Melancholia (2011)

Touches You

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I seldom have watched a movie where I had so little sympathy for the characters in it. Justine, in particular, struck me as being thoroughly selfish and objectionable. Whatever internal pain she feels, she doesn't hesitate to take it out on those around her, including her (favourite?) horse. It seems she'll shag anyone, even on her wedding night. Yet, this apparently is all OK because she's depressed. Sorry, no...don't agree. In my view it's partly because people such as herself get given so much consideration (as from her feeble, long-suffering sister Claire) that they behave the way they do. They never have to face up to their own responsibilities. She would have got little sympathy from me, and had I witnessed her cruelty to her horse I might have been tempted to take that whip to her own over-indulged behind.

The term "depression" is thrown around so lightly by some people that it's insulting to those who are going through it. Most think it's when you are feeling down or sad when it's actually much, much worse. It's that feeling of numbness & hopelessness that drains out every good emotion from your life and leaves you an empty shell.And Lars von Trier's second entry in his Depression Trilogy captures that emotional hellhole with startling precision. By far the most accurate depiction of depression I've seen on film, Melancholia is an incredibly polished work from the controversial filmmaker that's elevated to new heights by Kirsten Dunst's career-best performance.The story follows Justine who's struggling to be happy even on her wedding day. Her extravagant reception is paid for by her brother-in-law & sister who ask the bride to hide her debilitating melancholy while trying to keep the guests in line. Meanwhile, a rogue planet has entered the solar system and is hurling towards Earth.Written & directed by Lars von Trier, the film opens with a series of composed shots revealing key elements before main plot surfaces. Justine's arc is handled with care as Trier shows depression for what it is, and makes an interesting argument about depressive people's tendency to act more calmly to catastrophic events. The artsy stuff isn't missing but it doesn't suffocate the narrative by much.Cinematography employs numerous camera techniques to provide varying depth to different scenes but there is a crispness to its images that's evident throughout. The real highlight however is Kirsten Dunst who in the role of Justine delivers a flawless performance that's as convincing as it is memorable. Gainsbourg plays her sister and the bond between them & shift in their psyche is what the film tries to explore.On an overall scale, Melancholia is going to strike a chord with everyone who can relate to Justine and is one of the best films of its year. Its artistic treatment isn't for all plus the deliberately slowed pace will infuriate some but its silent rumination on depression & destruction makes it a satisfying sit for those who can connect with it. Worth your time for Kirsten Dunst's impeccable showcase alone, Melancholia is an arthouse gem.

Rare film with universally excellent performances that I absolutely loathed. It's an interminable slog. It's just super-bombastically, pompously scored. It's as self-important a work as I've ever seen. It's not miserable-good, like Breaking the Waves or something, it's just miserable-awful. I regard it with fear & loathing.

What drew me to Melancholia were the stunning visuals but what kept me on what the wedding sequence. The dysfunctional dynamics of the key actors created a taut and highly tense ambiance that made me anticipate every next frame holding my breath. Unlike other movies, the impending doom of earth does not consume the characters from the onset and does not create cliché scenes. It was fascinating to see Melancholia grow from a speech of amusement and a conversation in passing to an eventuality that consumes their whole lives, much like how the planet grew in size as the day went by. The end of day scenes is unlike any I have seen before. Watch it if only for the visuals.