From the screenplay:

"The 'I' who speaks in this story is not the author. Rather, he hopes that you might see yourself in this 'I' and understand this story as your own."

I was trying to be allegorical.

Like the shadows in the cave?

*sync

After thinking about this one for a while, I am not sure how much I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching it, it was beautifully shot and directed, I just don't know how much I connected with it after the first 90 minutes.

Yeah, my experience wasn't all together different from yours, I imagine. It's just gorgeous. And so well acted. And so heartfelt and honest. It's got a lot going for it and it's rare to see a movie so beautiful, soulful and thought provoking. It's asking really big questions. And I really appreciate what the movie is doing. In it's best moments it's easily Malick's masterpiece.

But by the end I felt a little flat. And I'm not sure why exactly. Some of it is that it's just too specific and too personal at times. It's a bit like watching someone else's therapy session.

Still, I think it succeeds more than it fails, and I'm thrilled that this movie got made and that I got to see it. It's a rare piece of film-making. It's challenging and I think it's important. But it's not perfect. And I'd say it was the third or fourth best film I saw last year.

Ebert picks The Tree of Life to be a part of his Top 10 Films of All Time

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/04 ... _time.html

"I believe it's an important film, and will only increase in stature over the years."

Aguirre, Wrath of God (Herzog)
Apocalypse Now (Coppola)
Citizen Kane (Welles)
La Dolce Vita (Fellini)
The General (Keaton)
Raging Bull (Scorsese)
2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick)
Tokyo Story (Ozu)
The Tree of Life (Malick)
Vertigo (Hitchcock)

Interesting.

I like Ebert. And I have no doubt that I'll continue to increase my own appreciation for the film as I grow. It's stayed with me in surprising ways.

On a side note I have only seen 6 of those films. Which is a little sad, I think.

Which 6? I've only seen 7.

I am ashamed to say that I have yet to see La Dolce Vita.

Me either. Or 8 1/2. I'm way behind on Felini.

Apocalypse Now (Coppola)
Citizen Kane (Welles)
Raging Bull (Scorsese)
2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick)
The Tree of Life (Malick)
Vertigo (Hitchcock)

Same for me, plus Aguirre.

I've seen Tokyo Story but not Vertigo, La Dolce Vita or The General. Weird. I've seen everything else other than that.

Nate, you may be the only American in existence who has seen Tokyo Story but not Vertigo.

Vertigo is easily one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. Probably top 5. It's so fucking good I can't even stand it.

Basically, Andrei Tarkovsky explained the movie in an interview 30+ years ago.


"Let them be helpless like children, because weakness is a great thing, and strength is nothing. When a man is just born, he is weak and flexible. When he dies, he is hard and insensitive. When a tree is growing, it's tender and pliant. But when it's dry and hard, it dies. Hardness and strength are death's companions. Pliancy and weakness are expressions of the freshness of being. Because what has hardened will never win.......I remember my childhood very well. It was the most important period of my life, the one that marked me for my adult life. Childhood always determines our future, especially in art. "

I haven't seen this film. I am a potential big fan, and I'm not going to label it 'pretentious' very easily. That said, I've just seen this on imdb, while looking around for forthcoming films:

Voyage of Time (2013)

An examination of the birth and death of the universe.



How will this not be pretentious?

Holy shit.

Not really. From what I hear it's no different from any documentary on Nat Geo. Brad Pitt is narrating it. And I'm sure it will have Malick's favorite choices of classical music. I think it could be a cool IMAX experience.