Last week I saw a screening of Danish director / screenwriter Lars von Trier‘s new film Melancholia (which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival this year) and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the apocalyptic drama since! First off, it was probably the most depressing film I’ve ever seen but was also extremely beautiful and thought-provoking (plus it was way better than his last brutal outing Antichrist). The acting was off the hook, especially Kirsten Dunst who totally blew me away and managed to pick up the Best Actress award at Cannes, and Charlotte Gainsbourg (I adore her). The rest of the cast is rounded out nicely with Alexander Skarsgård and Kiefer Sutherland. The story revolves around the strained relationship between two sisters prepping for the end of the world, since a newly discovered planet (hiding behind the sun) named Melancholia is hurtling towards Earth. If you’re a fan of Lars’ previous work (including one of my favorite films of all-time Dancer In The Dark), you know he doesn’t hesitate at all to tackle intense, dark issues with a heavy hand, this film is certainly no exception. It’s hard to recommend the film to everyone (for instance my mom wouldn’t like it), but I’d say if you have any interest at all be sure to see it in theaters (November 11th), the gorgeous cinematography and haunting score are completely top-notch. If you simply need to see it right away, it’s will be available on iTunes on October 7th!
In this beautiful movie about the end of the world, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire’s best efforts, the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth … Melancholia is a psychological disaster film from director Lars von Trier.
