went to see the new world tonight. after getting over the unbelievableness that the girl playing pocahontas was only fourteen when the movie was shot, which was hard enough in itself, i was unable to get over how utterly dull the movie was. now, it was mostly my own fault. i watched Malick's The Thin Red Line, years ago, and i remember being bored then as well. but this time i find myself not only bored but annoyed. i mean, i think i get it. the obsession with nature, of the beauty of it, of the deep innate desire to turn against what is unnatural in this life and embrace what truly is beautiful about our existence. many of the leading characters in his movies have been actors on the natural stage. by this i mean, broad landscapes, intimate details, and constant reminders, by way of images of, say, a bug on a stick, that nature is the stage upon which this is all performed and that whatever drama occurs, the underlying base remains solid, strong, and beautiful. and you know, for the most part, i am up for a little reminder that human beings are not the be all of existence. but i like these reminders to serve a point. i like to see it within a context that i can understand, that makes me feel like a part of the puzzle rather than simply an addition.

i tried to articulate this at dinner the other night, out with some friends. the closest i got was, "Malick is just...weird." pretty lame. but it was and he is. i thought my brother was going to simply die from boredom. and usually he is pretty easily entertained. i do think i heard him mutter to himself, "she's only fourteen, she's only fourteen."

If you are interested in a better and more articulate article than this i would check out Pajiba's review of the film, even though i almost entirely disagree with it.