MoviesPig Sneak Peek: The Tree of Life (2011)

           
          If you were wondering what that strange trailer before Black Swan was, you are in luck because MoviesPig has the inside scoop.  It was an abstract and artistically beautiful trailer of what we now know is called "The Tree of Life".  This is elusive director Terrance Malick's (The Thin Red Line, Days of Heaven) highly anticipated new feature.  Though the film is slated for a May release, we know our fans want to hear the news as soon as we get it.
          Not much is known about the plot of "The Tree of Life", due to the fact that Malick is a very private and secretive filmmaker, but he did say that the film is about three brothers and centers on the eldest.  In an interview with Malick he explained that "The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence".  The movie is a period piece that takes place in a farm town in the mid fifties.  Brad Pitt plays the tough, but loving father of the boys and Sean Penn plays a supporting role.  This is Pitt's (Inglourious Basterds, Seven) most serious role since "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons"(2008).  While no trailer is availible online as of yet, the preview that premiered on December 3rd with Black Swan gave us a sample of the beautiful and scenic camera work that Malick is known for.  The film was shot on IMAX cameras, but may or may not be shown in IMAX theaters.
          The road to "The Tree of Life" has been a long one.  Terrance Malick has been trying to get this film made since late 2005.  Many actors have been on and off the project since then.  At one point Mel Gibson was set to star and Malick also spoke with Colin Farrell about the possibilty of a role.  In the late stages of preproduction Heath Ledger was slated to play the father, but after his tragic death, director Terrance Malick had to find someone to replace him.  Finally Brad Pitt stepped in and took over.  During the 2010 Telluride film festival the feature was screened to Fox Searchlight Pictures and Sony Picture Classics.  In the end, Fox Searchlight Pictures snagged the deal and set the release date to May 27th, 2011.  All of us here at MoviesPig are very excited about "The Tree of Life" and will do the best we can to keep you up to date on this film in the future.