I hope this finds you and your family well, and I'm sorry I haven't been in touch recently. I'm writing now to let you know about my new job.
You remember that I was working for that construction company a few miles outside the city? Well, l just got so fed up with it - I was working really long hours and, to be honest, the pay wasn't great. So basically I applied for a job at a new international company that was looking for admin staff for a new branch in the city centre.
I was a bit nervous in the interview but in the end, I got a job as one of the senior administrators. I am so happy! The pay is better, the working conditions are great and I don't have to drive to work anymore.
Anyway, I have to stop now because my sister is staying with me and has brought my baby nephew to meet me. She sends you lots of love and is asking when we can all meet up. Soon, I hope.
Read some of the phrases from the trailer. What is the film about? What happens? Read the review:
The New World is a spectacular dramatisation of the events that took place in the early 17th century when English settlers first made contact with Native Americans. The legendary story of Pocahontas, a powerful chief’s daughter, and how she saved the life of John Smith, has been told many times in literature, song and film, but in this period piece, director Terrence Malick takes a more honest approach.
Smith, played by Colin Farrell, is portrayed as a fantasist; a man who ignores the brutality of the ‘noble savages’ and at the same time alienates his fellow Britons who are struggling to survive the harsh winter. As for Pocahontas (actress Q’Orianka Kilcher), the movie quite rightly implies that it is not love that makes her save Smith, but curiosity and empathy for the hardship this strange man faces. Indeed, the element of ‘strangeness’ is what really makes the film stand out. The Algonquin people and the Britons are shown regarding each other in complete wonder. There is a moving scene in which Smith and Pocahontas teach each other simple words; this sort of scenario often feels rather contrived, but here there is a genuine feeling of discovery.
This is a visually stunning epic, and skillfully avoids the usual stereotyping of Native Americans. However, if historical accuracy is what you are after, you may feel let down. Pocahontas is shown as a young woman, whereas in reality, she is said to have been ten years old when she first met Smith. Her later life in London also seems slightly idealised.
