Review of The Tree of Life (2011) by Maxwell S — 05 Oct 2012

Over the last 4 years, I've expanded and intensely gathered knowledge of cinema. Learning the ways of hundreds of directors, such as Ozu, Kurosawa, Tarkovsky, Welles, Vigo (my absolute favorite director), Bergman, Kubrick, Bunuel, Keaton, Tati, Tarr, Kieslowski, Ophuls, Lang, etc., etc.. Having this prolific knowledge of everything about film, I had come to the conclusion that all the greatest films have already been made, and mostly before 1980. I knew that cinema was now primarily just to satisfy the idiot audiences that we have now.

Then came... you know. Though I knew Malick, and ADORED films like Badlands and Days of Heaven, especially. The Tree of Life blew my mind in every direction. I don't think a film has ever felt so much in love with everything. There is a true expression of feelings, so true, that it loves it, no matter what it is. It's epic scope shows large picture of life, and the smallness of what we are today, but how we still are human, and how special that really is. Tree of Life says everything. It means everything. It reached for something more than just a film, like so many other film have done, but this time... it really did.

The odd narratives and complex structure is something so brilliant that it can only be used once. It's so brilliantly crafted, and so life-affirmingly beautiful that it urges you to truly join the film in the joy of itself. Which those who do have to do that same thing over again. And those that do see the true bliss of the film. Most don't get on the train the first time. And those that get on the first time, certainly can admire it, but won't see it with clarity (Peter Travers). Those who go into the further depths of Tree of Life, those who urge to bring their brain and senses further, are the ones who can say they have seen The Tree of Life.

I can see I'm not the only one who has gotten to the core, Roger Ebert voted for this film in the sight and sound poll 2012. And many cinephiles have listed this film has one of the greatest. Not to mention it winning the Palme D'or.

There are films that I believe are greater than Tree of Life, such as "L'Atalante", "Andrei Rublev", "Earrings of Madame De", "The Third Man", "Aguirre: The Wrath of God". But, not including technical aspects and my classifications of what I have been calling "cinema" for my whole life, "The Tree of Life" takes the cake.

Lastly, I'd just like to say that even though I have given this film a TREMENDOUS amount of praise, I primely am just expressing how I am glad that there is finally a definitive masterpiece of the 2000's.