Gambling, Gods and LSD

Most of the criticisms I hear levied at this film just run along the lines of "it's too long!" (insert frustrated whine here) While I agree with some of the comments about certain weaknesses of the film I think that on the whole it is worthwhile because it inspires you to think (whether you actually do or not is up to you). Anyone annoyed with this movie because it a)is 3 hours long, and b) doesn't SAY anything must have walked into the wrong theatre. Check out the romantic comedy down the hall. At least criticize the film based on the objectives it is setting. This film is not trying to be easy to digest or to provide a succinct message. It is more along the lines of 'Baraka' or 'Koyaanisqatsi' in attempting to create a meditative experience for the audience. Those movies were also long and consisted of many disparate scenes with no narration. And they are made so ON PURPOSE. They leave it up to the audience to decide if there is any meaning to be gleaned from the experience. I thought this movie had many profound moments (along with things I didn't like)and I'll need to see it a few times to even begin to get it all. But, if you want something that will tell you exactly what to think then you probably should leave the theatre and I'm baffled as to why you entered in the first place. Just because a film demands something of you doesn't make it amazing art, but it doesn't just make it nonsense either.