Review of Days of Heaven (1978) by Marc R — 11 Nov 2015

Shorter and more concise in its narrative than his later films, this is Malick's most satisfying feature. Malick and his great cinematographer create moments and images of intimacy, quiet contemplation and biblical power.

This is a visually rich and spare story of loss and humanity. There is a feeling of ephemerality here captured on a level that few films have met, and Malick seems to revel in. On a more abstract level, it is a melancholy, dreamy evocation of the intensity, mystery, and sadness that permeates existence, and these moods seem to be reflected in nature itself.