a new world

spoon kindly offered dan and i tix to see "a new world" with her and josh last night. we drove over, had a lovely chat at applebee's, and met josh at the theater where spoon spends her money-making days. and nights. and weekends. (;

anyway, the movie was interesting. i had some trouble with it because the majority of the speaking roles were done in voiceover, or whispered tones, or a great amalgamation of the two: whispered voiceover.

so most of the movie was more of a picture set to music for me.

additionally, i felt the whole movie as if i were waiting for the movie to start. the intro music and shots were expansive and epic, just as an epic movie should be. but the intro music (which was screaming "fresh new world! fresh and sparkly waters! clean forests! natives coexisting with natures!" so on and so forth) anyway the intro music went on and on and on...until i was starting to feel like the whole soundtrack would just keep trying to be fresh and sparkling. perhaps it was the chords being played? dunno.

anyway, the reason i felt like i just kept waiting for the movie to start was because there was little to no dialogue. usually in movies you have the luxury, being that you're working in pictures, to display moments without language. given that space, it felt like the playwright ran with it--i don't know what the script looked like but i think it went something like this:

pocahontas dances through open field, smiling at john smith.
water rushes over river rocks.
trees are dappled with rainwater.
natives dance around fire, with john smith.
voiceover john smith: "is this all a dream?"

it really felt like one. my lack of hearing was a true detriment; it felt like i was back at cirque du soliel, where they speak this pidgin of italian and french, and you're not supposed to comprehend.

it was beautiful. spoon mentioned before we saw the movie that it felt like a long poem to her, and it really was. it showed off the beauty of the new world, unexplored and just as fresh and sparkling clean as the music portrayed it. it showcased a great performance by the girl playing pocahontas. but overall it was confusing and lacking narrative direction, and having a plot that seemed hastily scribbled on a recipe card. for a two hour movie, that's not much plot.

the story is well known; i'm not sure if terrance malick was relying on people to already be aware of the tale. ie, everyone knows the story of "little red riding hood" or the story of the first thanksgiving, no matter how flawed that memory might be. the plot seemed hastily scribbled on a recipe card. for a two hour movie, that's not much plot, regardless of what backstory i know.

i wasn't looking for an educational experience. perhaps that's one of those movies that you have to really be in the mood to watch. perhaps i was leaning more towards my usual direction in movies of action-adventure-romantic-comedy, or something with aliens landing and explosions and the saving of the planet by a scrappy and rag-taggle team of non-descript neighbors.

whatever the reasoning, and however lovely the movie was, with my lack of auditory nerves and attention span, by the end of the movie, i felt like i'd just watched a visual homage to the state of virginia, funded by the virginia tourism council.

but it was interesting. i enjoy seeing movies that expand my knowledge base and make me consider the art in general.

and on the movie subject:

dan pointed out that i was more willing to go see this movie than i was to see movies that he usually wants to see and that's a subject about which things are touchy between us. i think deep down, i'm so afraid of the movies he wants to view--usually horror movies--that the distaste within overwhelms any support i'd like to show.

which is sad, because i love watching the makeup and such. you don't get to see gouts of blood and flesh in things like "a new world." there's sores and scars that are well done. but horror movies are my type of fake wound.

the problem i have is that i'm an anxious person to begin with. jumpy music and creepy people onscreen add to that mix. and before you know it, i'm leaping out of my seat and pulling hamstrings.

my sister sara postulated that she doesn't mind watching horror movies, as long as she's at home. i think that's my problem, too.

the other thing i have a problem with is movies in the theater that i can't watch with subtitles. seeing a film with subtitles is like finally seeing the movie for the first time, for me. it's also a reminder for me that it is just a movie, something that i often have difficulties recalling, especially during horror movies, when i'm keyed up and nervous.

theaters have all these auditory things you can wear, but half the fun of seeing a movie in the theater is listening to the crowd, and you can't do that with headphones on.

what i would love is a pair of glasses that i could put on. perhaps some glasses that don't affect your vision or the screen, but that reveal (ala some kind of magic decoder from a cracker jack box) subtitles along the bottom.

i think i would have enjoyed "a new world" more if i'd understood what was being said. i think i would also be more at ease in horror movies, and viewing them, if i didn't get so terribly wound up by them.

i love movies, don't get me wrong. i love getting lost in the story, and seeing actors create characters, directors create a vision. i love seeing a movie that takes my breath away--whether that's from fear, laughter or sheer beauty.

i just have some control issues with when i see them, where i see them, and how they're able to be viewed.

perhaps three weeks from now when i'm in a poetic mood i'll watch "a new world" again, and find the gorgeous poem that spoon saw. perhaps i can find some way to be grounded during a horror movie, so that i can find the same enjoyment that dan does.

it's all based on perspective. i just have to keep remembering that it's all a new world. it's shiny, as kaylee says. (;