Waste of time

ridiculous rating

Memorable, crazy movie

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

A biopic of a greatest Tibetan yogi, Milarepa, who was earlier known as Thopaga, that set in the first century of the second millennium. This story was classified into two parts. This one was the first which covers the story from his childhood to becoming an adult who then later turn into a great magician in the history of Tibet for the sake of his mother.He was like the Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher, Dogen Zenji, to the Tibetans who comes in the later century of the history. In the Milarepa's story he learns tricks to avenge people who were not fair to his family after his richest father's death. Then later he changes his course from vengeance to serve the people after realising that it goes on and on and never ends.''One man's pleasure is another man's pain''The movie was very inspiring from its negative side of the thoughts. I mean it gives a good lesson about our path towards the mistakes. We won't choose it, but forced to take it. Some of the scenes really got deep into me, especially one of them where Milarepa uses his magic power against his enemies and an old woman in his nearby wipes tears falling from her eyes and leaves the place without saying anything. It was so quiet, but was filled with meaningful. That is where the movie really got me.So sad the movie about a great personality was incomplete. I mean in the end of the first installment they said the follow-up is in due to release very soon, but they did not make it. I believe it might be a financial issue. I am very desperate to know the rest of his life story and now I had to prefer the book about him instead waiting for a sequel. Hope you guys won't miss this movie or books about this wonderful man.8.5/10

Milarepa the movie is the first of a series of two. It depicts the legend of Milarepa. It's filmed in Tibet - among the all-present towering mountain ranges, which makes the sky and heavens seem so close, and shot in the Tibetan tongue. Both things - combined with the delicate portrait of the people and the culture, and the quiet yet captivating development in this beautiful movie, makes it a movie of grace, a bit of wonder, and of visual beauty. It's a silence in this movie, which touched my heart.Concerning the content, this depicts the first part of Milarepa's journey into spirituality, as it is interpreted in the popular legends of Tibet. I won't reveal too much, but this movie depicts his family, the harshness of life in Tibet, the upbringing of Milarepa, and the pains they had to undergo. And the way all this shot Mila (he first became -repa, when he became a lama; -repa being the suffix designating this) into the violent world of adulthood, realizing the sufferings of this world for himself.The second part to come in this series, depicts Milarepa's life as a lama, I believe.The movie may be a bit slow in its out-folding, and a bit "lacking" in its contents; it has its flaws. But for my part these shortcomings were filled by how the splendor which the themes of the movie, which are very dear to me, was wonderfully spilled out.

Milarepa (2006) is an interesting Tibetan film chronicling segments from the life of a Tibetan yogi, Thopaga / Milarepa, who lived in the 11th century in western Tibet, who was born into a wealthy family but on the death of his father, was robbed of his inheritance by his father's greedy family. His mother complains about suffering throughout the film but to the viewer, she really doesn't have it that bad, it seems like she only longs for more wealth. Hence the universal themes of vengeance and yearning dictate her motives and disposition. She influences her son Thopaga / Milarepa to study sorcery to inflict revenge on his father's greedy family, leaving his female companion, who is quite beautiful.The first half of the film is quite good and simple in nature, familiar conflicts play a vital theme. The landscape is absolutely stunning and the low key, natural realism of the actors is very momentous.The film loses some of its impetus when it delves into silly Computer-generated imagery during the sorcery scenes. These could have been left out altogether, and insinuations, inferences, and basic camera tricks would have sufficed much better to keep it resembling an elementary human drama. The silly Computer-generated imagery knocks the sorcery scenes down to a "sword and sorcery" Hollywood look-alike.I enjoyed it though and it was capable if you are intrigued by foreign films. In all, it is an above average film that imparts a universal common, human leitmotif, that is of human meaning and human predicaments.

Milarepa, the first feature by Neten Chokling Rinpoche, tells the story of the formative years of Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan poet and mystic and his journey from seeking revenge to enlightenment. Set in the magnificent Spiti Valley close to the border between India and Tibet, the film has spectacular cinematography and convincing performances from a cast that includes Jamyang Lodro, the obstreperous football-obsessed youngster in The Cup as Thopaga, the young Milarepa. The cast and crew also include monks from the Pema Ewam Choegar Gyurmeling Monastery in India and Tibet of which Chokling Rinpoche is the spiritual head. In the process of making the film, Chokling took in some 40 destitute young boys, many of them orphans, and used his film to help feed, house, and care for the boys. Milarepa (1052-1135) is one of the most widely known Tibetan Saints. According to a blessing Milarepa uttered towards the end of his life, anyone who but hears the name Milarepa even once attracts an instant blessing and will not take rebirth in a lower state of existence during seven consecutive lifetimes. In Part One of Chokling Rinpoche's biography, Thopaga, which means delightful to hear, grows up in a happy and prosperous environment. His father is wealthy in relation to the other villagers and the family lives in a large stone house consisting of three stories held in place by a large central pillar and supporting columns. When his father, Mila-Dorje-Senge, is near death, he calls the family together to inform them that he has placed his entire estate in the care of Thopaga's Uncle Gyalsten (Gonpo) and Aunt Peydon (Tsamchoe) until Milarepa was grown and married to Zesay, his arranged partner. Happiness and wealth is not to be for Milarepa, however, as his Aunt and Uncle divide the estate between them and force Milarepa and his mother Kargyen (Kelsang Chukie Tethong) and sister Peta to work in the fields. The family, once the envy of the village, now become objects of derision. Using Thopaga (Milarepa) as an instrument of revenge, his mother sells some property to raise money to send the young boy to study with Lama Yongten Troygal (Orgyen Tobgyal), known to be adept in the arts of sorcery and black magic. Using sorcery learned from masters, he exacts revenge on his Aunt and Uncle by producing a storm that brings death and destruction to his own people, but it is a Pyrrhic victory and leaves Thopaga in a state of remorse for his evil deeds. His transformation from revenge seeker to inspired saint will be the subject of the second part of the series, scheduled for release in 2009.Milarepa has all the entertainment value of The Cup and Travellers and Magicians, plus it is filled with Buddhist spiritual teaching that is never heavy-handed. As Chokling Rinpoche states, "His (Milarepa) story shows that the path to enlightenment is accessible to all and can be anyone's aspiration and realization". Chokling's production company, Shining Moon Productions, is now showing the film in festivals, a series of benefit screenings hosted by Sharon Stone, and limited commercial engagements. A DVD release is scheduled for November. After recovery of the film costs, Neten Chokling has pledged to use proceeds for the benefit of his orphans and monks. Highly recommended.