Melancholia

Lars Von Trier's 2011 film, Melancholia, focuses on two sisters, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), as they struggle with extreme depression. The film is broken into two parts. Part 1 is centered on the disaster that is Justine’s wedding party while part 2 is about Claire’s burgeoning depression as a rouge planet, named Melancholia, is about to collide with Earth.

This film was well received by critics and audiences alike and Dunst was universally praised for her portrayal of Justine. She would even go onto win the Best Actress Award at the prestigious Cannes film festival.

Melancholia is one of Von Triers most conventional films yet. Although he does still make the film very hard to watch and taxing on the viewer, he does so in a way that is much easier to comprehend and digest than in the past. Aside from the opening death/end of the world montage, the film moves forward in time and is not hard to follow in any way.

The film explores many very deep ideas and topics that also make viewers think and question a lot. Overall, while not a standalone masterpiece, the film is a very engaging, albeit unsettling, one that Von Trier has crafted from his own experiences with depression. It seems as though it will garner even more meaning with repeat viewings and analysis.