This looks like it could be amazing. Terrence Malick’s fifth film, The Tree of Life, may be a return to the unanimous praise he’s used to, after the mixed reception that was initially greeted with the New World. In fairness, getting Colin Farrell on board would potentially throw most film’s artistic credentials into jeopardy… The master of scenic epics returns with what looks like an outrageously… scenic epic. Whilst being the forefather of all things stunning cinematography(you would expect nothing less from a Malick feature), ‘The Tree of Life’ seems to be a fascinating exploration of a life lived in its entirety, and assessed from the journey from birth, growth, development to becoming a wayward lost soul, and attempting to make sense of it all. Sounds pretty ambitious. Especially considering that whole ‘meaning of life’ conundrum we tend to try and make sense of from time to time…

But this trailer has seriously caught my eye. Brad Pitt as the stern father and Sean Penn as the grown man trying to find his way seem like particularly meaty roles, and he arguably couldn’t have got two more appropriate people to play them. Obviously, its looks like a scenic tour de force, and nature seems to be shot in all all its resplendid glory, the only way Malick knows (see Badlands or Days of Heaven for the best example of course). 

Details on plot have been kept as secret as Malick’s private life, apparently, and there has been a big guessing game surrounding general knowledge of the film, and curiously, its release date, which has been repeatedly pushed back. It was originally due late last year, before being mooted for an early 2011 launch, but it appears it is now going to be held so it can premiere at Cannes. Who knows though. With the general aura of mystery surrounding many of its aspects, anything could happen.

Either way, bring it on. Apart from cinematography gala affair its obviously going to be(the usual), whats making me most intrigued is how Malick’s potentially fascinating exploration of, well, life in general, is actually going to turn out. Its a pretty big ask, and challenging subject matter to say the least. Then again, this isn’t exactly something he’s ever shirked before. And anyway, he’s more than likely given himself enough time to work it out, I’m guessing it will probably a good ol’ epic clocking in at the 2 and a half hour mark… And who knows, within that time frame we might actually get to ascertain what the meaning of life is. Thanks Terrence, we’d been trying to figure that one out for a while.