New Tree Of Life Poster

Terrence Malick films are like London tubes: you wait for ages for one and then it gets hopelessly delayed. So having been looking forward to his latest, Tree Of Life, for many moons, we're excited to say that not only is the end in sight - a US release is set for May 27, 2011 - but there's now something (meta)physical to feast our eyes on. Thanks to Collider, then, for their spot of the poster and full synopsis at LA distributor fest, the American Film Market.

Rather than paraphrase, here, 'from the desk of Terrence Malick', is the synopsis almost in full: (We've left out the spoilerific final paragraph so visit Colliderfor the full version.)

"We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvellous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

"From this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle—precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

A rites of passage meditation with stegosauruses then? The synopsis certainly tallys with Brad Pitt's comments in Cannes this summer. "[Tree Of Life] represents a little, tiny micro-story of the cosmos, from the beginning of the cosmos to the death of the cosmos. So that's where the sci-fi – or the sci-fact – comes in." Pitt and Jessica Chastain play Jack's parents. Jack - the older version - is played by Sean Penn. Dinosaurs TBC.

Tree Of Life is only the fifth film in a career spanning 37 years, but each one has been a masterpiece and, frankly, we can't wait...