"A Hidden Life" Debuts a Trailer That Takes Malick Seriously Again

Scene from A Hidden Life

Since Terrence Malick was last seen at The Academy Awards, it looked like he would never be back. It wasn't that he returned to a reclusive state, but that his films became terribly niche, working more as experimental tone poems than great art. While Knight of Cups and To the Wonder have their fans, they definitely couldn't compare to his 2011 masterpiece The Tree of Life. Many have since written him off, wondering if his glory days were truly gone. For those who choose to still believe, A Hidden Life's early buzz has been relatively positive, reflecting the return of a cinematic auteur to his roots. Considering that, much like The Thin Red Line, he's back to World War II and finding the humanity in the violence. The first trailer is something we've come to expect from Malick, but this time it feels a bit more special knowing that it's attached to his best work in eight years.

R.I.P. Sam Shepard (1943-2017)

On July 27, 2017, actor and playwright Sam Shepard died at the age of 73 in Midway, Kentucky from complications involving amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was a person best known for his impressive craft as a writer, winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and being hailed in 2009 by New York Magazine as "the greatest American playwright of his generation." His career onstage has surpassed his career on film, which included memorable turns in films like Days of Heaven, and The Right Stuff: the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination. With a career spanning over half a century, Shepard leaves behind an impressive body of work, and one that inspires actors and writers on stage and screen to give their all for their craft and make art that really matters.

The First Trailer for "Song to Song" Sees Malick Playing a Familiar Tune

Rooney Mara

It didn't used to be this way. The promise of new Terence Malick seemed to be something that would happen once every decade, or twice if he was feeling inspired. However, the past few years has seen him form a late period creativity that has made for some interesting results. From 2011's The Tree of Life to last year's Knight of Cups, he has managed to make his meditative style grow into more contemporary settings. With is latest Song to Song, he looks to tackle the music scene. It may not look bad, but it looks like what the average later day Malick film looks like these days. Again, it's not a bad thing, but it doesn't provide much confidence either.

Malick's Latest "Knight of Cups" Officially Has a 2016 Release Date

Christian Bale

It has been awhile since we last have heard from director Terrence Malick. Following the success of his long awaited The Tree of Life in 2011, it seemed like he was set to enter a period of prolific output. Starting with the 2012 film To the Wonder, he had an impressive amount slated for rapid succession, including Knight of Cups - which also stars Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett. While there has been a pretty good trailer that shows the old school director enjoying the modern era, it has been several months since we have heard any news about the film. Today, there's an official release date for the film that you can put on your calendar and prepare to revisit the awe-inspiring majesty of one of cinema's most unique voices.

Will "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" Get the Talented Young Actors Some Nominations?

Rooney Mara

With summer winding down and the Oscar Buzz season slightly on the horizon, we have quite a season to look forward to. One of the possibly more wild predictions would be surrounding director David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints, which based on the trailer would suggest that it is yet another version of a Terrence Malick film, if just because of the sweeping imagery and emphasis on nature. Still, one thing makes this particular film an intriguing one, and it is the leads, who may not be household names yet, but each have been nominated before. Is it possible that this film can become one of the underdog success stories at the ceremony next year?

Review: "To the Wonder" Lacks the Malick Charm

Left to right: Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko

One of the biggest disappointments that most film fans have had in 2013 is from one of the oddest film making decisions in years. The notoriously reclusive director Terrence Malick, whose 2012 output alone features three films, has broken his streak of productivity. Once known for waiting 20 years between projects, he attempts to make up for lost time, starting with the film To the Wonder, which stars Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko as a married couple going through a rough period. What is it about this particular story that saw Malick, coming off of his highly acclaimed The Tree of Life, turn in one of the more underwhelming films of the year?

Will Malick Get a Best Picture Nomination for "To the Wonder"?

Left to right: Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams

In 2011, one of the surprise hits of the year was director Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, which was an epic poem about beauty and life. When it received three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, it only made the film more prevalent in the culture. Since, he is on a role with three films set to release in 2013 alone. His first venture is To the Wonder, which stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem. Will this recent spurt of output help to put Malick back into the race, or is The Tree of Life one of those odd exceptions?

Can "The Place Beyond the Pines" Get Gosling A Second Oscar Nomination?

It will be impossible to shake me of one fact. Director Derek Cianfrance's 2010 film Blue Valentine is without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time. Aesthetically, its use of the red and blue colors throughout are deeply integral to the mood. Add in great performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, who have both never been better, and you have possibly the best, most accurate portrayal of love in awhile. It may be a more challenging movie, but one I feel is both artistically and narratively successful enough to stand next to the best of them. That is why I am hoping that his follow-up The Place Beyond the Pines will become at very least a Best Picture nominee.