20 movies that you need to be really smart to fully understand

12) The Tree of Life (2011)

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Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life explores the meaning of life through the lens of one family, juxtaposed against cosmic events like the creation of the universe. The film’s complexity lies in its abstract approach to storytelling, blending nonlinear family memories with surreal imagery. There’s no straightforward narrative that forces viewers to interpret the symbolism, such as the contrast between nature and grace. The sequences showing the universe’s evolution are visually stunning but leave much open to individual interpretation.

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