Review of The Tree of Life (2011) by Alex T — 26 Mar 2014

Anchored by brilliant cinematography and one of the most powerful insights in film history, The Tree of Life is utterly genius. At once, it asks the biggest eschatological, spiritual, existential, and moral questions people have ever contemplated; it chronicles the history of the universe; it tells an intimate story of forgiveness; it evokes the human spirit; and it provides images with which each individual viewer will ascribe different memories.

It's not linear by any means and rewards repeat viewings - it's highly unlikely that viewers will understand everything the first go-around - but that's part of its brilliance. Every time one watches it, it conjures up different memories while still providing one of the most incredible insights ever to grace cinema.

The acting is uniformly excellent and the score - combining several of the greatest classical pieces of all time with tranquil Alexandre Desplat pieces that splice the classical music together - is transcendent and marvelous.

If fully understood, no film can provide as much transformation and awe as The Tree of Life. It is truly one of the greatest films of all time.