MELANCHOLIA (M)
Madman Entertainment (RRP $34.95)
ONE of the greatest mysteries of the past year is how Melancholia, one of 2011’s most compelling films, managed to get through Oscar season without a single nod.
Maybe it was director Lars von Trier’s tendency to get people offside with his occasional Nazi jokes and insistence that his female stars get progressively “younger and nuder’’ with each film, or perhaps Hollywood’s elite just didn’t dig it.
Melancholia is split into two epic parts. The first follows Justine (Kirsten Dunst) on her wedding day; her mental state quickly unravels despite attempts to assure her sister she is truly happy. The second follows older sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who, while caring for a completely incapacitated Justine, is also anxiously awaiting the passing of the ominous planet Melancholia, which threatens to collide with Earth.
Melancholia will make you feel anxious and you may sometimes become impatient with von Trier’s signature slow-motion arty scenes and operatic score. But this is a film that will stay with you long after you eject the DVD – and not many films can claim that.
