To the Wonder

I don't care what anyone else says, I liked Terrence Malick's latest film, To the Wonder. We went to see it last Sunday evening in a tiny, half-empty cinema. As the lights came up, embarrassed laughter broke out amongst the audience - 'Really?' said one guy.

But I enjoyed it. It's true that it feels a lot like a 90s Calvin Klein perfume ad in places. It's also true that some of it doesn't make much sense. It probably is a bit pretentious. But it is also very beautiful and I think it does capture something of the complexities of love. Mostly I liked it because, while the dreamlike cinematography, the minimal dialogue and the Spanish and French voiceover makes this film quite soporific, it also demands concentration in order to keep sight of the narrative thread. All in all, I found it to be a very pleasant - almost meditative - experience!