Cirque du Soleil: le voyage imaginaire

If you have never seen a Cirque Du Soleil then the movie Cirque Du Soleil: World Away will be a chance to check out what the fuss is all about. If you have seen a Cirque show before then you will experience a collection of the highlights from some of the shows. This tale begins when a young woman Mia (Erica Linz) walks into a circus only to be whisk away to a magical circus. There she checks out the star attraction aerialist (Igor Zaripov) and becomes enamored with his skills of flight. Through a series of passages they end out in another dimension only to discover the multiple tents of the Cirque Du Soleil crew. I have seen my fair share of Cirque Du Soleil shows and recognized some of the bits taken from seven of the shows that were running in Las Vegas in 2011: O, Mystére, Ká, Love, Zumanity, Viva Elvis, and Criss Angel Believe. This movie is like experience the highlights of this type of circus that pushes the boundaries of human capability that defies the laws of gravity and physics. With the 3D projection it is the next best thing to actually being at a Cirque Du Soleil show. Be wowed and check it out.

By Dr. Wilson Trivino

Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away is a beautiful piece of eye-candy that encapsulates a story that I'll be damned if I can make clear to you. From what I can tell, the film is about an aerialist, who is smitten with the mysterious and enchanting world of "Cirque Du Soleil," and decides to perform with them and explore many different worlds. That's the extent of what I can provide.

Even if you can only extract that, this film is a ravishing piece of eclectic, artful fun, if a bit too wrapped up in its love for visual flair. This was a special released right in time for Christmas (which I would have seen on the big screen, had I not been stricken with a paralyzing flu-bug), and was guaranteed to provide its attendees a bountiful time with lovely visuals, incredible style, and sensory-stimulating excitement. It succeeds at that and for it, it should be commended. I've never had the pleasure to see a "Cirque Du Soleil" show in person, but I question if the story lines are as vague as the one given here. I'm all for stunning visuals, but there needs to be an extractable emotion, idea, or story that is found inside of them.

Take Ron Fricke's Samsara for example, a picture with some of the best visuals I have ever seen on film. There are no words in the entire ninety+ minutes in it, but so many morals, meanings, subtleties, and ideas can be pulled from its amazing long-shots that multiple viewings are an obligation. I have seen it twice now and have yet to grasp everything behind it. I've sort of assumed the idea that I simply will never be able to see everything in that film. I didn't expect Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away to perplex and amaze me in an experience germane to Samsara, but with all that being said, I would've liked some story of some encapsulating message. Should I just assume I'll never be able to see anything here? But I am starting to think, who goes to "Cirque Du Soleil" to get silly things such as morals or to get the benefit of a great story? It's all about the visuals, clearly, and for that alone, this film excels in them. Director Andrew Adamson, who previously worked with visuals on a macro-scope on The Chronicles of Narnia film series and the Shrek franchise, captures the unfolding talent and gravity-defying acrobatics with marvelous clarity and framing. I was stunned by the presence of wider shots, showing the "Cirque Du Soleil" sets in full-form rather than close-ups centering in on a piece of the action. Adamson employs a directorial style similar to that of Steven Soderbergh's in Magic Mike; he wants his audience to see a bigger picture, rather than a condensed, minimized one.

Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Away is made for three kinds of people; the kind that have indulged in a "Cirque Du Soleil" show and relish the thought , those who crave to experience it at one point, and the latter category being the curious parties, like myself. It was a pleasant experience - one that zips along at about eighty-two minutes minus credits - and provides viewers with an incorruptible sense of wonder and zest. Seeing these brilliant aerialists , acrobats, and performers commit remarkably talented and precise body-movements made me almost reach for the Bengay. I can't imagine the debates among the artists on who is more sore the following day.

Starring: Erica Linz, Igor Zaripov, and John Clarke. Directed by: Andrew Adamson.

Contrary to what Shankru_Spam_Begone has written (dude, you have not seen the film!), there are no "audeicen reaction shots" because everything was photographed when the respective theatres were empty.. There is little CG work — this is all straight, through-the- lens work, and it is freaking incredible. They have chosen the best from eight or nine of Cirque's shows, lovingly photographed them, and stitched them together in such a way that you don't care how thin the story is, you're just enthralled by the sheer magic of the visuals.

And there are so many to by enthralled by: Cirque has this amazing capability of taking the most disparate things, putting them together in a single scene, and making it work. The scenes from O underscore this best, although the ones from Ka come close. (BTW: again, contrary to what Shankru_Spam_Begone writes, there are no scenes from Dralion). It is a visually lovely film that, at times, makes you wonder at the kind of people who can put something this enchanting together.

See it. You will not regret it. Even the 3D work is awesome: perhaps the very best the genre has given us because Cameron wisely takes us *into* the scene instead of pushing it out at us.

Put this on your must-see list.

The art of circus performing is a tradition that continues to defy the test of time. One circus that continues to remain popular with the public is Cirque du Soleil, the show that combines acrobatics with artistic imagination. Cirque du Soleil has taken on a number of themes over the years from dragon celebrations to Michael Jackson tributes, yet many have missed the opportunity to see these shows come to life. This weekend people around the country/world have the opportunity to see a show for themselves as Cirque Du Soleil: World's Away 3D released. So sit back and relax as I dive into the artistic into James Cameron latest production.

Let's start this review off with the biggest strength of the movie, the visuals. Worlds Away is a breath taking experience of mind blowing sequences that show off the imagination of the performance theater. Audience members will be excited to see the performers pull off aerial ace performances as they flip and soar through the air amidst brilliant settings. What makes this movie even more entertaining is that the stunts are not just people showing off their training, but are actually being used to tell a story and describe the emotions of the act. Some performances are elegant displays of finesse, combining ballet and interpretive dancing to wow and amaze. Others are all about power and gravity challenging stunts that build suspense at whether or not the person will fall to the constantly moving environment. My favorite in particular involved a Japanese anime like act, where performers "fought" on a gyroscopic platform that involved them adapting to the environment, which kept it interesting. Amidst these entertaining performances are some performances that are more strange than entertaining. These skits involve oddly designed characters whose purpose was unknown to me. I'm sure there is some symbolic nature to these scenes, but unfortunately I was unable to decipher the meaning behind these interludes, or at least understand what each character represented. Regardless these scenes can still be entertaining, but don't expect them to be as flashy as those shown in the trailer.

Another factor that adds entertainment to this movie was the musical score. Those who have seen the show before, will be familiar with the beautiful harmonies the orchestra creates. Each scene has its own song accompanying it, designed to mirror the feelings the performers were trying to act out. Performances that were softer and more elegant, used a slower track where flutes, violins, and vocals dominated. Scenes that were more aggressive, darker, and more suspenseful took on the entire orchestra relying on the drums and strings to paint the challenging nightmare the world had to offer. If you don't care about the music matching the scenes, it doesn't matter because the orchestra work is still ear pleasing on so many levels. Fans of the series may recognize some of the tracks, but for newbies like me, you may just find yourself bobbing to the beat.

So we have the stunts and the accompanying music, but is there anything else that will impress the audience. I believe the visuals might also be another aspect that will grab your attention . The costumes are indeed artistic and interesting to see, but usually fit the scene well. Unfortunately my lack of artistic understanding denied me the full appreciation of their design, and might confuse other audience members as well. Despite the confusion though, the setting itself is beautiful. The artificial rivers and ponds, the misty trees of the forbidden jungle, and the industrial wasteland of a steam punk nightmare are polished in every detail. Some of the scenes also included some artificial creatures that were even more impressive to watch. My favorite was the giant snake that coiled itself around the forest as the two protagonists dance their way through the air. This beast moves as it was an animatronic reptile, but one can see the strings as the puppeteers work their magic to make it move. I feel though that many people will enjoy the world the designers have created for the audience.

So what should I warn you about this movie? One thing is that the story is rather basic and very straightforward. It's a romance story that involves travelling through multiple worlds, with each having a tale of their own that provides an obstacle for the main plot. Unfortunately the deeper elements of the story require a little more thought than I was able to understand, but those who can interpret symbolism will be just fine. Another thing I noticed is the constant amount of flashing lights in this movie. These lights add more life and excitement to the scenes, however those with seizure disorders are going to need to stray from this movie. Perhaps the other thing to warn you about is that this movie seems to be only available in 3-D so it could be a more expensive purchase depending on your theater. Was it worth the 3-D? Frankly I could have done without it, but it added a smidge of detail that can be appreciated.

Was Cirque De Soleil worth a trip to the theater? It really depends on if you have already seen a show. If you have, then not really as I discovered some of the details were cut from the movie. Plus at the show you get a little more involved than you do in the theater. However, if you've never been to a show, then totally go see this one, as the visuals and sound are made for the theater. What are my scores for this movie? Check them out below: Fantasy: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.5

Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away is fantastic. You see segments of most of the Cirque du Soleil shows, which are all terrific. The cinematography is excellent, the music is beautiful, and the acrobatics are incredible. There's a weak story line that does not interfere with the beauty of the movie at all. If fact, there is hardly any dialogue. You just sit back and enjoy the amazing sights on the screen. If you've seen any of the Cirque du Soleil shows, you'll enjoy recognizing them again on screen. The ending aerial act will take your breath away. Additionally, before the movie starts, there's a brief documentary about the making of the film, which makes the movie even more enjoyable.