Note: It may be a bit of a stretch to call The Tree of Life science-fiction, but I think it easily fits under the wider umbrella of speculative fiction, so enjoy!
With ponderous pacing and sparse dialogue, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life evokes 2001: A Space Odyssey as well as previous entries in Malick’s own polarizing body of work such as The New World.
“Tree of Life” is a popular concept pertaining to the interconnectivity of all existing life and is applied across many fields including science, philosophy and religion. Discussion of this topic is an entirely separate can of worms from the film, but it is helpful to mind the title’s background when watching.
Here’s a look at the gorgeous poster:
Science-fiction is a fascinating beast; it’s instantly recognizable yet difficult to define comprehensively. For example, whenever you come across aliens, sentient machines, time-travel or any of the various other archetypal sci-fi elements in a story, you know you’re experiencing science-fiction.
I’ve come across several definitions of science-fiction and here is one, in my own words, that seems to sum it up well:
A story within a setting that differs scientifically or technologically from our own.
This seems to be broad enough to cover all of the outliers without being too inclusive, but I think more needs to be said about the genre. While it’s great to have some purely entertaining films that fall into this genre (Star Wars and Men In Black come to mind), I tend to think great science-fiction provides some commentary as well.
Generally, these films examine how, even in futuristic and advanced societies, we can never escape the human condition. This isn’t necessary but with the exception of Star Wars, these are the ones that tend to pass into legend.
Speculative-fiction is a term I’ve been playing around with a bit lately. It’s a broader term than science-fiction and in some cases might include fantasy, horror and the supernatural. While I do like “speculative,” for being a more baggage-free term than “science,” I don’t want my sci-fi lumped in with any of those previously mentioned subgenres (fantasy, etc.) when discussing spec or sci-fi.
This makes spec-fi a term that is only helpful on occasion but still nice to have handy when needed.
One of my favorite things to do is share my favorite movies with someone who hasn’t seen them before. It may sound creepy, but I like to watch their reactions as much as I like to watch the movie itself.
I’ve recently been given the golden opportunity to watch the Terminator franchise with one of my roommates, Kyle. Here’s the rundown on Kyle: Read more…
There is so much more to science-fiction than people running in the streets from alien invaders dodging explosions.
This is why I’ve decided to create a list of “The Best Sci-fi Films for People Who Don’t Like Sci-fi.” The titles on this list are firmly within the sci-fi realm, but do not rely on viewer inclination towards the genre. They all feature rich, balanced stories and just seem to have a touch of the other-worldly. This list is completely alien-free! I promise!
Without further ado, here are seven great sci-fi films that don’t have any overbearing sci-fi-ness and shouldn’t scare away any hesitant newcomers.
In order of release date:
Back to the Future (1985)
By its title, this one may not sound like it keeps the sf elements on the down-low, but without the time-travel elements, this is just one of the all-time-great romantic comedy quirkfests. Read more…
Children of Men (2006)
Children of Men is as visually arresting as it is intellectually stirring. Writer/director Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) has accomplished so much with this film that it’s difficult to know where to begin.
Unfortunately it must be stated; this was a relative box-office bomb, failing to recoup its reasonable $74 million budget. It’s a high-concept film to be sure, but that’s a disappointing reason for a film of this caliber to be ignored. Then again, the same could be said for Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner in 1982, which has since become known as an indispensible classic. Read more…
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1963)
How did I stumble upon this 48-year-old novel by Walter Tevis? This past summer, I was at an independent theater in downtown Dallas to see The Tree of Life. Sitting in my seat, I saw a preview for a re-release of the 1976 film starring David Bowie. The trailer for the film was fantastic and after The Tree of Life, I had to know more.
When I discovered the film was an adaptation of a 1963 novel, I realized I had a rare opportunity to experience a classic novel without having already seen the film adaptation. Having already seen the film versions prior to reading the novels in several cases including Jurassic Park and No Country for Old Men, I knew I had to seek out the book before trying to wrangle up a copy of the out-of-print celluloid.
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