MovieChat Forums > The Tree of Life (2011) Discussion > Whether you loved it or hate it, please ...

Whether you loved it or hate it, please explain why.

posted 12 years ago by amandaaaj
69 replies | jump to latest

I'm definitely full of conflicting feelings regarding this film and I came to imdb seeking exposure to other peoples' thought processes. Unfortunately, within most threads I've looked at all I've found is comments like these:

"This is a unique and beautiful masterpiece and one of the best films ever made."

or....

"Worst. Film. Ever.
End of story."

People rarely actually explain why they liked or disliked the movie. These are the most specific comments I have found on either side, and it's comments like these that I want to request in this thread:

"The film transcends categorization because it attempts to encompass the grandeur of not only human life, but of ALL life" (still pretty vague but honestly the most specific comment I found on the positive side).

or...

"I see little worth in a film with no structure, no plot and no coherence. I see little skill in filming a 20 minute sequence about the start of the world narrated by whispered nonsense and injecting it into a random part of the film. The only good thing was some nice visuals, but that doesn't make it unique."

What these people have done is provided reasons for their opinions. I challenge everyone in this thread to post your opinion of this film, and clearly EXPLAIN why you feel that way. I'm dying to actually understand everyone's opinions and thought processes. This is not a place to debate whether this was a good or bad film or to convince others the way they think is wrong, this is a place to express YOUR OWN opinion and then clearly explain why you feel that way. No cop-outs aloud.

I'm curious how many people are actually capable of defending any of their positions on this film.

[–] onuvac 12 years ago

I had a hard time understanding it, but now I do understand it. I loved it because of the music, it's slow-paced, indie, acting, drama, original story, and coming of age. I felt connected to Jack, like I always had a struggle to accept how life was. I love anything that is independent, coming of age, original, and drama.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] vlado544 12 years ago

Like most people, I dislike it because it is terribly pretentious and plain boring.

[–] Catrician 12 years ago

A film cannot be pretentious. A director can be, and Malick is in no way pretentious, so you're kinda wrong on both accounts.

Writer for WhatCulture.com
Top 100 is here: http://www.imdb.com/list/mduBIpnlpTA/

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] icypierre 11 years ago

In my opinion, this is the worst movie of 2011. This movie was really really really boring. Even if you appreciate nature. Even if you felt it gave you a surreal look at the universe and life and the beauty of childhood etc. blah blah blah. Fact of the matter is other movies have done this better. And carried and somewhat interesting narrative while doing so. This movie fails to tell any kind of story and it fails at being visually stimulating. Why? What is the point of showing the sky, volcanoes, Aurora Borealis, etc. then showing some dinosaurs randomly? If they were attempting to give an artistic take on the big bang, they even failed at that.

Why? Because they show all these random scenes of nature. Most of which are just scenes from earth not much of the rest space at all. Then they cut to a story of a family then end it abruptly. Then go back to showing you random nature. So chronologically it makes no sense and confuses the viewer.

Then there's this family they focus on for a good portion of the movie... If this movie has a broader meaning about life why 1956 Texas? why this family? They show a happy family then tensions developing and what do you know? This movie might have a plot after all! Then suddenly nothing...?

I'm not the type to whine about a moving ending on a bad or unfinished note, but when the movie had nothing else to offer then you have a problem.

[–] jab670 11 years ago

"What is the point of showing the sky, volcanoes, Aurora Borealis, etc. then showing some dinosaurs randomly?"

If you found it random then you didn't give it much thought. You might find the reason shallow, pseudo-intellectual, too blunt, pretentious, etc., as other negative analysis have - but the last thing anyone has said is "randomly".

[–] esinglet 11 years ago

Loved it.

I thought the kid actors were so great, and the whole idea of Sean Penn's character thinking about his dead brother and feeling confused about it just felt really sincere to me, especially when this is an extension of the filmmaker's own feelings.

Brad Pitt was excellent.

Super nostalgic.

The dinosaur scene was a little heavy handed.

[–] t_constantijn 11 years ago

why would I want to "defend" my taste?