Now online: the official website for Terrence Malick's much anticipated Tree of Life.

Interesting website, pinpoints scenes from the film from different viewpoints.

Limited release of the film begins May 27.

www.TWOWAYSTHROUGHLIFE.com

{  watch the trailer  }
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thetreeoflife/

Here is a synopsis from Wikipedia:

The Tree of Life is an upcoming 2011 American drama film featuring some surreal and sci-fi elements, written and directed by Terrence Malick, and starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain.

Details of the plot released by sources involved in the production have been minimal. It is described as a 1950s period piece.^[1] The first official description of the film emerged from foreign sales agent Summit Entertainment's official website on September 21, 2008, in the form of a thematic summary of the film, describing it as "the tale of a Texas boy's journey from the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as a 'lost soul in the modern world', and his quest to regain meaning in life."^[2]

An official synopsis was later released at the 2010 American Film Market:

We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

From this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle—precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all things, in the everyday and above all in the family—our first school—the only place that most of us learn the truth about the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important lesson, of unselfish love.^[3]

In an October 2008 interview, production designer Jack Fisk, a longtime Malick collaborator, suggested that the director is attempting something radical.^[4] He also implied that details of the film are a close secret.^[5] In early March 2009, visual effects artist Mike Fink revealed to Empire Magazine that he was working on scenes of prehistoric Earth for the film.^[6] The similarity of the scenes Fink describes to descriptions of a hugely ambitious project entitled Q that Malick worked on soon after Days of Heaven has led to speculation that The Tree of Life is a resurrection of that abandoned project.^[7] The website aintitcool.com has since reported that the prehistoric scenes are being filmed for a separate, IMAX-specific project "depicting the birth and death of the universe." That film is being described as "not narratively connected" to The Tree of Life; rather they are "thematically complementary pieces."^[8] In a March 2011 interview, the visual effects supervisor, Dan Glass, stated that the film would feature microbial and astronomical imagery, along with dinosaurs. He summarized the film as "a very powerful movie about memories, emotions, and our place in the world." ^[9]

[ Cast

• Brad Pitt as Mr. O'Brien
• Sean Penn as Jack
• Jessica Chastain as Mrs. O'Brien
• Kari Matchett as Jack's Ex
• Joanna Going as Jack's Wife
• Kimberly Whalen as Mrs. Brown
• Jackson Hurst as Uncle Roy
• Fiona Shaw as Grandmother
• Crystal Mantecon as Elisa
• Tamara Jolaine as Mrs. Stone
• Hunter McCracken as Young Jack
• Dustin Allen as George Walsh

[Development

Terrence Malick pitched the concept of The Tree of Life to River Road Entertainment head Bill Pohlad while the two were collaborating on an early version of Che. Pohlad recalls initially thinking the idea was "crazy", but as the film concept evolved, he came to feel strongly about the idea.^[10] The Tree of Life was announced in late 2005, with Indian production company Percept Picture Company set to finance it and Donald Rosenfeld onboard as producer. The film was set to be shot partially in India, with pre-production scheduled to begin in January 2006.^[11] Colin Farrell and Mel Gibson were at one stage attached to the project.^[12] These plans did not come to fruition.

In October 2007, Bill Pohlad announced plans to produce the project through River Road. Sean Penn and Heath Ledger were involved in talks to star.^[13] In December 2007, Brad Pitt was reported to be in talks to replace Ledger, while Penn remained attached in a supporting role for the film.^[14] Jack Fisk is reported to have done research for the film at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.^[5]

 Filming

Filming began in Texas.^[15] Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki returned to work with Malick after collaborating with him on The New World. Locations included Smithville, Houston, Matagorda,^[16] Bastrop, Austin,^[17] and Malick's hometown of Waco.^[18]

The namesake of the film is a large live oak tree that was excavated from property a few miles outside Smithville. The 65,000 pound tree and root ball was trucked into Smithville and replanted.^[19][20][21]

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