Guy Reid has produced one of the best documentaries yet on what are the challenges facing homo sapiens in terms of its future relationship with planet earth - as one of the speakers says, "we are of this planet, we do not live on it."To me, it seemed to raise the following key points: 1) Mankind cannot continue the current model of post-industrial age economic growth without this ending in our species' ultimate destruction.2) Some kind of new model needs to be devised that will enable us to maintain a more symbiotic relationship with the environment. Some very interesting references were made to the way nearly all indigenous societies view their role as protecting and working with nature rather than separating themselves from it.3) A huge part of the problem is the increasing urbanization that has taken place and the rise of "mega cities", where most inhabitants basically 'couldn't give a crap' about the environment, given that they have very little contact with it (one speaker said some grass growing in a pavement crack might be all they see in a week). In my opinion, governments around the world need to work on a radical new approach to implementing a new model of urban planning where inhabitants are not concentrated into such huge conglomerates.4) Many of the commentators were asking for a change in social relations - a sort of brotherhood of man, where there are no boundaries and borders. One speaker talked about the fact that, under the current system, we seek to separate ourselves, building ever bigger houses to get away from each other. Another said that if you view planet earth from a fixed point above it, you do not see the barriers created by man but rather one homogeneous biosphere.To be frank, I don't think this is ever going to happen unless there is some apocalyptic event that breaks down normal national barriers and interests. It is in our innate nature to focus on our own selfish interests and this mindset is almost impossible to change.My only problem with the film was it very successfully highlighted the current disconnection between homo sapiens and nurturing the planet, but did not devote enough footage on how to achieve a new model that enables our species to thrive without the associated economic growth and abundant materialism we currently enjoy - and that many in society seek. Experts like Professor James Lovelock and Charles Eisenstein (one of the film's interviewees) have some interesting suggestions to make on this.

I've never seen so beautiful and emotional movie in my life. Thank you for taking my feelings about this world and putting them into this overwhelming story.This movie should be seen by every man, woman and especially child on this planet so they can get a real perspective of the world which they live in. Every man and woman that speaks in the movie should be in heard by everyone on this planet so everyone can hear this huge wisdom.Cant wait for two more episodes.God bless you, Planetary.John

There is much about this film to like - beautiful images, thought provoking commentary, the intention to provide a visual meditation and context to develop a personal planetary world view. Yet the thoughts moving to my attention while watching the film were "preaching to the choir," "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," and most of all "please be quiet." The last is especially ironic since I am notoriously "talky," yet I felt this film really needed moments of ZEN quietness. Instead of leaving the film meditating on my connection with our planet, I came away feeling assaulted by words. The opening sequence was powerful and moving with images from space exploration and commentary from astronauts but then the film seemed to bounce around with commentary about the environment, economics, nature, meditation, indigenous cultures, etc. becoming a jumble of images and comments from philosophers who rambled on and on. Yes, there were moments of truly thought provoking statements - our bodies contain a small number of human cells and a larger number of viruses and microbes which help us survive; "we will never reach resolution," "we are all indigenous." But if the message is that "the answer to the world's problems exists inside of each one of us" the message was significantly hampered by too many voices. There were also moments of disconnect - instead of evoking respect for indigenous peoples, a lovely image of a Hopi shaman made both my husband and I think "how many dead animal parts is he wearing?" (neither of us is a vegetarian). As someone who identifies as Buddhist and appreciates the diversity of images, I couldn't help but notice the exclusion of Jewish, Christian and Moslem imagery and scripture supporting environmental stewardship. There are people of these faiths who believe they must live in harmony with God's creation. We are trying to find balance, but if everyone is talking, no one is listening. In their next film, I hope the filmmakers will recognize the power of silence.

The film offers many profound points made that need to be perceived by a wider audience, yet the film is badly tainted - and its revolutionary credentials essentially revoked - by the omission of the role of animal exploitation, enslavement and consumption in the degradation of our planetary systems. Indeed, not only is this crucial dysfunction not specifically pointed out, the issue is glossed over, even glorified in the scene with the bucolic cowboys herding their "happy cows" on a pristine prairie. What utter disinformation! The film calls upon us all to become environmentalists... yet you simply cannot be a good environmentalist and continue to fully buy into the corporate/industrial, animal-based food conspiracy! The truth is animal factory farming is the No. 1 cause of rainforest, habitat and species loss, the No. 1 cause of ocean life depletion, the second- leading cause of global warming, high on the causal list of water pollution, water resource depletion, and the perpetuation of human hunger. It is implicated in ALL of the most serious health threats, including cancers, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It is the most inefficient, most unhealthy (for us and the planet) and most unsustainable way of feeding ourselves. Far worse, it is a system of utter non-virtue and violence that our very cultures are based upon. We enthusiastically imbibe in this evil three times a day, and it goes directly into our bodies and souls! If we are to realize the vision of the producers and voices of Planetary, then this crass dysfunction should be right along side the prodigious use of fossil fuels as targets of elimination, Unlike weaning ourselves off fossil fuels, however, turning away from the holocaust of animal enslavement, exploitation and murder may actually help us to become more peaceful, more compassionate, more actualized Homo sapiens in the process. Radical revolutionaries? That's a laugh, as long as you are you are mindlessly enslaved to the conformity and "tradition" of meat and dairy eating. The film is also very slight on actual solutions. Meditation? Please! If you are meditating three times a day and still eating animals, you remain spiritually shallow and possibly doing absolutely nothing to effect change in the world. You're not bonded to the All and the One, you're bonded to your taste-buds. To change the world, we don't just sit down and meditate, we take action! And the one action that is the most revolutionary, the most radical and the most effective at truly changing the individual and the collective is to cease harming animals! NOW! Alas, I'd like to recommend the film, but simply cannot as long as it contains this absurd flaw.