Metacritic reviews

On the whole, Manakamana succeeds by creating the ongoing anticipation of something, anything to happen next, a wholly unique sensation specific to its inventive design.

You could hardly ask for a more beautiful vision of souls in transit.

Among the many remarkable qualities boasted by Manakamana, perhaps the most surprising is its humor.

It is amazing, given the modesty of its scope and means, how much Manakamana is able to achieve.

Patterns emerge by virtue of repetition.

For all its manipulations and self-imposed restrictions, Manakamana is expansive, intricate and surprisingly playful.

It’s the closest I’ve seen a film come to an act of genuine hypnosis.

Filmmakers Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez insist that altered spectatorship, particularly patience and duration, is the foundation of cinematic edification.

Really, though, the film’s focus is on neither the destination nor the journey, but on the individuals planting themselves in front of the lens.

Manakamana is both calming and imagination-sparking, forcing viewers to look at human faces for 10-minute stretches, whether those faces are talking excitedly or quietly looking around.