Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Tinsel

Home
Religious Music & Entertainment
Passion Movies: Melancholia and Tree of Life for Easter

Passion Movies: Melancholia and Tree of Life for Easter

Last updated on: April 6, 2012 at 8:44 am by Rebecca Cusey

Passion Movies: Melancholia and Tree of Life for Easter 2012-04-06T08:44:52-06:00 Rebecca Cusey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

They are two artsy movies, to be sure, but movies that clearly reflect spiritual viewpoints. Melancholia and The Tree of Life are similar in many ways but act as two sides of the same coin, looking at the cosmos and finding either emptiness and meaning there.

This Easter weekend, if you’re looking for movies to add to your spiritual celebration, you can do worse than meditating on these two films.

Good Friday and Saturday: Melancholia

Lars von Trier explores the universe and finds it empty and evil, without meaning, yet presents this distressing conclusion with shocking beauty.

Presented in two acts, the story follows Justine (Kirsten Dunst), a bride trying and failing to care about her wedding. Pitch-black humor and wicked characterizations of people back up her suspicion that nothing matters and humanity is evil. She knows love, life, work, even eating, are meaningless in an empty universe.

The second act takes place as the Earth watches a giant planet that may or may not be on a collision course with our planet, one that would wipe out all life.

The only rational person in the movie then becomes Justine, who knows and accepts that life is meaningless and the universe empty. The end of human existence for her is a consummation greatly to be desired. She welcomes annihilation as one would welcome a lover.

Oddly for a meaningless universe, Justine uses one meaningful word: Evil. She believes humanity to be evil.

In its depression, recognition of evil, and hopelessness, it is an excellent portrait of a world in which the Savior has died and hope was only an illusion. In its amazing cinematography, it explores the cosmos and humanity with breathtaking beauty.

Be Aware: Rated R for graphic (but artsy) nudity, language, and sexual content. A grown-up movie for adults.

Resurrection Sunday: The Tree of Life

Looking at the same cosmos with equally breathtaking cinematography, the fragmentary film follows a middle aged man (Sean Penn) as he remembers his brother, killed years ago at 19, and reflects on his relationship with God and his own brokenness. Many of his mental memories of spirituality were influenced by his Mother (Jessica Chastain), angelic in memory, and his hard Father (Brad Pitt) as he grew up in the 60s in Texas.

Like a stained glass window, the film is made of pieces of images, story, and music that appeal differently to each viewer.

For me, the primary concept that keeps echoing around my head as I go through life is the opening prologue which compares the way of nature with the way of grace.

“The nuns taught us there were two ways through life – the way of nature and the way of grace,” whispers the Mother, “You have to choose which one you’ll follow. Grace doesn’t try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries.”

“Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things.”

“The nuns taught us that no one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end.”

“I will be true to You. Whatever comes.”

114 words, spoken in the movie haltingly, as if each word matters, imposed over images of a beautiful mother as she smiles through the world around her. These words are her statement of faith, her framework for her life, and her challenge when tragedy strikes.

This, then is the opposite side, the hope of Resurrection, the sure recognition of the evil within but tempered with hope of salvation.

Same cosmos. Same starting point. Vastly different endpoints.

Like Friday on the Cross and Sunday in the Garden.

Rated PG-13, the film is appropriate for children, and would be a fascinating conversation starter with children, if you can get them to sit through it. It’s not Sponge Bob. Both Melancholia and Tree of Life are available for home viewing through streaming, rental, or purchase.

Faith on Film

Featured

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 6, 2012

9 Family Movies for Easter Weekend

Next Post

April 9, 2012 Barbie Just Got Tough: Katniss from Hunger Games Gets Her Own Doll

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Becky's Picks Children's Movies DVD releases Entertainment News Faith on Film Featured Hunger Games In Theaters Interviews Life, Etc. Mixed Nuts Movie Reviews Poliflix Scroogewatch slider Television Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was stored inside the Ark of the Covenant?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Incense Stone tablets, manna, Aaron's rod The golden calf Sand