In 7 words or less: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
What's it all About? Kirsten Dunst is getting married in a sweet mansion owned by her sister's husband (Kiefer Sutherland). Everything seems pretty much perfect but seeing as this is a Lars Von Trier joint then you know that something weird is lurking beneath the surface. It becomes apparent quite early on that Dunst has a few issues with depression and is struggling to cope with the big day. On top of that her mum is clearly deranged and her Dad (sweetly played by John Hurt) is very keen to get away from the situation when she needs him most. It's left to her long suffering sister Claire to keep on top of things.
The film is in two parts, the first titled 'Justine' (after Dunst's character), which takes place on the evening of the wedding and the second 'Claire', Justine's sister (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, who returns for another helping after her terrifying ordeal in Antichrist) which gives us the epic and jaw dropping apocalypse scenes.
Best bits? This whole film is really stunning, some of the slo-mo outdoor scenes are shot so beautifully, they almost look like a high-end fashion photoshoot. Kirsten Dunst really is outstanding as she slowly reveals how serious her problems are, and she is supported by an excellent cast. The final scenes are just mind bending, just like Antichrist, you get this claustrophobic feeling of never leaving this one location, then the claustrophobia is heightened because as Melancholia approaches earth, there really is nowhere to hide or escape.
Did it make you think thoughts? Lars Von Trier has been around for ages but is slowly becoming one of my favourite film makers. There's no one else quite like him out there. This has been touted as a good companion piece/double bill for Terrence Malick's 'Tree of Life', both are stunning but I definitely preferred this. It also has obvious comparisons to 'Another Earth' (a big bloody planet in the sky) but the tone is also strangley similar.
Would you watch it again? Definitley. Well done Lars.
Rating (out of 100%): 90% Watch it or you'll be melancholy-a
