Cirque du Soleil: le voyage imaginaire

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.

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

I was a little scared to see this after reading some of the negative reviews such as Shankru_Spam_Begone's. I did not want to see one of those movies where they give you the audience's reaction so you can be spoon fed to know if something is good or not. As another reviewer already mentioned Shankru_Spam_Begone, saw some other movie, not this one. There were no scenes of audience reaction. If you cannot watch ballet because the dialogue is weak, then maybe you will get bored in this movie. If you get bored watching the Olympics, then you might get bored watching this movie. I threw up in the theatre watching Blair Witch project (even though I was bored in it) because of the shaky camera work, and I was scared going into this one, reading here about the jerky camera. I also saw nothing like that. At a live show, you do look at many different things going on, but you cannot get the close ups like you do in this movie. Another reviewer complained that there were no scenes from Cavalia, which I thought odd, since no Cirque du Soleil shows involve animals, so why should they include another company's work that does not fit their theme? Weird comment.

I have seen Ka, Mystiere,and Zoomanity live and I liked this movie as much as that. My wife has seen a couple others as well and liked the movie more than I. I was shocked and dismayed that the movie theatre was almost empty on a Friday night but as my wife pointed out, young people would rather see CGI than real talent on the screen.

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.

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.