32 Terrence Malick Movies, Ranked Best to Worst

During 1950s in a small town of South Dakota, teenaged Holly and somewhat-older garbage-collector, Kit, fall in love. Kit fatally shoots Holly’s father when he takes objection to their relationship. Holly leaves with Kit, making it appear that they died in house fire. But a bounty is declared on their head as they continue killing people while heading towards Badlands of Montana. 

In 1916, Chicago steel-worker Bill flees to Texas with girlfriend and sister, after a fight with foreman. While working for a rich but dying farmer, Bill and girlfriend Abby pose as siblings. When the farmer proposes marriage Bill encourages Abby, so as to claim his wealth. Later, the farmer realizes the truth, but by then Abby has fallen in love with him.

This is the first film of the Dirty Harry series. When a psychopath sniper, called the ‘Scorpio Killer,’ terrorizes San Francisco, Harry Callahan, the SFPD inspector with ‘dirty’ attitude, is assigned to apprehend him. Harry succeeds in nabbing the criminal who is released over legal procedures. When Scorpio strikes again by kidnapping a school bus, only ‘Dirty’ Harry can save the situation.

Based on the eponymous novel by James Jones, The Thin Red Line is a war drama revolving around a group of soldiers fighting to capture Guadalcanal for the Allied Forces during World War II. Featuring a brilliant star cast of Sean Penn, John Travolta, George Clooney, Jim Caviezel, and more, this film focuses on American soldiers trying to capture Japanese bunkers.

This action crime comedy film revolves around two rural West Virginia brothers, who leave home and choose to become fugitives. Shortly after, they rob an armored car.

Amazing Grace is a biographical drama film which takes us to 18th century England. The film revolves around William Wilberforce and William Pitt, two politicians who begin a battle to abolish the slave trade in Great Britain.

Tilman and Lanton Mills are two cowboys who decide to rob a bank, and set off on horseback for their mission. However, on the way, they decide to stop to see their boss, but they discover that he has been murdered by John Sparks, another cowboy.  

Critically acclaimed, experimental-drama film, The Tree of Life, is based in Texas in 1950s. It explores the story of a father, a mother and three brothers, through the eyes of the youngest son Jack. He takes the viewers into his life and mind as a middle-aged adult, who is going through an existential crisis, while reminiscing his childhood struggles.

Set up against a historical backdrop, the film focuses on the passionate native princess, Pocahontas. In love with John Smith, an ambitious English soldier taken prisoner by the natives, she helps him in many ways before being banished by her father. Although Smith reciprocates her love, his career is equally important to him. So, he leaves for England while Pocahontas is told that he has died. 

Following the death of his wife, a man takes takes his sons to rural Georgia, where they lead a reclusive lifestyle. Their lives take another turn for the worse when the brother of the man arrives, hoping to claim a stack of gold coins their father left them.

Deadhead Miles is a comedy film which revolves around a long-distance trucker and his experiences with different people on the road.  

While in Paris, Neil falls in love with Ukrainian divorcee Marina and invites her with her daughter to his native Oklahoma. But as their passion cools, they drift apart; Marina befriends fellow-exile Catholic Priest Father Quintana, and later returns to France as her visa expires. Neil renews his friendship with childhood sweetheart Rachel, but is unwilling to commit. Then Marina returns to Oklahoma. 

Rick is a successful screenwriter living in Los Angeles, California, but his life is filled with emptiness. He searches for love and for himself via a series of adventures with six different women.

A struggling musician in Texas is determined to achieve stardom. She soon gets involved with endless love triangles, and betrayals. She soon starts feeling guilty about her actions.