Filmography: The New World (2005); The Tree of Life (2011); To The Wonder (2012) Compared to the astounding seventeen films Steven Soderbergh has churned out, a measly three films in a span of fourteen years may not seem like much, but for a man who took a twenty year break from movies from 1978 to 1998, that's Joey Chestnut-hot-dog-eating level speed. The ever enigmatic and intensely private Malick (the man has rarely been photographed) may take his sweet time in developing his films, but when they are finally released, they're usually worth the wait. Malick's unmistakable style is marked by hushed voice-overs, beautiful cinematography filled with shots of nature, and a sincere and deep concern with man's spiritual place in the world. While the more cynical cineastes claim Malick's mise en scene has become so predictable to the point of self-parody, those that can surrender themselves to the spiritual meditations of Malick's mind will find themselves better for the journey. No matter what subject matter Malick tackles, his gaze is always fixed on something beyond the fleeting confines of human existence. Particularly in Malick's divisive Palme d'Or winning masterpiece, The Tree of Life, we see Malick's ability to conjoin such seemingly disparate topics as the story of a boy growing up in 1950's Texas and the creation of the cosmos into one thematically resonant piece. Malick is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but for those in tune with the wavelength he operates on, there are few directors who can elicit such powerful emotions.
A film fanatic at a very young age, starting with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies and gradually moving up to more sophisticated fare, at around the age of ten he became inexplicably obsessed with all things Oscar. With the incredibly trivial power of being able to chronologically name every Best Picture winner from memory, his lifelong goal is to see every Oscar nominated film, in every major category, in the history of the Academy Awards.
