Tree of Life

[valda]

Horrible Bosses trailer made me really really want to see it, but Captain America made me think that its going to be as bad or even worse than Green Lantern

[Jayman]

Horrible Bosses trailer made me really really want to see it, but Captain America made me think that its going to be as bad or even worse than Green Lantern

But didn't you feel as if the trailer gave away all the funny bits? It's the same problem that plagued "Due Date".

Oh and I liked (I say this with extreme shame & guilt) "Green Lantern".
I actually preferred it to "Thor".

[TheDude]

Until yesterday I didn’t know Malick’s first film was Badlands (with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek). I love that film, so this only heightened my expectations, if they weren’t high enough already.

Having seen The Tree of Life, I’m left with more questions than answers. Malick should be applauded for daring to do something different and ask the big questions, instead of just giving us another throwaway action blockbuster or an unfunny romcom. The film certainly stays with you for some time and makes you ponder the art of film making, meaning of life, that sort of thing. How often does that happen?

As a piece of video art it’s undoubtedly beautiful, the special effects were excellent (apart from the little dinosaur running along the river, that looked cheap), and performances were all very good, but at times this is all a little too abstract and aloof, and after a while tiresome.

One sequence looked like a nature documentary, I could almost hear Sir Attenborough describing it. I wasn’t too keen on the religious overtones, but quite liked other positive messages thrown in, e.g. father telling his son not to be distracted in life, waiting for something to happen.

The use of random voiceover was interesting, but towards the end I could hear a voice in my head whispering "what are you doing, wouldn’t you rather be in bed...?". A couple walked out after an hour, then someone else left, and when the credits rolled there were one or two boos, and some laughter. Someone angrily called it a crock o’ shit. Yet most people still sat in their seats, transfixed, or possibly dead.

Very difficult to figure out a score for this, as I have nothing or very little to compare it to. Maybe it needs another viewing, though I’m not sure I’d have the patience for it.

[prettyxcool]

Good review, thedude, I agree with most of what you said.

One sequence looked like a nature documentary, I could almost hear Sir Attenborough describing it.

yeah, any minute now, I thought Sir Attenborough would pop out!

Yet most people still sat in their seats, transfixed, or possibly dead.

I wondered that too at my screening, it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Good review, thedude, I agree with most of what you said.

One sequence looked like a nature documentary, I could almost hear Sir Attenborough describing it.

yeah, any minute now, I thought Sir Attenborough would pop out!

Yet most people still sat in their seats, transfixed, or possibly dead.

I wondered that too at my screening, it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop!

Exactly the same sort of confused reaction I expected, lol. Will be seeing this tomorrow

[elski]

It's finally coming to my local odeon this weekend (only one screening per day). It's lucky I didn't p*y to see it a couple of days ago at a different cinema, now I can use a voucher.

[Kaybeelon]

Make sure you get a comfortable seat!
I saw it last night, the seats were very uncomfortable and after a while my back was giving me trouble, and I am sure the person behind me did not appreaciate me wiggling back and forth for the last half hour to find a comfortable position.

I am glad I went to see it (as part of my WWF win) and agree with most of what thedude said.

[elski]

That's why I want to see it at the cinema sounds like something worth seeing for the cinematography on the big screen.

I expect they'll only be a small number of people in each screening but all the seats are as bad as each other and I am a fidget to keep my circulation going.

[tarantinoed]

Went to see it for the 3rd time yesterday with another friend - still adore this film. After it finished and the lights came on most people were still sitting there and chatting about the film (and not complaining!). This must be the mark of a good film.

[raj101]

the wierd scenes arent even that integral. the best scenes for me are the ones with the children wandering round in a pack, its so there and feels so genuine as if Malick is elicting a direct string of visual memories of a particular summer day in his childhood (if thats even possible when you are 60-something (i cant remember any of my kid days scenes, at least I cant string together more than half a minute at a time). thats mabe why the scenes are so strong - because they are a sequence of no more thirty second scenes ad then they switch to the next scene, its as if they are exactly what he would remember visually.