Mana: Beyond Belief
5/12, 730p, Roxie Buy Tickets |
Mana is Polynesian for “power object”—the things we invest with an often-mystical significance. Sometimes it’s religious, like the Shroud of Turin; sometimes it’s patriotic, like the American flag; and sometimes it’s pretty absurd, like Graceland. Friedman and Manley’s glorious film weaves a web across the world, connecting power objects from Elvis to Buddha, from the cherry blossoms of Japan to a lowrider’s Chevy in New Mexico, with stops in Africa, India, New Zealand and Elsewhere. Blissfully exposition-free, the film simply unfurls, presenting the spectacle of people worshipping stuff with sly, zenlike calm and absolutely astonishing cinematography. Sure to be the next RIVERS AND TIDES-like phenomenon, it’ll give you a buzz you won’t shake for a long time.
