Melancholia (2011)
The Bride: Kirsten Dunst
The Groom: Alexander Skarsgard
The Bridal Party: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard.
If you’re talking about wedding movies, Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia is likely not to be part of the conversation. However, that doesn’t mean it should necessarily be totally dismissed among the genre. The 2nd installment in Von Trier’s unofficial “Depression trilogy” (along with 2009’s Antichrist and last year’s infamous Nymphomaniac), Melancholia is split distinctly into two separate chapters — the first half follows Justine, played by Kirsten Dunst, as she faces the trials and tribulations of her wedding night, and all the second thoughts, regrets, and feelings of doubt that come with it. The second half of the film follows her and her sister, Claire, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, some time after the wedding where an enormous blue plane known as Melancholia is hurdling towards earth, threatening the end of the world.
Among the most notable aspects of Melancholia, of course, is it’s originality and individuality. There’s simply no other film like it, especially in the wedding category. Crafted with Von Trier’s traditional, yet unconventional, Dogme style of filmmaking, the wedding portion works as a both a drama and a black comedy of sorts, while the second half works as a sci-fi drama/apocalypse movie. The core of Melancholia is to show how depressed, and mournful individuals can remain peaceful/apathetic during catastrophic events. It is in this concept that the two halves of the film are dependent on each other, despite being tonally different.
Where Melancholia succeeds is in it’s unconventional style of storytelling, it’s breathingtakingly stunning visuals throughout, and it’s hard-pressed character studies juxtapositioned by a compelling, engaging story. It is truly a one-of-a-kind piece of cinema. In the concerns of both wedding movies and end-of-the-world movies, Melancholia shines through as one of the best in both categories. –Dylan Brandesma
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