#1064: The Tree of Life at 15: Malick’s Cosmic Masterpiece Revisited

May 15, 2026 / Sophie Kempenaar

15 years after its release, Adam and Josh return to the 1950s Waco of Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. They discuss Malick’s bold attempt to voice the divine, mapping the books of Job and Genesis onto his narrative and his attempt to reconcile the beauty of creation with the reality of suffering.

This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code FILMSPOT26 to take 15% off.

(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)

Intro (00:00:00-00:03:32)
The Tree of Life at 15 (00:03:33-00:55:50)
Filmspotting Family (00:55:51-01:00:07)
Next Week / Cannes Film Festival (01:00:08-01:04:44)
Polls (01:38:17-01:13:15)
Credits / New Releases (01:13:16-01:17:20)

CORRECTION:

-Adam actually saw The Thin Red Line upon its release in 1998, making it his first Malick. The New World, then, was the first Malick he got.

LINKS:

-Filmspotting Fest II: June 26-27, 2026

https://www.filmspotting.net/filmspotting-fest

-Jake Cole on The Tree of Life

https://letterboxd.com/jakepcole/film/the-tree-of-life-2011/

-Cannes Film Festival

https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/

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