The Tree of Life

Director: Terrence Malick

Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain

This film is brilliant, if it's your cup of tea. If not, I'm pretty sure you'd hate it. If it is, this self-indulgent slow mover is probably the perfect way to spend an evening. It has to be said, it was a little slow and a few people walked out of the cinema during the half-an-hour-long montage of artistic photography, and this was perhaps a little over the top for a film that was bound to be shown in all major cinemas due to Brad Pitt's surprising role in it; it would have felt more at home in a cellar-cinema with five seats.
The story itself, although central, was minimal and the majority of the conclusions were left to the audience to guess or to invent themselves. In fact even reading the copious reviews online there are some, to me, grave interpretations of the opening event and the core of the film- the death of a son, which is not shown in the film, is confused frequently with the death of a neighbourhood boy that opens the childrens' eyes to the reality of death and, for one (a young Sean Penn) deepens the dissatisfaction of the father/son struggle. Essentially the film is about nature, family turmoil, overcoming grief and most obviously- but not too forcefully- a belief in God which is questioned then solidified. It was, as I said, a little self-indulgent and at times it felt like it would be eternal, but if you're in for that kind of thing I suggest you watch it next time you have a hangover- it's something of a work of art.
It's massive- encapsulating meditatively everything that exists at the same time as focusing on the smallest details of one family's conflicting life. It only falls down where it attempts to literally depict metaphysical events, rather than alluding to and suggesting them- perhaps it would have been more effectively thought-provoking and poetic without the final five minutes.  In places it an Attenborough style observation of wildlife, it's walking with dinosaurs, it's the big bang, it's a father's first encounter with his son, it's the beauty of nature and the beauty of Jessica Chastain, it's birth and death- it's inexpressibly pretentious but profoundly moving and beautiful.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Director- Joe Johnston

Starring- Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell

I don't really want to talk about this film- usually I avoid writing negative reviews, they terrify me. But it's time for me to face my fear. In fact, my friend and I pointedly did not discuss what we had just seen upon leaving the cinema, which is so abnormal it's almost frightening. It wasn't that the film was awful (although it wasn't good)- it was that there seemed to be nothing to discuss. The two and a half hours we spent in the cinema was dead time. Any hint of a story, or what could be called a thrilling film, was covered in a ten minute montage in the middle of the film, and the rest Hayley Atwell, who up until now I have admired, was cast, seemingly, for her looks- she fitted in perfectly with the wartime setting, but her looks never changed. She wouldn't have been out of place in Madame Tussauds. And frankly I'm shocked that Hugo Weaving considered the role. I don't even have anything to put in a review of the film. 24 hours after leaving the cinema I feel like I'm still waiting for it to start. 

The film also serves as a cautionary tale for all producers who invest too much in the not-so-impressive 3D and not enough in the plot itself. As this, and Transformers' most recent installment prove, the results are not worth the money for a ticket.