Watched this Yesterday:
The Tree of Life (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2011)
I don't know how to describe this film due to my poor ability to describe

.
Maybe review from
High-Def Digest can get you better understanding of this fantasy film.
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The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take
It's difficult to encapsulate Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life' into a simple movie review. It quite possibly defies any conventional review rating scale, because of its uniqueness. Like a piece of art hanging in a gallery, the feelings, meanings, and morals represented are completely subjective to the viewer. Malick has crafted an experience that isn't so much a rigid narrative, as it is a stream of consciousness about the wonders of life -- big and small.
I'm not a universal Malick fan. To me, 'The New World' is one of the most sleep-inducing films out there. However, when he gets it right, he really gets it right. It's almost impossible to simply say what the movie is about, since it's about everything. Its main storyline has to do with the O'Brien family and their three sons growing up in the 50s. Their father (Brad Pitt) is a strict authoritarian figure who pushes his kids to be "better." Or at least what he views as better. Like so many children, they are able to easily spot the hypocrisies in their dad's actions and question his whole method of parenting.
The oldest child, Jack (Hunter McCracken), has taken it upon himself to rebel. Through a series of scenes we see Jack grow and change, becoming more and more bitter as he realizes that his dad is a flawed human being.
Countering the father's severe nature is a loving mother (Jessica Chastain) who is a shelter for the children when dad flips out. She and her husband are constantly at odds on what's the best way to teach their children. She hugs them close, while he teaches them about violence and getting ahead in the world at any cost. It's an interesting dichotomy that is truly the crux of the movie. The beginning opens with a voiceover explaining that there are two ways through this world: grace and nature. With the help of the special feature on this set, we come to realize that while the mother exudes the theme of grace, their father is nature. She tries to build them up, while he relentlessly tears them down. She's cool and calm, he's oppressive.
'Tree of Life' isn't your normal film. Not at all. The camera isn't so much telling as it is observing. Many of the scenes seem unplanned like the actors were told to interact with each other and the camera would just be there witnessing the event. In this way Malick is able to capture some of the more powerful, yet subtle reactions children have. We're able to perceive each scene in our own unique way. The family interaction captured here is real, poignant, and extremely emotional. It's a distinctive level of humanistic understanding that I haven't seen in any other movie I've ever watched.
Juxtaposed against this family and their real-life troubles is a creation story of sorts. A sweeping set of images placed strategically by Malick to give us a sense of awe and wonder about life. How insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. How awesome nature is and how everything in the universe is somehow connected. Do I think he goes a little overboard with the abstract imagery? At times, yes I do. While some of it is amazing to look at, I found myself wondering what this has to do with anything, or if it's actually meant to mean something anyway. Like I said, a work of art will elicit a thousand different opinions and feelings from a thousand different people, and this film is no different. One scene may impact someone while it leaves another feeling empty and cold. That's okay, though, because after seeing this film again I'm convinced there's no right or wrong way to view it. It's just there, like an abstract painting hanging on a wall. You're free to make up your own mind regarding its merit because it forces you to.
One thing that I will say definitively about 'Tree of Life' is that out of all the movies I saw this year, this one made me think about it the most after I'd walked out of the theater. Months later I found myself wondering about certain scenes and about the feelings I felt after watching it. It's a cinematic journey that definitely sticks with you.
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Final Thoughts
I really wish I didn't have to assign a finite score to 'The Tree of Life.' It's simply an experience. An expedition into the deepest human emotions. I don't think I've ever seen a movie so aptly encapsulate childhood and the way we remember things. We don't remember our pasts in a linear fashion, just fragments here and there. One memory leads to another and so on.
The video and audio are about the best you're going to find on Blu-ray. The banding was a tiny bit of a problem, but when you compare it to the whole it's hardly noticeable. The fact is you'll be blown away by the audio and visual presentations of this disc. 'The Tree of Life' is highly recommended.
This post has been edited by low98944: Oct 15 2011, 09:05 AM