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'Tree Of Life': Latest In Unusual Career Of Terrence Malick

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Actors Brad Pitt, left, and Laramie Eppler are shown in a scene from "The Tree of Life." (AP/Fox Searchlight)
Actors Brad Pitt, left, and Laramie Eppler are shown in a scene from "The Tree of Life." (AP/Fox Searchlight)

The Washington Post calls Terrence Malick's film "The Tree of Life" "far-reaching but poorly grounded," while the Atlantic sees it as a "beautiful lyrical mess."

Though Malick has helmed a mere five movies in almost 40 years in the industry, his work is often revered: Film lovers rave about "Days of Heaven" and "Badlands," and "The Tree Of Life" won the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

But his films have also been described as maddening, pretentious, and silly. Boston Globe Film critic Ty Burr told Here & Now that when it comes to Malick's films, "some people resist them, and others find absolute rapture in them."

Ty Burr writes that Malick's career is unusual in that "some creative artists start to slow down when they hit their 60s. Terrence Malick appears to be speeding up."

Guest:

  • Ty Burr, Boston Globe film critic

This segment aired on June 3, 2011.

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