Usually, the fact that a film is overwhelmingly popular; that is has already raised more than $2 Billion dollars; that people who wanted to see the movie waited patiently in queues, four-persons wide, stretching for blocs… would meet with a cynical shrug from my shoulders. After all, usually, popular means catering to the lowest common denominator.

Imagine my surprise when both, my wife and I had been held spellbound for nearly 3 hours. The story was noble, the action mind-blowing, but more than anything, the screen was filled, for hours at a time with breathtaking beauty. The artistry surpasses all the Lords of the Rings had to offer. The landscapes oozed poetry.