The Tree of Life

[David Challinor]

As a fan of auteurs like Terrence Malick I'm looking forward to seeing his latest, The Tree of Life, which has a substantial poster campaign in London right now before its July 8 opening ...well, sort of. It's certainly divided opinion so far, with a majority of critics loving it, and many of the general public rejecting its pretensions + 'artiness'. Like many I think Badlands is one of the best films ever to come out of the US, but Malick's last offering, the war film the Thin Red Line flickers with brilliance but is overlong and struggles to work at times.
For those here dreading the 138 mins of 'the Tree' be warned - apparently Malick is preparing a director's cut version of SIX hours : ( LOL

[batman]

Malick made The New World (2005) after The Thin Red Line (1998). It's tells the Pocahontas/Capt John Smith story and exists in three different versions. It is beautifully photographed and is IMHO much better than the WW2 film. I am a Malick fan, his films have an ethereal quality to them which I find mesmerising. I am looking forward very much to The Tree of Life.

[David Challinor]

of course he did ....my mistake - how did I forget about that ...? What's your favourite Malick film Batter's?

[batman]

Probably Days of Heaven .... a beautiful film. Badlands is excellent but I think to loses it's way a little towards the end.

[David Challinor]

Re-watching The Thin Red Line tonight on Film4 for the umpteenth time . Always amazed by my reaction to it, and how I can not make my mind up regarding it. Sometimes I can't stand its ramblings, other times I really appreciate it (normally I'm very black and white in my opinion on most things) Tonight it's the latter. ...I now want to see The Tree of Life on one of London's big, big screens.......

[Grant]

Looking forward to the Tree of Life. Saw The New World recently and thought it was beautiful.

[batman]

I watched The New World again recently. It is a very under-rated film IMHO and it features a decent performance from the increasingly tedious Colin Farrell.

[David Challinor]

Today I think I sorted out in my mind why The Thin Red Line so infuriates me. In its various scenes it promises to really deliver in several
genre types : arty narrative pic, anti-war film, very gripping war drama [the latter when the troops are first marching through the Pacific island and happen upon an oblivious native, then, ominously, two dead and dismembered marines - I though 'wow , what is to come'...] BUT it never delivers. Infuriating. Just like 'The Tree' apparently. It has hugely divided those who have reviewed it.

[Steve Crook]

Today I think I sorted out in my mind why The Thin Red Line so infuriates me. In its various scenes it promises to really deliver in several genre types : arty narrative pic, anti-war film, very gripping war drama [the latter when the troops are first marching through the Pacific island and happen upon an oblivious native, then, ominously, two dead and dismembered marines - I though 'wow , what is to come'...] BUT it never delivers. Infuriating. Just like 'The Tree' apparently. It has hugely divided those who have reviewed it.

I always have difficulty getting past the title. It's got nothing to do with The Thin Red Line.

But then it turns into a film that has the same problem that I have with a lot of American military dramas. I'm an admirer of democracy, but the battlefield isn't the place for argument & debate. It's a place for doing what you need to do, following orders and then getting yourself and your mates the hell out of there. If you want to debate every decision, you really shouldn't have joined.

They are so obviously actors playing at soldiers

Steve