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Amazon.com
The always unpredictable Danish provocateur Lars von Trier follows up the Gothic horror of Antichrist with the apocalyptic psychodrama of Melancholia. In the first chapter, "Justine," Charlotte Gainsbourg, the grieving mother from his previous film, returns as Claire, the calm sister of Kirsten Dunst's tense newlywed, who unravels during her wedding reception at the fairy-tale-like estate of Claire and her husband, John (Kiefer Sutherland). Clad in a white silk gown, Justine is the picture of bridal perfection, but she keeps finding excuses to flee her devoted spouse (True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård), her imperious employer (Alexander's father, Stellan), and her fractious parents (Charlotte Rampling and John Hurt). Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is hurtling towards Earth. In the second chapter, "Claire," everyone, except for Justine and her sister's family, has left. John assures his wife that Melancholia will merely "fly by," except that it appears to be getting closer, looming over the horizon like a bad omen. As Claire sinks into a funk, Justine starts to emerge from hers, but what does anything matter if the world is about to end? The allusions to René Magritte and Alain Resnais lend Melancholia a visual grandeur missing from von Trier's recent films, but the fear and dread evoke Ingmar Bergman like never before, particularly Persona. If it isn't the masterpiece some have claimed, the director's strange creation will surely get under your skin, and the usually sunny Dunst, winner of the best actress award at Cannes, goes deeper and darker than ever before. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) celebrate their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of Justine's 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 threatening the very existence of humankind...
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
391 of 410 people found the following review helpful
By Sever
Format:Amazon Instant Video
I've read some of the reviews here and I think a lot of people are looking at this film in a wrong perspective. The idea for the film originated during a therapy session Lars von Trier attended during treatments for his depression. The therapist told him that depressive people tend to act more calmly than others under heavy pressure, because they already expect bad things to happen. It's not about science fiction and it's not a disaster movie. It's a film that examines the human psyche during a disaster. The film is very subtle and yes slow at times but as someone whos struggled with severe depression I related to and understood Kirsten Dunst's character so much. We're dealing with such flawed and sad characters so the slow pace made sense. I would say this is more of a psychological drama than anything else. This film is so beautiful and the acting is superb.
215 of 232 people found the following review helpful
Format:Amazon Instant Video
"Melancholia" may be the most accessible Lars Von Trier film I've ever seen. (However, for a director who often goes out of his way to alienate, repulse, and irritate his audience, that is not saying much.) "Melancholia" is beautifully shot and visually lovely to look at; gone is the difficult visual minimalism of films like "Dogville". Also gone is the gory brutality that is often part of Von Trier's films (especially his last film, "Antichrist".) "Melancholia" is a thoughtful, fascinating film told in two distinct, yet overlapping, parts.
The first part, "Justine", is a realistic, sad family drama which tells the story of a young bride who implodes on her wedding day. Just married to a handsome man, promoted by her boss, and treated to a lavish party by her rich brother-in-law, Justine has every reason to be happy. Except she's not. Behind her forced smile, she's hiding a dark depression. By the end of the night Justine's depression, along with the selfishness and dysfunction of those around her, cause her to destroy both her brand new marriage and her career, and spiral into a dramatic depressive breakdown. Von Trier seems to have a deep interest in female protagonists who are being crushed by the expectations of those around them. In films like "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark", the characters were treated to sordid and gruesome abuse, but in the first half of "Melancholia", Justine is a more or less ordinary person suffering in a more conventional and relatable way.
The second part of the film, "Claire", puts the focus on Justine's older sister. Claire is concerned about the reports in the news that a previously unknown planet, named Melancholia, will be passing close to the Earth's orbit. While most scientists believe that the planet will pass at a safe distance, there are those who also believe that an imminent collision will mean the end of the world. Claire's anxiety about the situation builds as the planet comes closer. Claire is also dealing with her sister's (Justine) post-wedding nervous breakdown. As the planet grows ever closer to Earth, the tension builds, until the characters are left to deal with the very real possibility that the world is going to end.
By splitting the film up into two parts in this way, "Melancholia" explores the themes of loss, destruction, impermanence, and loneliness, first on an intimate scale ("Justine") and then on a global scale ("Claire"). Although the film is provocative and often painful, it's more subtle and nuanced than any of Von Trier's other films I've seen, and perhaps more affective.
The first part, "Justine", is a realistic, sad family drama which tells the story of a young bride who implodes on her wedding day. Just married to a handsome man, promoted by her boss, and treated to a lavish party by her rich brother-in-law, Justine has every reason to be happy. Except she's not. Behind her forced smile, she's hiding a dark depression. By the end of the night Justine's depression, along with the selfishness and dysfunction of those around her, cause her to destroy both her brand new marriage and her career, and spiral into a dramatic depressive breakdown. Von Trier seems to have a deep interest in female protagonists who are being crushed by the expectations of those around them. In films like "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark", the characters were treated to sordid and gruesome abuse, but in the first half of "Melancholia", Justine is a more or less ordinary person suffering in a more conventional and relatable way.
The second part of the film, "Claire", puts the focus on Justine's older sister. Claire is concerned about the reports in the news that a previously unknown planet, named Melancholia, will be passing close to the Earth's orbit. While most scientists believe that the planet will pass at a safe distance, there are those who also believe that an imminent collision will mean the end of the world. Claire's anxiety about the situation builds as the planet comes closer. Claire is also dealing with her sister's (Justine) post-wedding nervous breakdown. As the planet grows ever closer to Earth, the tension builds, until the characters are left to deal with the very real possibility that the world is going to end.
By splitting the film up into two parts in this way, "Melancholia" explores the themes of loss, destruction, impermanence, and loneliness, first on an intimate scale ("Justine") and then on a global scale ("Claire"). Although the film is provocative and often painful, it's more subtle and nuanced than any of Von Trier's other films I've seen, and perhaps more affective.
213 of 241 people found the following review helpful
By dcinaz
Format:Amazon Instant Video
Art films, even great ones, will always have their detractors ...with accusations of pretension & the like. I'm not going to insult anyone who didn't like Melancholia with the standard "go watch Transformers or the latest Sandler flick" attitude. That's why they make 31 flavors. Besides, I love a good popcorn movie as much as anyone. But I kinda feel bad for the bashers of this film in the same way I feel bad for those who don't enjoy Mozart along with their Nirvana. And this is an orchestral, majestic art-house masterpiece ...full of beauty, pain, immorality, love, lust, fear & a dash of sci-fi. What a departure from LvT's usual shock treatment. It stayed in my thoughts for days.
Even if they didn't like it, I can't imagine a real movie lover not at least seeing the craftsmanship in this movie. I just can't take seriously any one-star reviews of this. I think those ratings are a backlash from the rather arrogant "go watch Transformers instead" type comments from the artsy crowd. So if you didn't get into this, that's cool. But the one-star "worst movie ever" reviews have zero cred.
Even if they didn't like it, I can't imagine a real movie lover not at least seeing the craftsmanship in this movie. I just can't take seriously any one-star reviews of this. I think those ratings are a backlash from the rather arrogant "go watch Transformers instead" type comments from the artsy crowd. So if you didn't get into this, that's cool. But the one-star "worst movie ever" reviews have zero cred.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The End is Nigh
In Melancholia, Trier has again returned to the subject that interests him the most: the end, death and all that involves. Read more
Published 8 days ago by The Outsider
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strange but interesting.
This is a very good addition to my collection This is a strange movie but it is beautiful to watch and Kristen Dunst is captivating.
Published 10 days ago by cicchimichael
1.0 out of 5 stars
watched 10 minutes of movie
Movie froze every few seconds had to stop and start to see if it would reset but it did not.
the movie is a great move if I could have watched it.
the movie is a great move if I could have watched it.
Published 12 days ago by william d schaeffer
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wet toast
Beautiful score with stunning cinematography, all centered around benign, aimlessly wandering characters. Read more
Published 22 days ago by X
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Watch
Melancholia is an incredible story based on the lives of two sisters played by Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainborg. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Diane
4.0 out of 5 stars
Genre vs. movie conflict.
I think many of the negative reviews are because people are reviewing the genre, not the film. For example, I don't like romatic comedy, so there very few movies of that type I... Read more
Published 26 days ago by Daniel M. Wisener
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it. Hate it. Can't forget it.
Brilliant short film. That's the beginning for most...an absolutely beautiful array of images on film. Read more
Published 1 month ago by fermented42
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent
I loved this movie so much i have to wached 3 times and every time i was amazed how excellent it was done and again this movie just for ppl who love to think after words and belive... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cocochanel
5.0 out of 5 stars
melancholia
what can i say about one of my fav movie directors of all times ? spectacular , always being a fan of photografy in movies , but this one was mesmerising . Read more
Published 1 month ago by frank I.
1.0 out of 5 stars
I give this film 1-star for the cool ending shot
Other than that, it's one of the most over-the-top, slower than a crippled turtle, downright silly, pretentious films I've ever had the misfortune to sit and watch. Read more
Published 1 month ago by I. Carmeli
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