rozziemarie I appreciate the approach letting the film tell the story and allow us to get inside what they are experiencing. The down side is not really being able to read the subtitles because it's done so subtly, it's difficult to stay connected because you can barely read them. It's a film meant to be seen in a theater. It needs to surround you.

hunter-friesen Terrence Malick is probably one of the more divisive filmmakers today. He's ambitious and doesn't play by the rules of traditional cinema. His films are hard to understand and can either be hit or miss depending on who you are. Considered by many as one of his misses, To the Wonder is an experimental film by Malick that doesn't quite grasp what he achieved with The Tree of Life. However, To the Wonder is a beautiful film that is a feast for the eyes and a serenade for the ears. The film tracks the difficult relationship between Neil (Ben Affleck), an American, and Marina (Olga Kurylenko), a French woman. They fall in love in France, and after some time move to Neil's home state of Oklahoma. Problems arise quickly as Marina realizes that Oklahoma is way less populated and social as Paris, which puts a strain on her happiness and relationship with Neil. The strain is further compounded when Neil reunites with a former love, Jane (Rachel McAdams). Also living in Oklahoma is Father Quintana (Javier Bardem). He's a Spanish priest who has had his faith tested recently and is trying to once again find meaning.What I described above was all the plot in this 112-minute film. Fortunately for the viewer, Malick is the master of show, don't tell. He's not concerned with details or building up the characters (the names are never really revealed), he's focused on central themes such as love and forgiveness. Events play out in a dream-like sequence, almost like someone is remembering pieces of their past. Parts of this film are indeed autobiographical since Malick, the writer as well as director, had a French wife and lived in the midwest with her. There appears to be a lack of cohesiveness, but that is made up for through the emotional connection each scene shares. The characters engage and eventually interact with each other as time goes on. We get to know the characters more by their actions instead of their words.Veteran Malick collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki helmed the camera for this film and did an amazing job. He brilliantly uses the camera to track the movement of the characters and gets uncomfortably close to them so we can see all their inner emotions. Natural light is heavily used and the Oklahoma sun shines bright, creating a beautiful film with multiple shots worthy of a gallery show.Noone in this film really acts, they only do. It feels as if Malick told the actors to to just do things and have the camera follow them. There's never a moment where they are not doing something important to the story through their actions. Narration is substituted for dialogue here just like it was for The Tree of Life and Song to Song. On-screen dialogue is rare as we get most of our information from inner monologues each character delivers. It's hard to follow at times, but it's effective as it emphasizes the themes of personal struggle and love. To the Wonder is Terrence Malick at his most Malick. His use of minimal dialogue and plot can be considered boring and shallow to some. But this film should not be compared to others, instead, it should be celebrated as a gorgeous piece of cinema that is both unique and thought-provoking.

AgentSniff There is a amazing film in here, somewhere. I love the music choices, the actors and the cinematography. There are some really interesting scenes in here. But the film falls on Malick's usual traps. The Thin Red Line was saved for me when we actually got to know the characters a bit better. But the fault of Malick is his love for voice over and character's running around in pretty pictures. In the scenes where the characters actually gets to act against one another are great. And do not think Malick should have thrown all voice over and all silent moments. They are especially effective in the first part of the film when Olga Kurylenko & Ben Affleck fall in love. But it simply gets tedious when that's the entire film. There are scenes like when Affleck throws Kurylenko out of a car which could have been amazing, but because the way the film is made it loses a bit of it's impact. The scene where Javier Bardem talks to the janitor in the church was amazing and it became even more apparent that Malick really can direct actors in the scene with the friend played by Romina Mondello. If only Terrence Malick did not edit all these moments away, his films would be much better.

dsgoorevitch I loved Badlands so when Malick finally came out with another film, The Thin Red Line, 25 years later, I was excited. I was on dialysis at the time when it came on the TV. The first half was Shakespearean in scope: I had hopes to see another Badlands and the first half exceeded that tremendously. But dialysis ended and I had to go. When I picked up the movie later, I was disappointed. Maybe it was only because it was split that way. But I've tried since and... no luck. So I was filled with apprehension when I began to watch this one, To The Wonder, another long wait, a dozen years but gladly only half the first.This time there was nothing to stop me from watching it whole. From the beginning it was captivating and, without having to have anything spelled out (Malick does not insult the viewer's intelligence), the story presents itself simply and clearly. Every turn of the plot is announced with the subtlest of feeling, imagery, music. One doesn't need to be told when it's over, when a character is too afraid to be where he ought to be and at the end, listening to the voice-over, I'm praying for it not to end. And that too is part of the movie.Some of the actors have flaws as actors. Malick uses those flaws to mold the characters to their skins. I have never liked Affleck, for example, but what I dislike about him was perfectly the character. Brilliant casting!Many masterpieces end with a feeling, "This is it! This is what life is!" but this one was not just what life is but what life is in its totality with nothing left out. I'm overwhelmed.This film is about commitment, not just to others but to life itself. Love life, it says, because life loved you by giving you life, by giving you its self.