The Tree of Life, dir. Terrence Malick

The Wiz HIGHLY RECOMMENDS The Tree of Life The Tree of Life is a profound directorial statement. It's a movie that states that you have to meet it at its level; not the other way around. It makes daring decisions that other filmmakers wouldn't even attempt and can be looked upon as obtuse and pretentious. It's a movie that is very divisive: a true love it or hate it type of film. But in my eyes, The Tree of Life is a masterpiece. It tells an all too human story but in an ethereal way: the cinematography makes the film feel like a dream or a memory that is distorted from age and trauma. And as visually breathtaking the film is, it's also emotionally powerful. The film feels like a story of a person who's trying to cycle through his past to understand his mistakes through the mistakes his parents made. Filmmaking is an art form of decisions. Some make sacrifices in order to make the film entertaining, concise or to appeal to a demographic. The Tree of Life is a film that is all about one thing: a director's vision. And if you are willing to experience an auteur's vision, you might find yourself incredibly moved by what he shows.