Monday, December 19, 2011

at the movies: melancholia

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mel·an·cho·li·a [ mèllən kṓlee ə ]
depression: depression as a form of psychiatric disorder

When I first read the description for Lars von Trier's Melancholia, I thought it was going to be a slightly weird/twisted/dark film about a depressed woman on her wedding day. But then, um... what? I went to see the movie with my girlfriends last night, and it was so much more than I expected it to be. It wasn't until the end of the evening (and a couple of post-cinema cocktails) that we unanimously decided we liked it, because it took a while to wrap our minds around what we had just seen.

The very basic (non-spoiling) premise is that a young woman (Kirsten Dunst, who my friend later asked my opinion of, since I normally can't stand her/think she's a terrible excuse for an actress--perhaps with the exception of The Virgin Suicides--and I decided that she should stick with playing depressive characters, since I quite liked her in this) is getting married in an elaborately coordinated ceremony, hosted and funded by her sister and (reluctant) brother-in-law (that's Part I). In Part II, we find out that there is a planet (Melancholia), hurtling toward Earth, which is causing the *sane* sister (Charlotte Gainsbourg) intense anxiety, despite her science-loving husband's assurance that the planet will fly passively by.

Most surprising to me was the fact that I found it incredibly funny. Not in the typical laugh-out-loud way (though I did, and often), but in the subtly understated, ridiculous way that life is amusing every day, even in the darkest moments. The cinematography was breathtaking, the characters were amply exasperating, and the film had a quality of magical realism that seemed to tread the line between science and fantasy that exists in all of our minds, for better or for worse. I'm surprised by how much I'm still thinking about it, and would definitely recommend that everyone see it, but perhaps have a cocktail or two afterward (to help with digestion ;)

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6 comments:

  1. This movie looks so great. I adore Kirsten Dunst. I'll have to watch it some time this week,

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  2. I've heard a lot about this movie ever since it came out! I've been wanting to see it so badly; it looks so stunning and beautiful. Kirsten Dunst really bothers me for some reason, as well...but hopefully I can throw that aside and just enjoy the movie. Thanks for the review/recommendation!

    xo
    Maria Elyse
    First Impressions
    Flying Ships Vintage

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  3. I was actually debating whether to see this film last weekend. I watched the director's film Antichrist a few years ago with Charlotte Gainsbourg and couldn't wrap my head around it (not to mention it had some very very disturbing scenes). It sounds like this film may be more up my alley though.

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  4. Hmm I haven't heard of this one. It looks stunning. I totally want to see it. Thanks for the great review!

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  5. I watched this twice at the cinema. Cried my heart out. So good!

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  6. Oh now I really want to see this one. It looked interesting before and after reading your review I want to see it even more. Plus it has beautiful Alexander Skarsgard in it.

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