Tree of Life -
Let me preface this by saying that I will not be assigning a numbered value to this review. This film is above and beyond that. Even if I wanted to I'd probably find it impossible to do so.
The films plot is bare bones - a man (Sean Penn) is reflecting on his childhood and his rather troubled and tumultuous upbringing. That's it. However, to judge the film solely on the complexity (or lack thereof) of it's plot is to sell it short. The films bread and butter is very poignant and very striking imagery meant to evoke powerful emotion within each viewer. And in this the film succeeds admirably.
Our avatar in this existential background is Penn's character - Jack. Through him we experience a sundry of emotions : the despair of losing a loved one, our sometimes difficult relationship with our parents, our insecurities, our doubts, our moments of greatest triumph, our internal struggle with faith, our moral compass. Each viewer will take something different from watching it, the amount of themes explored will resonate more strongly with some than others. It's really quite astounding how much sentiment Malick has been able to extract from us with the simplest of notions and images. A shot of a soft hand caressing a flower might as well be a love poem. It's just so powerful and the images burn in the retina of your minds eye long after the film is finished.
Admittedly, this film won't be for everyone. It's extensive running time and aforementioned lack of a tangible plot might put many off. If, however, you're a patient viewer willing to enter the world that Malick crafted with no expectations and no preconceived notions, you'll be well on your way to having one of the greatest cinematic experiences you could ever hope to have.