Have you ever heard of the 450-mile environmental pilgramage through the Himalayas? Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey, narrated by Darryl Hannah, documents that pilgrimage, known as "Pad Yatra", starting in Ladakh, India, where spiritual leader Gyalwang Drukpa and his 700 students trekked from village to village to spread awareness of climate change and to teach others how to preserve the environment. Evidence of climate change and pollution can be readily found as unsustainable products of Western culture can be found littered throughout villages and in rivers/streams. Cloudburst, a phenomenon never-before-seen in the area, occurred in Ladakh during which 2 inches of rain fell in merely 60 seconds causing massive flooding and even injuring villagers from the hard rain. Director Wendy J.N. Lee shows footage of the pilgrimage without relying on talking heads or preachiness, and there's plenty of breathtaking scenery to boot. Concurrently, Lee sheds light on the arduous aspects of it through the accounts of Cassie, her sister, who went along for the journey. Cassie experiences surprises along the way including discovering how much more mentally and physically prepared others are for the pilgramage. She complains and even questions why she went on the journey to begin with, but eventually that pain/suffering/questioning turns into a sense of tranquility and true happiness. It taught her to feel one with nature and to appreciate it more than she did back in Western civilization---you'll feel uplifted as she recalls how she and her friend had an epiphany during which they were happy even with small details like one of them stepping on a pile of excrement. Such experiences are life-changing and unforgettable. At an ideal running time of 1 hour and 12 minutes, Pad Yatra is ultimately an enlightening, suspenseful and uplifting doc that nourishes your mind, body and soul. Opening at the IFC Center via IFC Films, you'll find The Punk Singer about punk rock singer Kathleen Hanna. This is more than your standard music doc because you don't have to be fan of Hanna or of punk rock to enjoy it. Director Sini Anderson blends concert footage with interviews with Hanna and others to provide you with a coherent picture of how the punk rock legend's career evolved from her breakthrough as the lead singer of Bikini Kill to being the front woman of the band Le Tigre before being a part of a new band called The Julie Ruin. Anderson also sheds light on who she is beyond just a musician: she's also a staunch feminist and, in the doc's most moving scenes, she suffered from a misdiagnosed illness that later turned out to be late-stage Lyme Disease. Her humility, intelligence, courage, sense of humor and charisma shine brightly throughout The Punk Singer. Moreover, the cinematography and editing choices give the doc an invigorating rhythm that compliments its subject matter while avoiding any dry/dull moments or repetitiveness. At just 1 hour and 20 minutes, it never overstays its welcome.

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