Melancholia

The opening moments of Lars von Trier's Melancholia contain a number of surreal images set against an orchestral score. It looks odd to an outsider of von Trier's work, but not so much to those who have seen at least one of his films.

Justine (Kirsten Dunst) in the first half of Melancholia displays an uncertainty towards her new life as a married woman. It's likely she has a fear of commitment, but it's hard to say. Some view her behavior as erratic, but they don't know what goes on in her mind.

Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is different from her sister Justine. She's much more reserved however she can be uneasy at times as shown in various moments throughout the film. It's during her brief bouts of hysteria that it's Claire who's the more erratic of the two sisters, not Justine.

There's a slightly unsettling aspect of Melancholia in the knowledge that von Trier thought of the premise after a therapy session. (Those Danish directors sure are quirky.) Still, it shows his frame of mind on this sort of subject.

I really liked Melancholia, though I didn't love it as much as Dogville. Maybe because Melancholia got really depressing really fast and Dogville didn't. That said, it's worth a look.

My Rating: ****1/2

Dogville

Everything has two sides. What may look trusting is actually harmful. Good is actually evil. In short, looks can be deceiving.

This definitely is the case with the titular town of Lars von Trier's Dogville. Narrated with dry irony by John Hurt, the film is von Trier's perspective on capitalism. And it's not a pretty portrait.

The cast is practically one for the ages. Of the names in Dogville, the more prolific ones include Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Patricia Clarkson, Stellan Skarsgard, Chloe Sevigny, Philip Baker Hall, Ben Gazzara and James Caan. Each actor plays their part extremely well, but the best comes from Kidman and Bettany, the only selfless people in the town of Dogville.

Tom (Bettany) is the only person in town who welcomes Grace (Kidman) with open arms. The other residents reluctantly accept her when she starts helping with menial chores, though their treatment towards Grace could be compared to that of a slave. The chores become more demanding and eventually take a sexual nature. What will happen next?

I was aware that von Trier's reputation of making controversial films tended to leave a lasting impact on those that dared to watch them. Hard to watch in some scenes, yes, but Dogville isn't as risky as I thought it would be. The way the film is set up is very clever and unique. Oh, and I just love the many expressions playing across Kidman's face in the final moments.

My Rating: *****