Engaging and Beautiful

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2008)

I've been raving about this ever since I saw it, and I was so riveted by it that I actually went BACK to see it a second time in theatres. I don't think it is out anymore (or it may be in major cities) but the only reason I wouldn't go back *again* is just because I want to savor it each time and not get burnt out.
There will be a LOT of people who simply hate this movie, but I tell you, it's because they won't understand it. Why devote at least 15 minutes of footage to shots of birds flying, or rivers flowing??? That's not what American audiences generally want -- they want action, sex, or comedy! In essence, they don't want to have to think.
But then where does cinema get its artistic value? It's not necessarily in how beautifully its shot (although that does help), it's in how much it engages you as the audience. This movie engages you plenty...but only if you're willing to have to think about what the director is trying to say and appreciate it for its simplicity and beauty.
Many people will walk out, if you see this in theatres. It's slow, sometimes agonizingly so, but its beauty gives the pace credence. The general plot is of Pocahontas and John Smith, and the landing and settling of Virginia. The story changes directions, and in the latter part focuses on Pocahontas's life rather than John Smith.
Let the movie take you, let it guide you, engage your mind -- and you will truly love this film.