Unless you're utterly fascinated by the minutiae of Hinduism, you may find yourself wishing for more story to this story -- and this film does not oblige.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 9, 2005

Too scattershot to make a real point about the true nature of a spiritual path.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 29, 2005

A documentary chronicle of the 2001 Kumbh Mela, a sort of spiritual Woodstock held every 12 years near Allahabad, India.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 15, 2005

Mostly, Benazzo and Day leave us alone to take in the extraordinary sights and sounds.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 15, 2005

While this documentary about a religious pilgrimage in India feels haphazard and superficial, the glimpses it offers are never less than fascinating.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 14, 2005

The directors and subjects evince enough contagious ecstasy to gladden the most angst-ridden Western hearts.

| Apr 12, 2005

A remarkable and enlightening (although perhaps not to the point of nirvana itself) film.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 27, 2005

Filmmakers Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day are much more taken with the conventionish sideshow (there are estimates of these crowds ranging from 30 million to 70 million, making these the largest gatherings of humanity ever) than the deeper content.

| Mar 11, 2005

Short Cut to Nirvana grants us a visitor's complete immersion in this carnival atmosphere, all for the price of a movie ticket.

| Original Score: B+ | Feb 17, 2005

As enlightening a tour of this extraordinary spiritual journey as one is likely to get without a 20-hour plane ride.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 24, 2005

Benazzo and Day offer a nice overview on such a colossal event, which gets surprisingly little attention from the Western media.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 13, 2005

An amiable and colorful, if dewy-eyed, documentary.

Full Review | Jan 12, 2005

As an introduction to this mind-spinning festival, the film gets the job done.

Full Review | Jan 6, 2005

A snapshot of the festival, one that radiates good cheer and offers moments of true, godly goodness.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Dec 10, 2004

Overall tenor amplifies Kumbh Mela's own atmosphere of tolerance, generosity, and earnest spiritual questing.

Full Review | Dec 9, 2004

Only the slightest historical information is offered and no spiritual background whatsoever.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 19, 2004