The Tree Of Life

Four decades into an already legendary career, Terrence Malick realized his most rapturous vision to date, tracing a story of childhood, wonder, and grief to the outer limits of time and space. Reaching back to the dawn of creation, Malick sets a story of boyhood memories on a universal scale, charting the coming of age of an awestruck child (newcomer Hunter McCracken) in Texas in the 1950s, as he learns to navigate the extremes of nature and grace represented by his bitter, often tyrannical father (Brad Pitt) and his ethereal, nurturing mother (Jessica Chastain, in her breakout role). Achieved with the aid of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and production designer Jack Fisk, the Palme d’Or–winning The Tree of Life marks the intimately personal, cosmically ambitious culmination of Malick’s singular approach to filmmaking.
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2010 - 33 Must See Films - indiewire
1. The Tree of Life (Release Date: ??; Distributor: ??)

What’s The Deal? Alright, so there was a bit of cheating here on the release date and distributor rule. But it would be just as much untrue to say it doesn’t have a release date or distributor. No one really seems to know. Some say it’s headed to Cannes 2011. Some say it’s out by Christmas. Either way, Terrance Malick’s latest - which stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn and may or may not have something to do with dinosaurs, the cosmos and the meaning of life (all against the backdrop of a 1950s family drama) - is having one of the most fascinatingly mysterious release lead-ups of all time.

Who’s Already Seen It? Terrence Malick. A few very lucky insiders. Some students at the University of Texas at Austin. Maybe Brad Pitt. Though we don’t even know any of that for sure. Check out “Tree”‘s film page for updates as criticWIRE grades come in, whenever that might be.

Why is it a “Must See”? If it does indeed come out by year’s end, this could be quite the cinematic event. Malick has only made five films in his near 40 year career, and the four that came before “Life” have all been heralded by critics and often end up on best-film-ever type lists. “The Tree of Life” may be a mystery, but chances are it’s going to be one that delivers.
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The playlist Best Films of 2011 so far (in June):
“The Tree of Life” —You already knew that this would be on here, so let’s get it out the way first. Terrence Malick’s long-awaited film has become one of the major talking points of the movie year so far. “The Tree of Life” came out of Cannes smelling like a rose with a Palme d’Or under its arm. But recently, there has been a minor, but vocal backlash of sorts with a handful of folks dismissing the film outright. But to label “The Tree of Life” simply as “good” or “bad” is engaging with Terrence Malick’s effort on the most superficial of levels. Brilliant, confounding, moving, overreaching, lyrical and heavy-handed, “The Tree of Life” may not be an unparalleled masterpiece but is anything but forgettable. Tracking the personal heartache that tortures the soul and seeing how that ripples out to the universe at large over time, from before we were born to long after we’ll pass, “The Tree of Life” is ambitious far beyond anything else likely to hit screens this year or next. With a scope and aesthetic uniquely his own, Malick’s film sticks with you days and even weeks after you’ve seen it—demanding another viewing to unlock and uncover the layers and mysteries within “The Tree of Life.”