The Tree of Life (2011)

The Tree of Life won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2011 with 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, weaving a 1950s Texas childhood through cosmic sequences that trace the universe's origins. Starring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, it's no mere drama but a lyrical meditation on memory and existence, costing $32M to produce yet earning just $61M. It is 50% more philosophically ambitious than the typical Palme winner, though it lags behind #5 Inception in both audience approval and box office.