Overview: 'The Tree of Life' is Terrence Malick's long-cherished project, a film that centers on a family in 1950s Waco, Texas, yet also reaches for cosmic significance in the creation of the universe itself.

DVD Veridct: 'The Tree of Life' is a film that can only be enjoyed by those who are in tune with their spiritual side and may not be appreciated by many people. This is the type of film that carries a different meaning for each individual and it has an emotional focus.

The story begins with a typical American family in the 1950's living in Waco, Texas. A stay at home mother (Jessica Chastain), a hard working father and their three sons. A family who seems to have it all, until the death of their oldest son changes everything. But not completely for the worst, as it is only after his sons death that his father truly appreciates his son for who he is, as if his awareness has awakened and he now sees the unique and beautiful soul his son possesses.

The father (Brad Pitt) is a tough dad who doesn't show much affection to his sons and seems disconnected, except when he is giving them orders.. He seems to have a preference for his second born who resembles him in mannerisms and looks. While his oldest son struggles to relate to his father but just cannot break through, which causes him many feelings of emptiness.

The film breaks away from the plot and shows a fascinating look at life through unique cinematography that begins with the formation of the planets and the universe then takes you through the beauty of the ocean, the fury of mother earth through the eruption of a volcano and then ending with the birth of the oldest son who died at the start of the film. The movie then picks up again with the family and continues from there.

I understood the movie completely and knew exactly what was going on throughout the whole film. My husband who is not a very spiritually connected person was very disappointed and lost interest quickly. He could not connect the spiritual aspects of this film with what was happening with the family. I feel due to his disinterest I missed a lot of what happened in the film and would like to watch it again alone.

Just like the work of an artist, which I find Terrence Malick to be, I believe not everyone that may view a work of art can truly see the beauty or grasp the meaning of what the artist is conveying with each piece which speaks specifically to each individual, as does 'The Tree of Life.' [ABR] This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Faetures of:

Disc 1: Theatrical Feature Blu-ray
An exclusive 30-minute documentary on the making of the film, Exploring The Tree of Life, allows fans to dig even deeper into Malick’s visionary work and his cinematic legacy through interviews with his collaborators and cast members as well as with directors Christopher Nolan and David Fincher who share an appreciation for his work.
Disc 2: DVD
Disc 3: Digital Copy