here. I couldn't get into it as much as I would have liked, and don't fool yourself if you haven't seen this: It has no conventional dialogue, and is just scenery shots. But I still give it a high rating because it's incredibly daring and original.
Rated 05 Dec 2017
82
88th
Great music, sometimes interesting visuals
Rated 04 Jan 2020
55
30th
There are too many of us and we ruin everything. Nothing's changed.
Rated 19 Nov 2016
60
51st
I'm very divided about this film. I found it hypnotic and boring at the same time just like I disliked the music but found it highly appropriate.
Rated 24 Sep 2013
90
89th
I'm probably being a bit generous with this score, because I was pretty bored with the nature scenes at the start, and I don't buy any of the spiritualist horseshit, but god damn, "The Grid" totally kicked my ass. Everything from "Pruitt-Igoe" on is amazing, but "The Grid" is completely breathtaking. Exciting, compelling, coming to a mind-melting crescendo; one of the best film sequences I've seen in quite a while.
Rated 02 Feb 2009
100
99th
Unrateable... perfect?
Rated 06 Sep 2009
10
95th
A perfect blend of audio and visual. Koyaanisqatsi should be exempt from traditional film standards and appreciated for what it is, an experience.
Rated 14 Jan 2010
80
61st
Not quite as good as cinematographer Ron Fricke's later Baraka, but still an excellent film with astonishing visuals and time-lapse photography.
Rated 24 Aug 2010
83
67th
Absolutely breathtaking images, and a brilliant score by Glass. The message is a little heavy-handed, but at the same time I can't say I disagree with it (and I definitely don't agree with Ebert who says the smokestacks look noble or w/e). Awe-inspiring.
Rated 09 May 2011
100
99th
This just might be the perfect movie. Time lapse images with a delightful accompanying score. Beautifully shot, framed, scored, and overall an amazing movie. Leaves you wanting more after watching it, despite its lack of story. Makes you think about life, humanity, where we began, and where we are headed.
Rated 23 Jan 2013
91
93rd
I wouldn't call this a documentary. The overall theme is extremely subjective which is interesting because each single shot is objective in its own respect. This is more of a massaged reality, as if the story existed on a potters wheel. But it does dabble in non-fiction as well, these events have happened. Agree or disagree with the hive-mind, grid, futile escapism theme, the city turned microchip sequence is quite disarming.
Rated 15 Mar 2020
99
99th
A
Rated 05 Apr 2021
92
98th
A landmark in ethnographic cinema whose watershed usage of fast-motion and time lapse cinematography causes us to understand -- to feel -- our very own contemporary "life out of balance" on both a micro and macro level. Unlike anything in the annals of cinema. One to be cherished, revered, and rewatched, again... and again... and again... and again......
Rated 07 Sep 2010
8
80th
Gorgeously powerful despite it being slow.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
32nd
Worth a look - interesting images and ear-pleasing music.
Rated 19 Dec 2008
51
2nd
973
Rated 02 Oct 2008
95
62nd
The synergic synthesis of audio and video allows to tell the story of the earth, nature and mankind without words, which is deeply moving and mindblowing.
Rated 16 Jul 2012
82
76th
Seeing Baraka first kinda ruined my first viewing of this, but it's still pretty great (and the music is excellent).
Rated 09 Feb 2022
90
86th
& anil
Rated 07 May 2008
85
66th
For a movie with no plot, character, dialogue, or anything of the sort, Koyaanisqatsi is a very entertaining movie. The cinematography sweeps you away soon into the movie, and the music is excellent. It's a very unique sort of movie, and I recommend it to anyone who can stomach such an avant-garde movie.
Rated 28 Jun 2022
70
32nd
Can't deny that it's very impressive but still think it should've been shorter. For me, a valuable idea came from watching this movie was not from the things it showed but it is the fact that the "eye of the camera" is alienated to everything that's going on. It's like watching everything in awe which is perpetuated by the silence. The scale of things, the speed of things. It is a crazy life.
Rated 30 Apr 2009
93
80th
Beautiful! Nothing more needs to be said.
Rated 23 Oct 2012
40
8th
Message is incredibly on-the-nose. Great score, and there are evocative twinges in the images, but in general I felt like I was being solicited to buy into a worldview I couldn't possibly share.

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