Review – Tree of Life

Wow, and I thought Terrence Malick was self-indulgent when he was telling other people’s stories. I like watching his stuff because it gives me the chance to study the work of a guy who’s good with visuals. As I watched this movie, I frequently found myself trying to figure out how the director set up a particular shot, what kind of lens he was using, how he adapted the scene to make use of available light and the like. Normally such speculation detracts from the overall movie-watching experience because it draws my attention away from other key elements, such as plot and character. However, Malick includes little besides raw technique. The story is so minimal and so badly chopped up that it doesn’t reward the attention it takes to follow it. I was also bothered by the overall thesis of the production. The juxtaposition of the origins of the universe, the solar system, life on Earth and other “big ticket” items with the sad, small-town melodrama of a life like Malick’s childhood seems to imply that there’s something metaphysically important about having bad parents. I’d go the opposite route: gazing up at the stars at night reassures me that the annoyances in my life (such as this picture) aren’t really of tremendous significance in the greater scheme of things. See if desperate