This is a policy I hold towards most movies because I think part of the experience of enjoying movies in this era consists of gathering perspectives on films outside of our own limited experience. That’s what the internet is the best at. It’s good to have some humility, at least in my opinion, and at least be curious about what other people saw in a movie in order to inform your own primary response to what you saw. Your own experience will always be the most immediate and important aspect of evaluating any movie, but reading about others’ positive experiences with something will at least make you appreciate what someone else could take from it and at best offer you a way in, a window into making a movie work for you in an “aha” sort of way.
The go-to voice for matters such as this has long been Roger Ebert, and likely will continue to be long after his death. For Malick-specific material, I’ve learned a lot from folks like Matt Zoller Seitz and Bilge Ebiri and Glenn Kenny, but there are plenty more worth seeking out. I’ve been converted on a number of directors thanks to persuasive material I’ve read (including the Coens, who it took me years to start to really like), and many write about Malick with fervor. I never said getting into Terrence Malick would be effortless. It wasn’t for me.
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Published: Apr 17, 2013 04:52 pm