Filmmakers have historically had an extremely difficult time making scientific documentaries that are both informative and enjoyable. Those that are filled with information generally have the entertainment value of a high school textbook. Those that are enjoyable to watch rarely teach their audience anything substantial, and continuously relay the same sentiments we’ve all heard thousands of times.

Guy Reid’s Planetary finds individuals of varying backgrounds discussing why nature and everything on the planet is important to them. Amongst these folks are a bunch of scientists who believe that humanity as a whole should get back to its roots and engage in nature. A lot of spiritual statements follow, and the film begins to explore life on earth.

Unsurprisingly, Planetary is a film that takes a staunch anti-industrialization stance, and urges its audience to think about their connection with nature, preaching about conservation and preservation as a result. This is all fine, well, and good, but it all really seems to be nothing more than preaching to the choir. After all, who is really watching this movie? There aren’t any new, groundbreaking points to be found, and as a result, there’s nothing particularly engaging about the film.

Certain interviewees theorize how everyone and everything on the planet is connected, but the film doesn’t expand on such concepts nearly as deeply as it could have. The obvious moral of Planetary is that our individual lives are virtually meaningless in the grand scheme of things, and that we should all focus on doing our part to save the earth from ourselves. How are we supposed to do that? Well, it never really gets that far. The film focuses far too heavily on the why surrounding the subject matter, and not nearly enough on the how, which, at the end of the day, is what’s most important.

An often subtle, ambient score helps bring a plethora of static shots to life. With solid cinematography that features loads of aerial footage, Planetary is often a very aesthetically pleasing documentary, but beautiful pictures can only help so much with an otherwise immensely dull film.

The biggest issue with Planetary is that it just isn’t entertaining. Some interviewees are engaging and a joy to listen to, while others have the charisma of a dead plant. Thankfully, the film slightly picks up in the final act, exploring different areas around the world, but the nameless onscreen characters that would pop up for a few seconds here and there are still infinitely more interesting that constantly hearing about how much nature rules, which is really all Planetary is saying at the end of the day.

Despite delivering some gorgeous images, Planetary ends up feeling like just any other information-overloaded documentary I would’ve been texting through during my high school biology class. Sitting through it feels like an absolute chore at times, and that is never, ever a good thing. As Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey taught us less than a year ago, science doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it can be tremendously fascinating. It’s too bad that Planetary just isn’t.

Just in time for its Earth Day release, the trailer for the upcoming documentary Planetary has arrived. Complete with beautiful cinematography, the film’s trailer prepares audiences for a thought-provoking journey across the Earth.

In a stunning visual exploration, the film interweaves imagery from NASA Apollo missions with visions of the Milky Way, Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas, and the cacophonous sounds of downtown Tokyo and Manhattan, with intimate interviews from renowned experts who shed new light on the ways our worldview is profoundly affecting life on our planet. A provocative and breathtaking wakeup call, Planetary is a poetic and humbling reminder that it’s time to shift our perspective. The film asks us to rethink who we really are, to reconsider our relationship with ourselves, each other and the world around us—to remember that: we are Planetary.

The film was directed by Guy Reid, who previously directed the award-winning documentary short Overview.

Planetary arrives to Vimeo on Earth Day (April 22nd) through Abramorama and SHFT.com. For more information, visit the film’s official website or Facebook page.

After skipping last week’s episode to live out his boyhood dreams at WrestleMania, Bernard is back to host this week’s episode of the Way Too Indiecast! (Did he smell what The Rock was cookin’?) Joining him on the show this week is Susan, CJ, and a very special guest: veteran movie critic and writer at Next Projection, Screen Invasion, and Very Aware, Mel Valentin!

This week’s episode is comic book themed, with the crew discussing their favorite and least favorite comic book movies, as well as running down their lists of which comic books would make for great movies but haven’t been adapted yet (Susan suggests a popular “deathly” manga, and Bernard’s got a pick that could reach Terrance Malick levels of beauteousness). Add to all the graphic novel goodness our weekly Indie Picks and you’ve got one hell of a show! Join us, true believers!

Topics

• Indie Picks of the Week (3:50)
• Our Favorite Comic Book Movies (19:35)
• Bad Comic Book Movies (30:44)
• Comic Book Movies We Want to Be Made (42:08)

WTI Articles Referenced in the Podcast

Man From Reno review

Oldboy review

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