Films of the Decade, No. 25


Over the next 25 weeks I'll be rolling out my favorite films of the last decade. This is, as all lists of this kind, personal selections. Agree, disagree, make a comment and share your thoughts!

No. 25 Tree of Life (2011)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain
Director: Terrence Malick
Academy Award Nominations: 3
Academy Award Wins: 0
About: This is probably the film on the list I struggled the most with. It's a personal list of films I loved in the decade, and I would never have classified "Tree of Life" as a film I love. Yet it's one I've seen many times, and one that's stuck with me for years. I've taught the film, and I've thought of it often. And ultimately, when it came time to make this list, it felt wrong not to have it as a part of the collection. So here it sits, No. 25. The film was polarizing when it was released. Reportedly at the Cannes film festival, where it debuted, half the audience gave it a standing ovation and half booed. It seems most people either love the film or hate the film. I don't love it or hate it, but I am drawn to it. Probably for some of the same ways that Malick was drawn to tell the story. It begins with a passage of Scripture from the book of Job. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4, 7) If you understand the verse in context—it's where God is speaking to Job after Job's accusations of God in the midst of sorrow and suffering—it frames the rest of this film. It's a meditation by someone who wants to believe in a loving and benevolent God, someone whose faith tells them it's wrong to question that notion of God, but who struggles with the sorrow and injustice he sees in the world. It's a lot of internal monologues, a lot of beautiful shots, and a lot of time asking you to search your heart and think about the content being provided. That isn't everyone's cup of tea, I know, but it is something that, as I said, has stuck with me for all this time, and is a reason I come back to this story. It stirs something in me that only the best art can do, and so it needed to be on this list. The film is beautifully shot, a reason Malick was nominated as a director and it earned a Cinematography nomination, but it didn't win anything. Still, the enduring mark of a film isn't awards, as I mentioned in the introduction to this series last week. It remains a film that I find fascinating and one that provides some food for thought, especially for people of faith as we think about what makes it hard for the world to share that faith at times.
Rating: PG-13 for some thematic material.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more