Review of To the Wonder (2013) by Bruno C — 31 Aug 2013

One again Malick + Lubezki = amazing images. Parsifal and Fratres...I'm easily won over just with those two bodies of work for the soundtrack. I loved the contrasts between France and Oklahoma, between urban and rural, between peaceful idealized paradise and cold realism.

I know this was an artistic choice to have much of the characters interactions seem distant, muffled and removed from the audience, the focus more on voice over....but it was a bit much, everything seems far too distant.

...from the characters, their actions, and emotions....overshadowed by the gorgeous imagery and music. I had hoped they story would tie in Javier Bardem's priest character more into the lives of the main protagonists to be more cohesive.

Like with Tree of Life, I see these recent Malick films as works of art that need to be meditated upon and savored...though the material was much vaster and expansive in the former, To the Wonder was more cold than warm, on many levels lacked a level of cohesion.

Hope the next couple films can take a new slant...