‘To The Wonder’: Terrence Malick’s riskiest film

 

(2013 – Director: Terrence Malick   Cast: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Javier Bardem)

The mythical Terrence Malick. A man who at one time went twenty years between making a movie. A man whose style can’t be compared.  A man who is virtually a ghost in an industry obsessed with public image and making yourself known. Malick stands tall as a beacon for filmmakers that desire the art to stand by itself. For so many films it’s easy to see it more of a business than art, but there’s no mistaking Malick’s films for a business. He takes risks not many people are willing to take. And what’s harder to believe is that he does it all while getting A-list cast members.

Spirituality in Movies

I think most of us would agree that good stories, whether that be a novel, a comic book, a movie, or a tv show, all have some sort of reflection period in them that make us question something about ourselves, or in a greater sense, humanity. These are the stories that stick with us. I’ll never forget the aging love story in Amour. I’ll never forget how The Fountain gave me insight on how one might struggle coping with the death of a loved one. I’ll never forget how The Descendants made me want to leave a positive legacy for my children someday. The themes and messages a film leaves as its legacy have always interested me much more than say technical achievements, or quality of acting.

Top Ten of 2011

Since going to the theatres to see the majority of films I want to see in a year is near impossible, I’ve waited to give my top ten list of 2011 until now.