Melancholia

MELANCHOLIA

Year : 2011

Director : Lars Von Trier

Genre : Drama

Rating : *****

'Melancholia' is one of those rare movies than cannot be conveyed in mere words just how amazing it is. Its imagery is some of the most extraordinary that I have ever seen and its tone and message is extremely powerful. It is unlike anything I have encountered before and it has stayed with me since I watched it almost a year ago.

The film begins with possibly the biggest movie spoiler ever as we see a giant planet crash into Earth, completely obliterating it. The movie is then split into two parts, both concentrating on a character played by Kirsten Dunst. The first part takes place during a wedding and the second takes place 3 months after. Throughout the movie, Dunsts' character suffers from severe despression and even during her own wedding reception, she runs away and has sex with a total stranger. Everyone at the wedding is happy, but there is a sense of brimming tension throughout, and it isn't long before arguments break out and insults are thrown. The second part, which takes place after the wedding shows that Dunsts character's depression has grown and is now living with her sister (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her husband (played by Kiefer Sutherland). As her despression increases, the characters learn that there is a giant planet called Melancholia which is going to pass by Earth safely but Gainsbourg believes that the planet will actually crash into the Earth.

The director, Von Trier has suffered from chronic depression and the film is based on his experiences. Many people who have been depressed, as I have, may relate to Kirsten Dunsts' character and how the idea that depression doesn't just affect you but everyone around you. Dunsts' depression is so great, that her emotions seem to actually attract Melancholia to Earth, showing that when depressed, the world doesn't matter. However, whenever Von Trier says anything, it is difficult to tell whenever he is telling the truth. He generated a great deal of controversy at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival when proclaimed he was 'a bit of a Nazi' and that he admired the work of Albert Speer. When later questioned, he later explained that he was raised Jewish but later found out that his biological father was German. Since the controversy, Von Trier has vowed he will never speak in public again, which for him is probably a good idea.

The beginning of this movie features some of the most haunting images in movie history. As well as total destruction of Earth, there is a slow montage of images featuring Dunst floating down a river in a wedding dress, Gainsbourg running through an overgrown golf course and electricity coming from Dunsts fingers. As all of this is happening, the music of Tristan Und Isolde by Wagner is roaring over the top. This opening really shows the amazing marriage of images and sound and is possibly one of the most incredible prologues in motion picture history. In that sense, 'Melancholia' shares a lot in common with Von Triers previous movie, 2009s 'Antichrist', which also has disturbing but beautiful imagery.

I love 'Melancholia' and I think that it may be Von Triers greatest movie to date, but there is very wide audience who will not like it. It is quite slow, and not really very much happens. Dunst's character may seem over the top and the whole movie may seem very pretentious. If you think that then I can see why, but you are out and out wrong. 'Melancholia' is everything that is fantastic about arthouse, the messages are deeply profound and the acting is first rate. Like 'Senna', 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' and 'Tyrannosaur', 'Melancholia' was totally ignored by the Oscars. If anything, it should have at least been nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Director. Of course, it wouldn't have won as 'The Artist' was everyones favourite film of 2011, and nothing else stood a chance. But to me, 'Melancholia' has better cinematography, the music is first rate and is directed to within an inch of its life. For my money, it is one of the greatest movies not just of 2011, but possibly of the last 10 years.