I’m a big fan of Brett McCracken, the author of Hipster Christianity (Baker, 2010). He is a regular blogger I read too, here.
Art, and specifically, film, have a unique way of introducing themes and truths, even those we’ve forgotten. Or it may re-intorducing ones we have forgot that we forgot. The Big Fish (Tim Burton) did this for me.
I haven’t seen the film The Tree of Life, from Terrence Malick, but my enthusiasm is now whet.
Like the narrative style of the Bible, story can bypass our protective–but growth inhibiting–cynicism, or shortcut our ineffectual preconceptions. Apparently, The Tree of Life may have this in spades.
Here’s the wooing The Tree of Life article done for RELEVANT magazine, by Brett McCracken.
And here’s a short Excerpt I really enjoyed:
Finding “Christ figures” and “redemptive themes” in the movies can be overdone and convoluted, but if ever there were films where it was appropriate and natural, it would be Malick’s films…The Tree of Life, for example, is one gigantic whistle-stop tour through existence, taking us from Genesis to Revelation, reflecting on the nature of God all along the way. As Roger Ebert says of Life: “It’s a form of a prayer.”
Trailer:
What is your most recent “favorite film,”
and why?
The movie certainly looks interesting, and could potentially be very good. I suspect, it is produced quite well also.
It’s on my list of possibilities. But then, there are movies on that list that have been there since……………..
Good review here: http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/movies/the-tree-of-life-from-terrence-malick-review.html?scp=1&sq=tree%20of%20life&st=cse
I agree. Brilliant review. I found myself almost crying at the description of the movie. ugh. What a creme puff is me.
I’m really looking forward to this. Looks like it is overflowing with themes that will encourage conversation.
I completely agree, Jeff!