The Tree Of Life

Patrick Miller

Finally coming out here!

NF Hoban

Can anyone tell me of any cinema where I can see this? Its not listed for this week or next in any cinema I look up...

T

Thanks you Mr Reviewer for the plot spoiler, I've read numerous reviews of this film from around the world and not one of them spilled the beans like that, that's basic stuff. Genuinely annoyed.

Rusty

I agree, there are so many spoilers here I don't know where to begin. How dare Mr.Burke reveal the fundamental plot, the names of the cast AND the fact that this is set in the 1950s. Ruined. Completely ruined. Next he'll be telling us how long the film is aswell... Wait.... I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! An insightful review of a gorgeous film, I'll be going to see this again.

noel

A boring old Buddhist makes a boring long uninteresting film about mans search for meaning blah blah blah, while it is very pretty to look at and has some wonderful music, its not art its not clever its pretentious crap, i was one of the few who actually stayed until the end at the showing i saw and of those who did stay everyone thought it was terrible. Avoid at all costs.

Bertaut

Several American critics have already labelled this as one of the greatest films ever made, if not THE greatest, and rightly so. A profound meditation on Mankind's place in a deterministic universe, and especially the relation of Man to God, this is not popcorn entertainment - it's intelligent ART in the same vein as Joyce's Ulysses or Milton's Paradise Lost. I'm not sure what Noel is on about, as Malick isn't Buddhist, and as always, knee jerk accusations of pretentiousness tell us more about the inability of the reviewer to understand the piece than any inherent flaws in the piece itself. This is a film unlike any other, and whilst it definitely is not everyone's cup of tea, it's a defining movie that treats of themes rarely on display in the local multiplex. A masterpiece. A genuine masterpiece in every sense of the word. Arguably the greates movie ever made; definitely the greatest movie of the 21st century so far.

noel

The opinions expressed are solely the right of the expressee, nothing knee jerk about my reaction to this dreadfully pretentious boring god bothering movie as pretty as it looks, its prettiness does not make it art, and Malick is a Buddhist (although raised in the episcopalian faith) and its shows in all of his movies though The Tree of Life is by far the most blatant, an old mans lament for his lost childhood/country is not art no matter how you dress it, especially when its dressed as a movie event of the decade, its not a movie event just because Malick is a recluse, in the 5 full features he has made 1 stunning the rest are a wealthy philosophers view of the world and how he views it. The masterpiece of the 21st century is most certainly not Tree of Life. There Will be Blood way ahead of it for its view of life and mans search for meaning in his place in it.

theotherguy

noel and Bertaut are both wrong. If you go to see this film it would be best if you prepare yourself beforehand - Malick's films don't really have a strong narrative or story, they're basically fragments or memories arranged in loose order, hoping to create a cumulative effect. So if you just want to switch your brain off for a couple of hours this isn't for you. I quite enjoyed it but I felt the scenes on boyhood lingered on about 20 minutes too long, and the ending didn't quite pack the punch Malick might have hoped for. All in all, I'd give it 3/5. Though oddly, I'd give it 7/10.

pgtips

Is this film seriously only showing at 3 venues in Dublin. Does anyone know if a wider release is sheduled?

this film was muck!

Siun

it's your comments, not your essays :-/

flea2001ie

I can't say I enjoyed this film. It did come across a bit pretentious. i was pulling my hair out at times. I went in after work and it was like doing another hour and a halfs overtime.Visually stunning at times and some spine tingling music but not for me. I'm sure others would get a lot more out of it than I did.

LTSMASH

This film was pretentious, drawn out, with little or nothing to hold the audiences attention. Sixteen people walked out of the cinema during the viewing and upon reading the review again I had to ask myself if April fools season was upon us, "Any excuse to watch this again" are you having a laugh? The only reason I would watch this film again is if it was to raise a considerable amount of money for charity, sitting through it felt like running a marathon - lot's of drawn out pain. I genuinely would prefer to be repeatedly kicked in the testicles then have to sit through that again. None the less, I will be recommending this film to all my friends, just so they can share in the absolute pain that is sitting through this steaming pile of nonsense.

ruth

To even hint this is the greatest movie of the year.. you are dellusional! How can the reviewer give this 4 stars??? I can't believe I actually sat through the full screening. I admire those who walked out!

Bjorn264

Amazing piece of film making, very brave too, it's what films should represent, an artist's expression, you could feel it was a truly personal piece to Malick. Completely original too, something the cinema has been missing for quite sometime, I admit, not for the average cinema-goer.

Conor

@Rusty - Gavin Burke regularly reveals spoilers and plot twists. I've had a go at him before, begging him to stop ruining films with insights that should be surprises for the viewer. I've taken to avoiding his reviews. Given the chance, he'll spoil it. As for this film, it's the most arrogant, sanctimonious, pretentious shed load of BS I've ever wasted hours watching. Don't waste your time. Go see Pedro Almodovar's, "The Skin I Live In", instead ................ and whatever you do, avoid any review, Mr Burke has written on it.

Tyler Durden

Dear Mr. Malick, If you wish to j**k-off at home and call it "art", please do so at your own leisure. But please refrain from releasing such mind-wankery to the general populus in the form of cinema, and charging same their hard-earned money for such garbage. Thank you.

CKonetheonlyone

this film presents a marvelous opportunity for people to announce their intelligence and taste by declaring their love for it. i thought it was crap.