Tree of Life

I wanted to see Tree of Life, really I did. A person such as myself who likes to think she is up on all that’s cool, hip and now (in movies that is) should see Tree of Life. But it sounded kind of boring. So how did it stack up against my preconceived ideas? Well, it was kind of boring. Yes, it’s cool looking and all that – but on my small screen the awesome visuals could not make up for the inexplicable. For example: What is with the molten lava amid opera music? Views of space overlaid with whispered words — and then dinosaurs? I was like Wha? The whole experience reminded me of watching the animated Fantasia – a movie everyone praises for its loveliness, and I find torturous to watch (have I mentioned that I’m not a big fan of animation). Now, Tree of Life

has a narrative where a family is struggling after the death of one of their boys. There is good acting – I was especially drawn to the oldest as a boy who has an expressively sad face. But the director’s, Terrance Malick, decision to present the story with little dialogue where we merely get a glimpse on everyday scenes of their life, is frustrating. I think there is supposed to be a grand theme about the birth of life or some such thing, but man, I gotta have some plot!