Melancholia

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by JD, Aug 24, 2012.

  1. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    I just watched this on Netflix this morning and really enjoyed it. Anyone else here seen it?
    Here's the Wikipedia page if anyone is interested.
    And IMDB.
     
  2. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    I finally saw it last month. It was one of my most anticipated films of last year but didn't get around to seeing it because of my back pain. I thought it was exceptional. One of my favourite roles of Kristen Dunst, she was really terrific in it. Really a terrific character study film as well IMO.
     
  3. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2005
    I can't say I'm in any hurry to run out and see a Lars Von Trier movie, but this one does look interesting. The reviews were mostly good, although there were a few outliers that were extremely negative, and handful mediocre.
     
  4. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2001
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    I watched it several months ago. Lars Von Trier really weirds me out, but I think this is a pretty good work of art. Kirsten Dunst is certainly good in it.
     
  5. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    I watched the first half of it and I just wanted to slap Kirsten Dunst's character. It immediately got off on the wrong foot (they don't bother explaining that their car got stuck and leave everyone fuming) and that just made me dislike the characters from the get go. I'll stick with Terrence Malick.
     
  6. Set Harth

    Set Harth Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2010
    Location:
    Annwn
    You have to be a world-class asshole to cheat during the wedding reception. Then again no one ever said characters had to be likable.
     
  7. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    Well, she wasn't exactly in the greatest place emotionally. That was really the beginning of her downward spiral.
    As for Von Tries, he definitely sounds like he is kind of an asshole, and I don't think I'll watch anymore of his movies after this. But that doesn't change the fact that he did a good job with this one. The only reason I was even interested in it was because of the cast and the reviews.
    I thought the whole cast did an amazing job, Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg were especially outstanding.
     
  8. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    His films aren't for everyone, and normally I probably wouldn't even have been that excited about "Melancholia" if Dunst wasn't in it. Plus I thought Kiefer Sutherland gave a terrific performance as well.

    von Trier's next film is the controversial "The Nymphomaniac". It stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Starsgard, Shia LaBeouf, William Dafoe, and Nicole Kidman.
     
  9. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2000
    Location:
    South Pennsyltucky
    I found Melancholia to be a deeply unsettling film. Occasionally, the film's unremitting nihilism made it difficult to watch. Difficult to recommend, but still worthwhile.
     
  10. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    Yeah, it's definitely not a happy movie.
     
  11. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    That was pretty much the point of it. It was really an exploration of depression, von Tier I believe suffered through a serious bout of depression himself and wanted to write about it. He got the idea for the film during therapy.
     
  12. Worf2DS9

    Worf2DS9 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2001
    Location:
    Canada, eh
    I saw this movie back in April and it blew my mind. The opening prologue was mesmerizing in itself, and the rest of the film was quite a raw, emotional experience, with exceptional performances by the cast. And the backdrop of the impending cataclysm is an interesting contrast to the human problems in the story. I also loved the use of Wagner's music from Tristan und Isolde in the film.