...BUT IT'S SET IN SPACE! (read to the end)

SO I SAW THIS GREAT MOVIE THE OTHER DAY. REGARDLESS OF THE BEAUTFUL VISUALS, IT'S THE STORY THAT TRULY SETS IT APART FROM OTHER FILMS.

IT'S ABOUT THIS DOWN AND OUT SOLDIER WHOSE LEGS ARE RENDERED USELESS FROM TERRIBLE COMBAT INJURIES. HE'S LEFT EMPTY INSIDE WITH NOTHING WORTH LIVING FOR, UNTIL HE IS GIVEN A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SENT TO THE FURTHEST REACHES OF THE FRONTIER. IT IS A HOSTILE, UNWELCOMING NO-MAN'S LAND WHERE CIVILIZATION HAS YET TO ACHIEVE MUCH OF A FOOTHOLD.

THERE HE DISCOVERS A RENEWED SENSE OF WONDER, AND A PURPOSE TO HIS BEING. HE SOON ENCOUNTERS HOSTILE NATIVES WHO DESPERATELY WANT HIM AND HIS KIND OFF THEIR LAND, AND ARE WILLING TO KILL IN ORDER TO MAKE THEIR POINT. HOWEVER, HE IS EVENTUALLY ACCEPTED INTO THEIR TRIBE ONCE THEY RECOGNIZE HIS PURE HEART AND WARRIOR SPIRIT.

THE TRIBE'S LEADER PUTS A YOUNG WARRIOR GIRL IN CHARGE OF WATCHING OVER THE SOLDIER, SINCE NOT ONLY IS SHE ONE OF THE FEW MEMBERS ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF COMMUNICATING WITH HIM, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SHE IS THE REASON HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE TRIBE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT IS A ROLE SHE INITIALLY RESISTS, BUT THE TWO SOON FIND A CONNECTION TOGETHER DESPITE COMING FROM SUCH DIFFERENT WORLDS. THEY SPEND THEIR DAYS SHOWING HIM THE WAYS OF HER PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THEIR DEEP INTERCONNECTION WITH NATURE. WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS HE HAS ACHIEVED AN ASTONISHING LEVEL OF FLUENCY IN THEIR EXOTIC TONGUE.

HOWEVER, THE YOUNG MALE HEIR TO THE TRIBE'S THROWN STILL MISTRUSTS THE FOREIGNER, AND IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF TIME BEFORE HIS TRUST AND RESPECT IS INEVITABLY EARNED. THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLES TOGETHER, THEY GO FROM BEING BITTER RIVALS TO BEING BROTHERS IN ARMS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT ISN'T LONG BEFORE THE SOLDIER'S OLD MILITARY COMRADES CATCH ON TO WHAT HE'S UP TO, WHICH BORDERS ON TREASON SINCE NOT ONLY HAS HE BEEN NEGLECTING THE TRUE PURPOSE OF WHY HE WAS STATIONED THERE, BUT HE HAS ALSO ESSENTIALLY BECOME ONE OF THE TRIBE, SWITCHING SIDES TO JOIN A PEOPLE SEEN AS NOTHING MORE THAN ANIMALS.

THE NATIVES FIERCELY RESIST THE MILITARY'S ATTEMPTS TO EXPLOIT THEIR PRECIOUS LAND AND RESOURCES, SO TENSIONS QUICKLY FLAIR INTO ACTS OF BRUTE FORCE. THE HERO HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN AGAINST (AND EVEN KILL) HIS OWN KIND IN DEFENSE OF WHAT HE FEELS IS RIGHT. IN THE END, THE NATIVES PREVAIL AND THE MILITARY IS SENT PACKING... BUT FOR HOW LONG? FOR NOW, ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT HE HAS FOUND HIS PLACE STANDING BESIDES THE WOMAN HE HAS CHOSEN TO LOVE AND PROTECT. HE IS NOW TRULY A MEMBER OF THEIR WORLD.


...BUT ENOUGH ABOUT "DANCES WITH WOLVES". HAS ANYONE SEEN "AVATAR" YET? I HEAR IT'S IN 3D!