in all of werner’s work, and especially in this film, an appreciation emerges for the dedication these monks carry through their practices; like a river carving stone, their steadfast endurance creates a sanctified image into their world of buddhist spirituality

in all of werner’s work, and especially in this film, an appreciation emerges for the dedication these monks carry through their practices; like a river carving stone, their steadfast endurance creates a sanctified image into their world of buddhist spirituality

Such an enlightening movie about Tibetan Buddhism. I watched this in preparation to go to a Vietnamese temple and conduct some interviews and this was a great watch that emphasizes substance over style. This is a documentary with minimal artifice. It shows you what he sees and all handheld and feels so genuine and true. This is a whole world that feels so foreign and unfamiliar, yet beautiful and makes me wonder if I could live like that. I keep thinking about this one guy that walked 3,000 miles to be there over the course of years, and his language was so rare that he needed 2 translators to understand what he was saying.

Such an enlightening movie about Tibetan Buddhism. I watched this in preparation to go to a Vietnamese temple and conduct some interviews and this was a great watch that emphasizes substance over style. This is a documentary with minimal artifice. It shows you what he sees and all handheld and feels so genuine and true. This is a whole world that feels so foreign and unfamiliar, yet beautiful and makes me wonder if I could live like that. I keep thinking about this one guy that walked 3,000 miles to be there over the course of years, and his language was so rare that he needed 2 translators to understand what he was saying.

Herzog’s ecstatic images remains utterly entrancing, cinematic, immersive and compelling but I would argue if not careful you can just easily glamorize, simplify and turn things like this into a novelty which personally for me as someone who had to grow up with Buddhist teaching in the temple when I was around 3 to 5 years old I just find Herzog’s lens here uncritical and infatuating which does lead to some unintentional if eerie moments, like how the camera captures these people hurting and torturing themselves in the guise of practicing and honoring their religion with this sentimental music in the background, also it’s funny how Herzog claims this religion and the place he films in pure and uninfluenced by modern western ideas of religion yet he here is injecting himself, with curiosity and empathy yes but nonetheless he still stands as that modern western figure whether he likes it or not, I know it’s my bias from personal experience, I just can’t unsee it especially as a spiritual atheist now. I’m currently writing a new story that involves that personal experience so I thought I atleast need some refresher especially one where the perspective is out side of Thailand. As a experience, Wheel of Time is absorbing and meditative but even if you are dedicated to the Buddhist doctrine you must admit it’s not entirely authentic, it’s more on sided, at best Herzog is capturing a time capsule and at worst this is a westerners’ Buddhist introduction video, not bad but I can’t get wrap up in this, individual monks getting interviewed are easily the best parts of this, just getting glimpses into who they used to be before they are stripped of their identity, like people in my personal life have tried too convince me to become a monk even after I transitioned! Like sorry I had my enlightenment thank you very much.

Herzog’s ecstatic images remains utterly entrancing, cinematic, immersive and compelling but I would argue if not careful you can just easily glamorize, simplify and turn things like this into a novelty which personally for me as someone who had to grow up with Buddhist teaching in the temple when I was around 3 to 5 years old I just find Herzog’s lens here uncritical and infatuating which does lead to some unintentional if eerie moments, like how the camera captures these people hurting and torturing themselves in the guise of practicing and honoring their religion with this sentimental music in the background, also it’s funny how Herzog claims this religion and the place he films in pure and uninfluenced by modern western ideas of religion yet he here is injecting himself, with curiosity and empathy yes but nonetheless he still stands as that modern western figure whether he likes it or not, I know it’s my bias from personal experience, I just can’t unsee it especially as a spiritual atheist now. I’m currently writing a new story that involves that personal experience so I thought I atleast need some refresher especially one where the perspective is out side of Thailand. As a experience, Wheel of Time is absorbing and meditative but even if you are dedicated to the Buddhist doctrine you must admit it’s not entirely authentic, it’s more on sided, at best Herzog is capturing a time capsule and at worst this is a westerners’ Buddhist introduction video, not bad but I can’t get wrap up in this, individual monks getting interviewed are easily the best parts of this, just getting glimpses into who they used to be before they are stripped of their identity, like people in my personal life have tried too convince me to become a monk even after I transitioned! Like sorry I had my enlightenment thank you very much.

Herzog’s ecstatic images remains utterly entrancing, cinematic, immersive and compelling but I would argue if not careful you can just easily glamorize, simplify and turn things like this into a novelty which personally for me as someone who had to grow up with Buddhist teaching in the temple when I was around 3 to 5 years old I just find Herzog’s lens here uncritical and infatuating which does lead to some unintentional if eerie moments, like how the camera captures these people hurting and torturing themselves in the guise of practicing and honoring their religion with this sentimental music in the background, also it’s funny how Herzog claims this religion and the place he films in pure and uninfluenced by modern western ideas of religion yet he here is injecting himself, with curiosity and empathy yes but nonetheless he still stands as that modern western figure whether he likes it or not, I know it’s my bias from personal experience, I just can’t unsee it especially as a spiritual atheist now. I’m currently writing a new story that involves that personal experience so I thought I atleast need some refresher especially one where the perspective is out side of Thailand. As a experience, Wheel of Time is absorbing and meditative but even if you are dedicated to the Buddhist doctrine you must admit it’s not entirely authentic, it’s more on sided, at best Herzog is capturing a time capsule and at worst this is a westerners’ Buddhist introduction video, not bad but I can’t get wrap up in this, individual monks getting interviewed are easily the best parts of this, just getting glimpses into who they used to be before they are stripped of their identity, like people in my personal life have tried too convince me to become a monk even after I transitioned! Like sorry I had my enlightenment thank you very much.

Herzog’s ecstatic images remains utterly entrancing, cinematic, immersive and compelling but I would argue if not careful you can just easily glamorize, simplify and turn things like this into a novelty which personally for me as someone who had to grow up with Buddhist teaching in the temple when I was around 3 to 5 years old I just find Herzog’s lens here uncritical and infatuating which does lead to some unintentional if eerie moments, like how the camera captures these people hurting and torturing themselves in the guise of practicing and honoring their religion with this sentimental music in the background, also it’s funny how Herzog claims this religion and the place he films in pure and uninfluenced by modern western ideas of religion yet he here is injecting himself, with curiosity and empathy yes but nonetheless he still stands as that modern western figure whether he likes it or not, I know it’s my bias from personal experience, I just can’t unsee it especially as a spiritual atheist now. I’m currently writing a new story that involves that personal experience so I thought I atleast need some refresher especially one where the perspective is out side of Thailand. As a experience, Wheel of Time is absorbing and meditative but even if you are dedicated to the Buddhist doctrine you must admit it’s not entirely authentic, it’s more on sided, at best Herzog is capturing a time capsule and at worst this is a westerners’ Buddhist introduction video, not bad but I can’t get wrap up in this, individual monks getting interviewed are easily the best parts of this, just getting glimpses into who they used to be before they are stripped of their identity, like people in my personal life have tried too convince me to become a monk even after I transitioned! Like sorry I had my enlightenment thank you very much.