9) The Tree of Life (2011) (Dir. Terrence Malick)
Say what you will about Terrence Malick’s fifth film, but The Tree of Life is a remarkable piece of work with a lot to offer those who are prepared to get past its tricky narrative structure. Pretentious? Most definitely. Special? More definitely. Ultimately, this is an experience you’ll either relish or despise, but there’s no denying the massively ambitious nature of Malick’s mind-boggling film. It is unlike anything else.
A largely difficult movie in many respects, The Tree of Life attempts to condense the entire spectrum of life into just over two hours – and does so through a collection of beautifully-rendered sequences existing to show the origins of our planet, and through the story of one boy’s childhood and the relationship he shares with his father. The span is incredible, the visuals are breathtaking… what does it mean exactly? Does it matter much? Love or loathe Malick, The Tree of Life is nothing ever short of ambitious. Not for a single solitary scene.