Sharath Kumar
5. Badlands (1973)
Based on the real-life story of a couple on the run for the murders they committed, ‘Badlands’ poses fine maturity for a debut feature. Like many of his works, Malick uses voice-overs to narrate the story of a teenage girl when she instantly falls for a guy who loves to be crowned as a criminal. He kills her father who disapproves their affair and preys on people for no psychological reason. The film was more American than it intended to be, aesthetically capturing the roads ranging from South Dakota to the Badlands of Montana.
4. Voyage of Time (2016)
There can’t be a better creator than Terrence Malick to helm a stellar project like ‘Voyage of Time’. Not because that he spent half of his lifetime engineering it, but because of the beauty it withholds. ‘Voyage of Time’ is not just a documentary, it’s a life-like experience with artistically exuberant clippings compiling the birth and evolution of our known universe. Malick begun its filming 35 years ago and the project was under the radar all along. Two versions were released, with the full-length feature narrated by Cate Blanchett and ‘The IMAX experience’ voiced over by Brad Pitt. No matter which version you tune in, you will be left with shoulders shrugged as Malick himself lauded it as ‘One of my greatest dreams’
3. Days of Heaven (1978)
As a prerequisite of Malick’s auteurism and a testament to the unprecedented brilliance of romance dramas, ‘Days of Heaven’ finely pictures the bittersweet love triangle that is drawn among a labour, his girlfriend and a farmer who hires them as seasonal workers. It is only the 2nd feature film of Malick that proved his dexterity and his love for cinema. The film is so double-edged that it makes you feel pity for the characters as well as execrate them for their absurdity. Ennio Morricone’s gushy musical notes scaled the movie’s height while Nestor Almendros swaying camera angles gifted him an academy award for his work in the film.
2. The Thin Red Line (1998)
Contrary to the belief ‘All is fair in love and war’ Terrence Malick made ‘The Thin Red Line’ which came after his 20 years of hiatus – the longest holiday ever spent by a director. It would be outlandish to imagine a war film echoing philosophies. Whereas, Malick with his sheer brilliance proved it otherwise, as philosophies are totally his cup of tea. Semi-fictionally adapted from James Jones’ autobiography, this epic World War II drama delineates a large platoon of allied American soldiers marching the areas of Guadal canal to seize the island from the Japanese troops. The film was nominated for a handsome number of 7 Oscars including ‘Best Picture’ but ended it’s run without a win.
1. The Tree of Life (2011)
Inarguably one of the greatest films of this century. Malick’s experimental yet so philosophical masterpiece ‘The Tree of Life’ is a metaphor by itself. It shadows a man’s vision of the happy days he lost in his childhood intertwined with his present day as an architect. By deploying a meticulously scripted plot, Malick tries to convey the notions behind two ultimate forces of humanity – Nature and Grace. The film diligently quests the odds of theism and transcendence with the pre-historic imageries of life’s inception on earth. And trust me; it’s visually stunning in every frame.
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