1. The Tree Of Life Is Too Generalised To Raise Real Questions
Im expecting a little bit of backlash on this entry given how highly regarded Terrence Mallicks long anticipated return to directing is (it was the only film from the current decade to make the BFIs decennary greatest film list), but so be it. The Tree Of Life is a blank slate. Its three different sections that are melded together so loosely that you can read whatever the hell you like into it; the only questions it prompts are questions you brought in with you. The bulkiest section of the film, featuring angry father Brad Pitt, has the weight of a solid family drama and its shaky cinematography and fluid editing can be read as a representation of memory. The others aren't as strong. A lengthy creation of the universe stretch, without a doubt the most divisive part, comes and leaves unannounced, to the extent where you could pick it up and plonk it in just about any film and have the same meaning. And Sean Penn wandering around confused is fleeting, but its ending, with him meeting his loved ones on a beach is a much used trope; reunion in a purgatory-esque place wasnt fresh when Lost did it. Only the main segment has any individual merit and leaves you with a film that is purposely making itself impenetrable. After a polarised reaction in Cannes, its subsequent Palme DOr lead to totally positive reviews, suggesting more about critical peer pressure than the films smarts. This list is far from exhaustive - what films do you think arent as smart as they think they are? Have your say in the comments.
