Review of The Tree of Life (2011) by Kevin B — 18 Feb 2013

I know how divisive it is, and I know firsthand how much people absolutely hate this movie. And that's just fine. Personally, the more I watch it and experience it, the more I realize that very few films have affected me on such a level as this one.

Emotionally, artistically, and even physically (there's that feeling in the pit of my stomach that only really great films achieve), this film affects me. It is pure cinema, and while it takes cues from several things that came before: Impressionism, Montage, and even Neorealism, it is entirely itself.

Again, you may not like it. In fact, you may think it's the "worst movie ever". But if you want to be a real film person, you must, as with all films, at least be willing to enjoy it, and see how others would.