Review: "To the Wonder"

Director: Terrence Malick
Runtime: 112 minutes

One of the most surprising things about To the Wonder, the sixth film from secretive director Terrence Malick, is that it opens with grainy digital footage from a camera phone. Anyone with even cursory knowledge of the man's work knows that, even to detractors, his films are regarded as some of the most beautiful ever made. Yet the times they are a changin', as the opening seconds quietly let us know. Not only is To the Wonder Malick's first film shot with digital cameras, it is also his first film to take place in the present. It seems like a logical progression, as Malick becomes less and less concerned with concrete narratives. Yet if 2011's The Tree of Life was the director's most ambitious abstract feature, To the Wonder is easily his most intimate. As such, it's likely to baffle and delight, bore and exhilarate depending on how well you connect with Malick's stylistic progression over the years. 

Allegedly semi-autobiographical, Wonder's plot can be thought of as Malick's take on Blue Valentine, as it chronicles the various ups and downs of a relationship. We're first introduced to Neil (Ben Affleck) and Marina (Olga Kurylenko), in the early stages of a whirlwind romance that culminates with a trip to Mont St. Michel. It's an elegant and symbolically rich method of showing the (perhaps naive) innocence of their relationship. Marina, the more free-spirited of the two, dances through the incoming tide as Neil watches. Moments later, they embrace in one of the medieval stone courtyards of the famed castle. Their love is at its simplest, unencumbered by the distractions of the modern world. When they touch, it occurs with complete receptiveness. 

Marina and her young daughter move with Neil to Oklahoma. Though surrounded by trappings of the middle class, Marina is able to flourish in America, dancing in the wheat fields that are as vast as the blue sky above them. But, as sometimes happens, the harmony of Neil and Marina's relationship is ruptured by forces that are only barely hinted at. It's here that To the Wonder will most likely start to frustrate certain audience members. One never goes into a Malick movie expecting to be spoon-fed exposition. However, the motivations for the emotional developments (more so in the first half) can, at times, feel too distant and vague. As such, the earlier portions of romantic discord can feel more frustrating than engaging. In part, this stems from the fact that the problem seems to originate with Neil, yet the film is - despite a side venture featuring Rachel McAdams - more oriented around Marina. 

In the film's second half, Marina's voice over tells us that the weak-willed never have the courage to finish things. It's a valuable statement, one that taps into the seemingly out of the blue dissolutions between Neil and Marina, and then Neil and McAdams' Jane. Yet it comes so late that it's hard not to feel as though Malick has missed an opportunity to inject this insight earlier, and give Neil's actions a clearer through-line. Malick's characters rarely pop-out of the frame; they're simply woven into the greater tapestry of the film around them. But in To the Wonder, one can't help but feel the need for just a little more to work with when it comes to figuring these people out. The vision and scope here are so much smaller, despite the constant swooping shots of the sky and the horizon, but there are times when the film feels divided as to whether it wants to be intimate or epic. 

The strain to become an epic is felt most in the scenes involving local priest Fr. Quintana (Javier Bardem). Though he interacts with both Neil and Marina on different occasions,  Malick also strives to give this man of God his own emotional and spiritual journey. Neil and Marina struggle with the emotional repercussions of their faltering romantic love, an area in which Fr. Quintana's spiritual advice can only go so far. Instead, his greater struggle is reconciling his uncertainty with his position, and his struggle to feel God's love, the love that reaches out without judgement or jealousy at all times. It's a journey that certainly has its moments, yet the balance between the two can't help but feel off-kilter. Whenever Quintana appears on screen, it's difficult not to wish that the momentum of the Neil and Marina story arc had been left undisturbed. Malick's goals with this side of the film are noble, yet they cry out to be explored as part of another film (either as the center or as a subplot). The thematic links make sense on paper, but in execution, they aren't quite as convincing.

Thankfully, To the Wonder is anchored in Neil and Marina's story, especially Marina's. In the film's second half, Marina comes further into the foreground, and the various aspects of the film's look at love - platonic, romantic, and spiritual - suddenly coalesce. Kurylenko is a true surprise here, and delivers a performance that ranks among the best in Malick's filmography. There are remnants of Jessica Chastain's gentle mother from The Tree of Life, yet Marina is very much her own modern woman. After so many disposable roles following her breakout turn in Quantum of Solace, it's refreshing to see her bring such sensitivity to the role. Marina is free-spirited  and at times childlike in her innocence and connection with nature, yet she is never distractingly childish. She's torn between her Catholic upbringing, and the almost primal sense of connection she feels to nature and its laws. It's a performance that is both subdued and radiant, effortlessly portrayed and captured. For a film that allegedly contained no true script during shooting, Marina feels like one of Malick's most structured characters. 

That same structure carries over into the film's later stretches, and helps To the Wonder stay true to its convictions. The film's last act has the potential to feel dragged-out and repetitive, yet instead it builds on everything that came before. To the Wonder may not touch The Tree of Life for overall quality, but its final half hour is certainly much more stirring at first glance. Despite the character-based issues earlier in the film, the conclusion here actually delivers on the ideas and themes that have been running underneath the beautiful images the entire time. Malick may take too long to let those ideas surface, but once he does, his film's intimacy finally starts to fit together. The voice over work feels most meaningful, as do the (typically strong) classical pieces that Malick has picked out for the soundtrack. Credit should also go to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki for capturing the whole thing with such naturalistic beauty. There's a rawness to the imagery that, despite its kinship with Lubezki's work on The Tree of Life, has echoes of Malick's Badlands (another film with a romance set against the midwest). Like any of Malick's films, it deserves to be experienced on the big screen, if only to fully appreciate the sheer beauty of it all. 

Ultimately, that beauty will only go so far with many. The gap between The Tree of Life and To the Wonder is the shortest between any two Malick films, and some will likely argue that this acceleration has produced the director's weakest film. Yet for all of its flaws, there's so much to admire here that I find it hard to turn this film away. In the transition from The Tree of Life to To the Wonder, Malick had to descend from truly cosmic heights in order to take a stab at material so deeply rooted in emotional intimacy. And while the director may have stumbled on his way down, he has, to his credit, managed to land with grace. 

Grade: B

2011 DGA Nominations: And the race gets weirder...

As many critics awards as their are across the nation, at the end of the day it's really the guild awards that act as better indicators of who's winning AMPAS' favor, especially in a year as uncertain as 2011. We certainly saw that last year when The Social Network won just about everything under the sun, until The King's Speech trounced it at the guild awards and on Oscar night. The SAG, PGA, and WGA have all announced their nominees, leaving only the Director's Guild. And with their nominees, they've thrown a wrench into some Oscar campaigns, while giving others a boost.

The Nominees:

Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris

David Fincher - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Michel Hazanvicius - The Artist

Alexander Payne - The Descendants

Martin Scorcese - Hugo

Who got a boost: The biggest winner after today has to be Fincher and Dragon Tattoo as a whole. Ever since the first screenings, the film was being labeled as one that would make little to no contribution to the awards race. In the past few weeks the film has scored with the PGA and WGA, and the DGA nod is just icing on the cake. For the film to miss out on a Best Picture nomination and/or Best Director nomination is becoming increasingly unlikely. Star Rooney Mara may have missed with the SAG, but could still end up as a surprise Best Actress nominee, as one of many nominations the film looks likely to score now. So even though Dragon Tattoo isn't necessarily a threat to win the top prize, at the very least it can consider itself a strong contender, which is quite to comeback considering all of the doubters.

Then there's Woody Allen and Alexander Payne. Payne's film has generally stood a better shot, but there was always the chance that he would get pushed out by contenders with "bigger" films. After today, though, he's become even more of a sure thing, though the actual win is doubtful. The same goes for Allen, who could score his first Best Director nomination since Bullets Over Broadway (1994). If either of these two men takes the DGA prize, however, it will only serve to further upset the Best Director race.

Who took a hit: Unlike Woody Allen, whose film also launched in early summer, Terrence Malick was allowed any love from the DGA, or any major guild for that matter. Considering the divisive nature of Malick's film, however, it's not entirely surprising. Drive's Nicholas Winding-Refn and War Horse's Steven Spielberg, however, should probably not get their hopes up for the remainder of awards season. I'm sure Refn had a fan base within the DGA for Drive, but at the end of the day the voters favored established names (well, aside from Spielberg). Of course, there's always room for surprises come Nomination morning, but knowing the DGA's close alignment with the Academy, I suspect the chances for the above-mentioned trio are at long last dead. Such a shame...at least for the first two. War Horse has, to be honest, felt like nothing but an afterthought and an obligation rather than a legitimate contender.

Review: "The Tree of Life"

In a career spanning nearly 40 years, The Tree of Life only marks Terrence Malick's fifth directorial effort. Known for his strange shooting style and insanely meticulous editing, the director is nothing if not a perfectionist of sorts. And even though he only now has five films to his name (he is currently filming his sixth, which remains untitled), it is difficult to imagine where the divisive auteur will venture next, seeing as his latest seems to tackle, well, just about everything.

Describing the plot of The Tree of Life almost feels unnecessary. I've read review after review that describe the film's plotting as "elliptical," yet this description seems to go a step too far. This is not an easy film, nor is it one that provides easy answers, but labeling the whole thing as ambiguous and obscure is extreme. The great bulk of it, concerning a family in a small Texas town in the 50s, despite having very little dialogue, is certainly not impenetrable or obtuse. Some scenes carry with them (appropriately) a child-like sense of naivete, while others quietly carry the weight of suffering and loss. Because, above all else, The Tree of Life is a film of sight and sound, often in glorious combinations.

To say that it encompasses everything is not an overstatement. After an opening where Mrs. O'Brien (Jessica Chastain) learns that her middle son has died, and some jumps to the present involving her oldest son Jack (Sean Penn), we see the beginning. Literally. For some 20 or 30 minutes, Malick plunges us into gorgeously rendered visions of the cosmos, and of earth's earliest, primordial moments. We see space clouds shine in shades of gold, brown, and red. We see the staggering size of Saturn and Jupiter loom over the screen, set to the glorious sounds of Zbigniew Preisner's "Lacrimosa." We see cells dividing and merging, and blood flowing through veins. In every sense, this is a film that shows us the intimate and the epic, with everything from domestic drama to some soulful, curious dinosaurs.

Throughout all of this, the one unifying element is the sheer beauty of it all. Mr. Malick may be influenced by Christianity (the O'Briens are obviously Christian, and the film opens with a quote from the Book of Job), but this is not a religious film. It is a spiritual film, one that seeks to evoke the glory that life holds, without shying away from its moments of sadness and failure. We witness gentle, playful moments with the O'Brien children as toddlers, which gradually become more serious and nuanced as the children begin to experience the darker side of life. Some of it is direct (the oppressive nature of Brad Pitt's Mr. O'Brien), some of it indirect (a young boy who drowns at a swimming pool). All of it, whether simplistic or strange, somehow rings true through Malick's direction, which creates a spiritual experience out of life's most plain rites, rituals, and routines.

And yet all of it is captured with such quiet elegance, thanks to the astoundingly beautiful work by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. The frequent use of handheld camera work bequeaths even the most mundane of scenes with a sense of vitality, even the more abstract scenes involving Mr. Penn's lost wanderings through Houston skyscrapers. And Mr. Malick's impulses, namely subjective shots of nature, have never felt more appropriate or refined in their usage as they have here. When this technique was used in The New World (2005), a film I was not a fan of, I often thought to myself that Malick should have just made a nature documentary. Here, the establishment of the subjective shots, whether they be for the humans or the dinosaurs, carries more purpose, and further illuminates the wonders of life and creation that Malick is trying to capture. The heavy use of voice over, often rambling and tiresome in The New World (and flat-out irritating in Days of Heaven) is now focused and filled with surer purpose than ever before.

But there is still a great deal of heart among all of the beauty, both mundane and otherworldly, to be found here. Mr. Malick may be more interested in using the O'Briens as a focal point for his gargantuan exploration of existence, but the family still comes through as actual characters. Young Jack (Hunter McCraken), carries much of the film, as his transformation from toddler to pre-teen encapsulates the loss of innocence, and understanding of growing up that is so key to this story. Whether the O'Brien boys are playing music, or silently, tearfully mourning the family's need to leave their home, Malick and his actors capture it all through facial cues. Even in the film's finale, perhaps the most difficult portion to make sense of, it's hard to ignore that we're experiencing something of beauty and magnitude, even if we're not entirely sure what it all means.

This is not a film to be explained (though you can certainly give it a shot), but rather one to be experienced. Its length and pacing are occasionally trying, but for a story with so little dialogue, it accomplishes so much more than any number of more verbose films. It's also not a film for everyone, and I'll confess that I was nervous that I would feel the same towards Tree as I did toward The New World. But any way you slice it, Malick's latest remains a massive achievement. Whether you think that it's completely self-conscious, pretentious, and insufferable, or a luminous meditation on the nature of life itself is up for grabs, but you can't know unless you actually see it. The Tree of Life is, more than any film which I've ever described as such, one that deserves to be seen, thought over, and discussed, even if you come to the conclusion that it's all a load of spiritual and philosophical hogwash.

Grade: A-

Cannes Review Round-up: "The Tree of Life"

Arguably the most anticipated title at this year's auteur-filled Cannes line-up, Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life finally received its official premiere. Ever since that stunning trailer was released in December, this has been at the top of my list not just for the summer, but for the whole year. I may not be a complete Malick fan (I love Badlands and The Thin Red Line, but feel pretty 'meh' towards Days of Heaven and The New World), but I certainly respect him as a film maker, and can't wait to see what The Tree of Life holds in store (only two more weeks!). However, Malick's last two films (Line and The New World) have seen the director immerse himself more in his signature style, provoking more divided reactions to his films. If Cannes is any indication, The Tree of Life continues, rather than reverses, this trend:

Rope of Silicon - Brad Brevet: (B) "Just as this film to 40 years took make, it may be another 40 years before I'm ever able to come to a final conclusion on what it entirely means to me."

The Hollywood Reporter - Todd McCarthy: (N/A) "But there are great, heady things here, both obvious and evanescent, more than enough to qualify this as an exceptional and major film." "Emmanuel Lubezki outdoes himself with cinematography of almost unimaginable crispness and luminosity."

Movie Line - Stephanie Zacharek: (N/A) "...strong visuals don't necessarily equal strong visual storytelling. If Malick could tell a story mostly with pictures - and faces - why would he need so many voice-overs?"

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw: (5/5 stars) "This film is not for everyone, and I will admit I am agnostic about the final sequence..." "...this is visionary cinema on an unashamedly huge scale: cinema that's thinking big."

The Wrap - Sasha Stone: (N/A) "The Tree of Life is saturated with beauty, inside and out."

Indie Wire - Eric Kohn: (A-) "If Lubezki treats his job like a painter, Malick uses his magic to make the artwork come to life."

The Playlist - Kevin Jagernauth: (B) "...the director has once again created a cinematic experience that is uniquely his own, often powerful and mesmerizing, at times overreaching and overbearing, but never forgettable."

Film School Rejects - Simon Gallagher: (C) "Aiming for an experience is one thing, but presenting an intentionally obtuse, impenetrable thing like this is something else entirely."

The Telegraph - Sukhdev Sandhu: (2/4 stars) "Brad Pitt gives the strongest performance of his career, but The Tree of Life is by far the weakest film Terrence Malick has ever made."

InContention.com - Guy Lodge: (3/4 stars) "His most open-armed and structurally undisciplined film to date, it might yet prove his least rewarding."

Variety - Justin Chang: (N/A) "Few American filmmakers are as alive to the splendor of the natural world as Terrence Malick, but even by his standards, The Tree of Life represents something extraordinary."

Additional Comments: Some critics aren't entirely sold on the ending, and feel that it's a bit too literal considering what comes before. Brad Pitt receives almost unanimous praise for his performance, with solid mentions for Jessica Chastain and young actor Hunter McCracken. Even among mixed or negative reviews, critics feel that The Tree of Life is the sort of movie that needs to be seen, if only to determine which side of the debate you fall on.

Cannes Verdict: Undeniably beautiful and complex, and filled with brilliant filmmaking, The Tree of Life is likely to inspire highly divisive reactions, despite its status as a must-see.

"The Tree of Life" Trailer

Every bit as glorious as I remember it from when I saw Black Swan. The mix of the intimate and epic (and also confusing) imagery, along with the swelling music is all so beautiful and enticing. I'm sure that one of those CG shots was supposed to be from the view of someone/thing standing on an asteroid/moon floating in space. One thing's for sure, we've never seen Terrence Malick go this epic with his poetic and meditative style. Composer Alexandre Desplat said in a recent interview that he was going for a "trance-like" score, which would seem to fit the vibe of the trailer (along with Emmanuel Lubezeki's stunning images). The real question here, though is this: are we still getting that much-whispered about dinosaur scene?

"Tree of Life" trailer reactions

Unfortunately, Fox Searchlight has said that the trailer won't be available online for quite some time. So even though I can't post it here, I can describe what I saw when the trailer rolled before Black Swan (review coming later today. In one word: WOW). Certainly not about to divulge plot, the trailer for Malick's latest was as mysterious as it was beautiful. Interspersed with images of Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain as a 1950's small-town couple are gorgeously rendered images of a planet floating through stunning space backdrops. The "normal" photography doesn't disappoint either. Though the 1950's scenes are mostly rather plain, with faint shades of green playing a prominent role, the more modern day scenes with Sean Penn look gorgeous, especially a series of stunning nature shots. I'd have to re-watch it again and pay more attention to it before I could begin to guess at how this all fits together, but suffice it to say that it hints at something both very intimate and very grand.

First poster for "Tree of Life" [low quality scan] and synopsis

We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, JACK, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

From this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle—precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all things, in the everyday and above all in the family—our first school—the only place that most of us learn the truth about the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important lesson, of unselfish love.

It's very simple and direct, but very effective. The vague details of the synopsis have been summed up before, but it's nice to see such a detailed look at Malick's vision. Hopefully this means that the film's current May release is closer to being cemented.

"Tree of Life" finds a release date (no, seriously this time)

Yes, it's true; Terrence Malick's long-awaited epic The Tree of Life has found a release date, and it's surprisingly early. In addition to festivals like Sundance and, of course, Cannes battling to host the world premiere, the folks at IndieWire are reporting that Malick's latest has been scheduled for limited release starting on May 27, 2011. I know some will bemoan the fact that this could potentially kill the film's Oscar chances, but I'm not really bothered for two reasons. First, Malick's work has only been heavily embraced by AMPAS once, and it was for a war film, albeit a rather meditative one. Second? Um, hello, we get to see the damn this earlier than expected. Awards recognition is always great, especially when it's for a film/director/performance that you think is great, but the whole point of movies isn't awards; it's to see and experience them, and the sooner something as reportedly amazing (and constantly delayed) comes out, the better.

"Tree of Life" release date reached: Fall 2011

JSHDFKHIUEGIFOCYE*(*#HF*(H@#(. Sorry, that was just the tail end of my rage stroke. Fox Searchlight, the indie distributors behind such Oscar hits as Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, and Slumdog Millionaire, have acquired the release rights for Terrence Malick's Tree of Life, which was recently compared to that Kubrick movie set in space. That's great news, especially after word had hit that the original distributor, Apparition, was in financial trouble.

But the good news stops there; Fox Searchlight won't put the film in theaters for the (semi) regular public until about a year from now. Word is, however, that the film could make a debut at next year's Cannes Film Festival, which would at least give us some reviews (and maybe a trailer/clip) to read over and over again. Is it really too much to ask for Martin Scorcese, Clint Eastwood, Darren Aronofsky, the Coen brothers, and Terrence Malick in one year? I think not, but hell, at least we know we'll be getting something closer to whatever Malick's full vision is for this project. For the full article, hop on over to /Film. In the mean time, I'll be busy making this face:

Back to square one, and I'm done.

I'm starting not to care anymore, because I feel that the more I talk/post about it, the longer the wait is going to feel. Another day? Well, it's time for another Tree of Life release update. Thompson on Hollywood posted an article regarding the elusive Terrence Malick's latest - and very mysterious - project. Two parts of the article here caught my eye:

Word is, Malick has not finished cutting the movie down from three to two and a half hours. (Back at the University of Texas at Austin, he lets film students take a crack at editing various scenes.) The film was submitted to the MPAA and received a PG-13 rating.

“

It’s a mystical exploration of the meaning of life, a journey in which a microcosm of a family mirrors the world; the differences between man and woman, husband and wife, are mirrored against nature and grace. It will change the language of movies. It’s a real event. People will say, ‘what the fuck is this?’”

On the first; well, now I wish I'd gone to UT for film school. The notorious recluse is letting students play around with his footage? That's just all sorts of awesome, and seems totally out of character. The second brings me to a much different point. If this film sees the light of day by the end of 2010, I think it might officially be time to take this one down a few pegs (if not completely off) on major Oscar predictions. While I expect the film to go over well with critics and cinephiles, I'm not sure if I see the Academy embracing something so ambitious. Remember, Malick's biggest (and only) date with Oscar was for The Thin Red Line, which despite its meditative nature, was still a war movie, a genre that tends to go over well with AMPAS. Regardless, the film is still one of my most anticipated, but for now, unless an official release date (ie: with a specific month and day) or festival debut date comes out, consider this the start of a moratorium on Tree of Life talk.

It's not even funny anymore...

Like most of the news regarding the release of Tree of Life, this isn't set in stone, but it's still disheartening. After a 2010 release seemed like nearly a sure thing, Apparition - the film's distributor - landed in financial trouble. This would have been fine, but according to this new article, Malick still may not be finished tinkering. So either those rumors about him being "97% done" from April were false, or the notoriously detailed director to going through his film with a comb for the one hundredth time. Has the man never heard of a "director's cut DVD?" Look, as someone who wants to be either a director or producer, I understand that when you have the time to really make a film as you want to make it, you want to do your absolute very best. At the same time, if Malick wants to go over his film until it's absolutely perfect, I doubt he'll ever be totally satisfied. Maybe it's time to stop trying find little things that need fixing, and leave that duty up to the audience. Given Malick's limited but devoted fan-base, something tells me that whatever criticisms people have will come paired with heaps of praise as well.

At long last: "Tree of Life" reaches completion (well...maybe not) and obtains a rating

UPDATE: I think I need to stop making definitive posts about this movie, because within hours or a few days something comes up that throws it all into doubt. Case in point, this latest article at FirstShowing. One of these, this movie will see the light of day...one of these days...

Well it had to happen eventually: the much talked about, much delayed Tree of Life (it can be assumed) has at least completed an initial theatrical cut. Though there are no official confirmations from studio Apparition, the cast, or the reclusive Malick himself, the online community has been able to glean this thanks to Rope of Silicon's lastest MPAA Ratings Bulletin. Exciting news, because it means that, short of complete distributor chaos/implosion (it's been moved from Apparition to Cottonwood), the film will receive its intended late 2010 release and maybe even play at key festivals in Venice or Toronto, which would mean early reviews, which would mean actual information about the carefully guarded, ambitious film. Reset your clocks everyone; only another 15 years until the next Malick project nears completion. Although frankly, I'd have trouble completing a film too if all of my shots looked like this:

P.S. Is it legal to marry a picture?

*sigh* Another "Tree of Life" delay

Mr. Malick does like to take his time, doesn't he? At this point I think I'd be grateful if we saw this film by the end of 2015. I was really hoping to finally hear some official reviews of the film (y'know, something other than quotes of "OMG AMAZING" from people who worked on it) from Venice and/or Toronto. You can read the article HERE.

Tree of (speculated) Knowledge

It's no secret that Terrence Malick's Tree of Life is, well, full of secrets. The notoriously reclusive director has been especially guarded on his latest project, which some speculate has been gestating since the 1970s, and was once known only as Q. Little details have popped up here and there, but finally, at long last, some real answers have arrived. Paul Maher over at PopMatters.com has put together a wonderfully detailed article about everything that is "confirmed" regarding the film, now slated for release (I hope) this November or December. Now, when I say "confirmed," I mean every bit of speculation, not 100% confirmed facts. But for a director as reclusive as Malick, speculation is almost as good as fact in its own odd way. Click the link to read the full article, which is filled with lots of wonderful info.

New "Tree of Life" production still

What else is there to say other than "wow, that's beautiful"? The richness of color, though downplayed by darkness, is sumptuous. This isn't surprising considering that A) it's a Malick film and B) Emmanuel Lubezki is director of photography. As of April, the the film was reportedly "97% finished," and there has been a secret test screening in Austin (why do they always get the great secret screenings?). This is good news, because knowing Malick, that final 3% could take a while. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

New snippet of (positive) buzz for "Tree of Life"

It's things like this that made me wish I'd gone to film school in Texas; how amazing would it have been to a secret screening!? This was posted on SlashFilm as a reader comment, so take it with a grain of salt. That said, Austin has had several recent high profile "secret" screenings of films before (including There Will be Blood), and seeing as Mr. Malick resides in or around the city, it's not implausible. Hmm, 97% complete? As good as Badlands? TRAILER SOON?

The blurb: He screened it to an audience of about thirty, and it's literally 97% done. Our boss was able to see it, and called it the best film of his since "Badlands". Emmanuel Lubezki was in attendance, as was some vfx gurus (one of which was my boss).

"Tree of Life" NOT a Cannes certainty; "The Rum Diary" and "Expendables" are

Oh Terrence Malick...just...why...

No, it's not 100% out; People lists it as a "possible shoo-in," but after sooooo much back-and-forth, it's not boding well.

"Tree of Life" confirmed for Cannes!! [EDIT] May not be from reliable source

EDIT Part II: Thanks to The Playlist for the heads up about my possibly sketchy source material (can I blame it on the guy who posted it on IMDb?).

And by "Cannes," I mean Cannes 2010, not 2011, 2012, 2050, etc...Mr. Malick has another film that he needs to take years and years on. This is great. Maybe some of (but not too much) of the mystery around this film can finally be lifted. Although, as frustrating as it would be, I'd rather have the film not play at Cannes so long as it definitely is released THIS year. I'm not even the biggest Malick fan. I think Badlands is very good and think The Thin Red Line is a poetic piece of brilliance. However, Days of Heaven and The New World have always felt too vague, too poetic, and too "empty," plot and character-wise, even though Days of Heaven is one of the most gorgeous achievements ever committed to film (the video in the link doesn't do it justice). Even so, I'm still excited for this one, because when Malick's films soar, they're quite remarkable. And even when they feel a little empty, they're always beautiful in sight and sound. And sometimes you need a little poetic eye candy.

Source: purepeople.com (foreign site/magazine)

In a few weeks, the 63th Cannes Film Festival will open its doors to an audience of stars is expected. Last year the arrival highly glamorous PittPresenting Inglourious BasterdsAnd Jolie caused a sensation. It is very pregnant with her twins, Angie was also present in May 2008 with her lover. For the third time, the Hollywood Duo again face the courthouse steps on the second day of the festival after the screening of Opening Movie, Robin Hood of Ridley ScottWith Crowe and Cate Blanchett. Brad Pitt will present the latest feature film by Terrence Malick (The Red Line, The New World) Entitled The Tree of LifeWhich the star shares the bill with Penn. The beautiful Angelina and Brad should accompany her could stay in their property in the Var with their six children, but what will happen to Sean Penn, who won the 1997 Best Actress Award at Cannes She's So Lovely and was Chairman of the Board 2008? Last year Robin Wright - Which is now separate - Had lit up the festival as juror. Sean will there solo or with a particular person?
Other works, which will be officially announced on April 15, the festival will panic during those few days. The American conquest should take place with a strong presence overseas. The arrival of Terrence Malick is a huge event for this great director is as talented as miserly achievements: The Tree of Life is his fifth feature film since 1973.

"Tree of Life" news, er, rumors: release date revealed (???)

If there's one piece of release-date-news/gossip that I hope is true, it's this one. It was tedious enough last year with the constant "will it/won't it?" articles every other week, but now it seems that Malick's next film (only his fifth) is finally coming to a set release day. Even if, for whatever reason, the film is pushed back AGAIN to 2011, it is set to bow at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May, meaning that we'll finally get to learn a little more about this mysterious project, and those rumors about a 40 minute IMAX companion piece.

Source: The Playlist

A few rumors have been making the rounds of late regarding Terrence Malick's long-gestating "The Tree of Life" starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.
One, the film will come out in November and two, the film, might not be ready for Cannes 2010 and might instead hit the fall film festival.
Well, apparently those rumors are on the money or at least half right. Anne Thompson spoke to Apparition's Bob Bearney today, and confirms that indeed, the picture will hit the U.S. in November and, “that doesn’t mean it won’t be ready for Cannes,” Bearney says as has been speculated by many.
Are we reading into that comment too much? To us and what we've heard and been told, as of right now, it seems up in the air whether 'Tree of Life' will be ready in the sense that nothing, not even Cannes, can rush Terrence Malick. It probably won't become clearer until closer to the festival itself and surely, they'd leave a last minute spot available for Malick should a last minute delivery be the case.
Meanwhile, another recent rumor is that the film will have a release date of May 12 in France, but if it's officially coming out in the U.S. in November as confirmed by the guy who runs the distribution company, we highly, highly doubt they'd release it in other parts of the world that far in advance. In fact, we'd bet all the money in the world against it.
Lastly, Christian Bale (who had a role in Malick's 2005 film, "The New World"), Javier Bardem, Rachel McAdams, and Olga Kurylenko are all on board for an untitled romantic drama that Malick will evidently begin filming this fall. If that actually happens (and don't necessarily bet on it) it would probably be the fastest back-to-back projects Malick has ever done. God, we hope it does happen, that cast under Malick sounds tremendous.

May 12th, 2010: The day "Tree of Life" finally sees the light of day

Well it's about time. Sure, Terrence Malick is a reclusive perfectionist, but after all of the back and forth on this film last summer/early fall, it's nice to know that this intriguing film will finally be released to the public. However, what I really want to know about is that supposed 40 minute companion piece shot for IMAX featuring a mythical creation story and spectacularly rendered dinosaurs (quite the contrast to the film's plot, involving generational relationships). Was that a myth? We'll have to see. I'm not a full on Malick enthusiast (loved all of Badlands and The Thin Red Line, only loved the cinematography/production values of Days of Heaven and The New World), but the man does make interesting, poetic films, and should be worth seeing.

Source: AwardsDaily/Le Film Francais

The Tree of Life is now officially scheduled for a French release on May, 12, meaning that not only should it go to Cannes but it could also be the Opening film. Just saying. Films are ALWAYS released on Wednesday in France, with the very exception of Cannes releases when a film is presented in official competition. If it is NOT pushed to the 13, 14, 15...that will mean it WILL be the Opening film, if it is pushed a few days, it will be competing later during the Cannes fortnight anyways.