A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Tree of Life -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

It probably is one of the finest films ever created.

I was actually not that interested until I read your thoughts on this Robert. I didn't like Thin Red Line at all, and as another poster mentioned A New World was rather slow. So I guess I'm not the biggest Malick fan. This film is non-linear, surreal, and beautiful. It is a masterpiece. Any film that can make you contemplate your own mortality, and the wonderment of the universe has my vote for one of the finest films ever made.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Bryan^H


I was actually not that interested until I read your thoughts on this Robert. I didn't like Thin Red Line at all, and as another poster mentioned A New World was rather slow. So I guess I'm not the biggest Malick fan.
This film is non-linear, surreal, and beautiful. It is a masterpiece.

Any film that can make you contemplate your own mortality, and the wonderment of the universe has my vote for one of the finest films ever made.

Thank you. And pleased to have been of service.

 

[Charles Smith]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit I only know Days of Heaven "thus far", but RAH has sold another one right here, too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm going to watch this BRD later today as I'm not a Malick fan either, but will give it a try. A friend of mine didn't particularly like this film as it clearly wasn't her cup of tea as she used the word "weird" in describing her film experience. The first hour of the film especially threw her off.








Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Harris]

The Tree of Life is not one of those films that will play well on TV, as any interruption can be destructive.


It is one of those rare treasures, in which the sum is far greater than any of the parts, and viewed either

incomplete, or in parts is not suggested.


Imagine looking at only the right eye of the Mona Lisa, and then wondering what all the fuss is about.


RAH

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I liked Days of Heaven (which I saw on an airplane, of all places!), but aside from the big battle scene in the middle, thought The Thin Red Line was, for lack of a better term, stupid. (I haven't seen Badlands or The New World.) So I'll check this one out not really being a Malick fan or detractor -- or maybe as a Malick fan *and* detractor. RAH's comments have me intrigued, though. RAH, what did you think of The Thin Red Line.

 

[24fpssean]

Tree of Life does have narrative; all motion pictures do and it's silly to deny that. Even if you let the camera run on an empty room and released that as a film it still has narrative (the changing of the sun's position for an hour and a half is "something happening"). ToL begins with the news of a death in the family and then illustrates how that impacted the family for decades, how it flavored their everyday lives. Anyone who has ever lost somebody would know what I'm talking about. Everything religion and philosophy teaches us about death fails, and all that's left is love. Having said that, I can see how most would find it "weird" or "boring". But if you're going into a Terence Malick film, you should know what you're getting yourself into. If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, then you were looking for quick entertainment and have stepped into the wrong theater. Robert Harris is correct in saying that the film is a tone poem, a visual path towards letting the person you've lost go. Those are the last words you hear in the film afterall... and that is a narrative arc. Thin Red Line is an extraordinary film, the spiritual partner of the purely viceral Saving Private Ryan from the same year. TRL is undeniably too long, with some of the character development being ridiculous, but as a whole a solid epitaph on whether man is separate from or part of the destructive/creative forces of Nature. War is merely a device to illustrate that.

 

[David Wilkins]

Tree of Life does have narrative; all motion pictures do and it's silly to deny that. Even if you let the camera run on an empty room and released that as a film it still has narrative (the changing of the sun's position for an hour and a half is "something happening"). ToL begins with the news of a death in the family and then illustrates how that impacted the family for decades, how it flavored their everyday lives. Anyone who has ever lost somebody would know what I'm talking about. Everything religion and philosophy teaches us about death fails, and all that's left is love. Having said that, I can see how most would find it "weird" or "boring". But if you're going into a Terence Malick film, you should know what you're getting yourself into. If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, then you were looking for quick entertainment and have stepped into the wrong theater. Robert Harris is correct in saying that the film is a tone poem, a visual path towards letting the person you've lost go. Those are the last words you hear in the film afterall... and that is a narrative arc. Thin Red Line is an extraordinary film, the spiritual partner of the purely viceral Saving Private Ryan from the same year. TRL is undeniably too long, with some of the character development being ridiculous, but as a whole a solid epitaph on whether man is separate from or part of the destructive/creative forces of Nature. War is merely a device to illustrate that.

Very well said, regarding both movies, though I would probably stop short of saying that any of the character development in 'The Thin Red Line' is ridiculous, though some might have been better accomplished. I think of it as an internalized war film, rather than more traditionally externalized, and that threw most people completely off balance with regard to expectations. I'm deeply appreciative of all Malick's work to date, and feel that for the most part, appreciation is as much a matter of temperament than anything else. Some people are more likely on Malick's wavelength than others, and that specifically is not belittlement toward those less inclined to enjoy his work.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

>> Thin Red Line is an extraordinary film, the spiritual partner of the purely viceral Saving Private Ryan from the same year. IMO if you took the first and last half-hours of SPR and the middle hour of TTRL, you'd have one heck of a good war movie.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman /t/315424/a-few-words-about-the-tree-of-life-in-blu-ray#post_3863905

I think you have one heck of a good movie with SPR alone. I didn't care for TTRL.

 

[David Wilkins]

Just my opinion, but I don't think it was Malick's intention to make "a war movie", it was more a movie about emotions, and contemplation of universal questions about our existence and motivations, during which war takes place, because war is a crucible of sorts for all those other issues.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford

I'm going to watch this BRD later today as I'm not a Malick fan either, but will give it a try.

I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the film, Robert.

Based on what I know about this film, it doesn't seem like one I might ordinarily like that much. I get the impression that I might find things to like about it...but that I'll end up thinking the whole is less than the sum of its parts.

The only Malick film I've ever seen is Thin Red Line and that didn't leave much of an impression on me. But I don't think that really means much as to what I might think of this film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon


I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the film, Robert.

Based on what I know about this film, it doesn't seem like one I might ordinarily like that much. I get the impression that I might find things to like about it...but that I'll end up thinking the whole is less than the sum of its parts.

The only Malick film I've ever seen is Thin Red Line and that didn't leave much of an impression on me. But I don't think that really means much as to what I might think of this film.

An interesting film to say the least. It is probably one of the most visual films I have seen made in the last several years. Furthermore, I can see why some would have some issues with it as it's not for everybody. Anyhow, I'm still processing what I just viewed, but I can see some AA nominations coming from this film.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be giving it a try someday.

Nothing wrong with a film with great visuals and makes you think...even if it's not exactly one's cup of tea.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I have had the blu-ray on the shelf for some time and finally projected it today. An amazing film, a masterpiece in my opinion. Agree with all the good things others have written. Jessica Chastain gave one of the best performances I have ever seen and if anybody mentions the word 'grace' I will from now on think of her.


Inevitably this film won none of the main AAs.

 

[Peter Neski]

I remember Nestor talking about Malick's first fascination with the Steady Cam(or whatever they called it)on "Days of Heaven" ,he fell in love with it ,Nestor was able to convince him to limit its use.

"Tree of Life "suffers from Malicks latter style ,which includes way too much of it for my taste give me "Badlands "or "Days of Heavens" style any day