One fall film that we can certainly stand behind, as indicated in our preview, is the Terrence Malick-produced, A.J. Edwards-directed The Better Angels, which takes a stunning look at the childhood of Abraham Lincoln. Starring Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger, Brit Marling, Wes Bentley, newcomer Braydon Denney, it’ll be arriving in early November and today the first theatrical trailer has landed.
We said in our full review, which one can find a snippet of in the trailer, “The style of Malick has long since been a comparison point in many critical examinations, as of late hitting something of a fever pitch. While I rarely find such claims to be of real merit, a new drama premiering at Sundance does more than proudly wear this style on its sleeve, instead using the auteur as a collaborator and key member of the creative process: The Better Angels, produced by Malick and directed by a To the Wonder editor, A.J. Edwards, makes for a sublime, transfixing, and informative look at the early life of Abraham Lincoln.”
Check out new images (via Bright Ideas) and the trailer (via Apple) below, and for more on the production of the film, read our extensive interview with the director here.
At an isolated log cabin in the harsh wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, the rhythms of love, tragedy, and the daily hardships of life on the developing frontier shaped one of our nation’s greatest heroes: Abraham Lincoln. Using glorious black and white cinematography to conjure an America where the land was raw, The Better Angels sheds new light on the formative years of the future president and the two women who molded him into one of the most revered men in American history. Based on 19th-century interviews with Lincoln’s family members, The Better Angels is a beautiful, insightful, and brilliantly composed feature debut from producer Terrence Malick’s longtime protégé, A.J. Edwards.
The Better Angels opens on November 7th.