"The Tree Of Life" DVD (director: Terrence Malick)

Abstracted, metaphysical, metaphorical, non-sequential, and poetic, this masterpiece from the legendary director is a beautiful and harrowing look at life, growth, spirituality, and love as seen through the eyes of a young boy named Jack. We follow Jack from conception to adulthood, and as a grown-up (played by the inimitable Sean Penn) he re-traces his steps and mis-steps in life and his conflicted relationship with his troubled father (portrayed by Brad Pitt).

Cinematically rich and colorful, Malick's kaleidoscopic lens captures not only a realistic depiction of boyhood in the 50s, but also a cosmic evolution/genesis of life itself, often in relation to Jack's own birth and growth. "The Tree Of Life" is a bittersweet film with an understated subtlety, relating the pain of growing older and wiser with what some may see as a pretentious and heavy-handed philosophical angle. i prefer to see this one simply as a truly artful fllm that inspires and provokes.

Either way, this decidedly non-commercial work is a visually stunning homage to the splendor (and sorrow) of life itself, and Malick's carefully-crafted cinematography is both gorgeous and memorable. Highest marks! (Fox Searchlight)

Tree Of Life site

What Is It?

So I finally got a chance to see Crispin Hellion Glover's fabled (and reportedly rare) film (the first of a proposed trilogy) called 'What Is It?', courtesy of my longtime comrade in crime, Pauly R. (thanx brother!), and wow! Imagine a hallucinogenic, surrealist mixture of Jodorowsky and Fellini, with a hint of Korine, and maybe even a dash of Lynch, too. This one is beyond description (too fucked-up/beautiful for words), but I see it as a tale of a young man (with Down's Syndrome, no less), who loves snails and has a wickedly troubled inner dialogue, and some pretty hideous demons to be confronted. That said, it's also a really dark comedy. I knew there was a reason I always liked Fairuza Balk (who portrays the voice of a screaming snail, believe it or not, as well as a predatory praying mantis), and the respected Adam Parfrey is also in it, as well as 'appearances' by Shirley Temple (I think they were phoned in, hah!), and music by Charlie Manson AND the mighty Anton LaVey. Oi vey! It isn't easy to find, but if these names mean anything to you, Glover's artistic vision may be something you need to invest in. Definitely NOT for the squeamish, as there's some graphic stuff here (which I won't go into). Open minds only, please! Check Glover's site for more info.