Melancholia (2011)

The critic praises the audacious mix of silliness and solemnity, beautiful filmmaking, and strong performances in this science-fiction take on von Trier's recurring themes, though it may not win over the unconverted.

The critic calls it von Trier’s most hopeful and beautiful film, lush and romantic even in its apocalyptic hopelessness, with a luminous central performance by Kirsten Dunst. Its excessive yet restrained vision is strangely forgiving.

The review notes the film's polished depiction of depression and striking visuals but finds the middle section overly focused on the protagonist's gloom, making it low-key overall despite committed acting.

The film is seen as therapy disguised as drama with a disconnect between concept and execution; von Trier swings for the fence but misses in this autobiographical depression allegory.

The critic finds von Trier's apocalyptic vision visually striking but undermined by awkward dialogue and an air of unreality, with the film's misanthropy providing some engagement despite its flaws.

The film peaks with its dazzling prelude but the rest is redundant with few insights; symbolism flounders and characters remain superficial ciphers reflecting the director's nihilism.

The critic finds the film eerie and authentic due to personal experiences with depression but notes it threatens to become boring, with Dunst's performance too insular and everything feeling out of reach; praises the cinematography.

The end of the world is nigh in this long and sluggish psychological disaster movie that is one of von Trier’s most dramatically flaccid to date, though an authoritative performance by Kirsten Dunst, a magnificent Wagnerian soundtrack and effective use of the country-house location give it some lingering power as a scary fable.

The review calls the film an intermittent success that offers a radical take on facing extinction but ultimately deems it programmatic, dull for stretches, and not recommendable.

The critic views the film as senseless and borderline ludicrous like von Trier’s recent work, despite some beautiful imagery and intimacy. It meanders without conviction amid familiar shocking and portentous touches.

This is a lethargic, pretty and empty study in ways of living and dying; it impresses only on a technical level with some striking images in the opening montage, but lacks a proper script, features false emotion and too much filler.

The film is an absurd yet intriguing disaster movie about a planet colliding with Earth, with flashes of visual brilliance in its opening montage and some erotic strangeness. Gainsbourg gives the more interesting performance amid von Trier's situationist wind-up.

The critic finds von Trier turns the end of the world into a bore, offering rapturous images and music but no comfort, redemption or engaging characters or ideas.

The critic finds the film a personal, sincere apocalypse that registers difficult emotions intimately through close-ups rather than mass panic. It leaves an aesthetic glow despite its bleakness, suggesting the end of the world might be beautiful.

The critic, a non-fan of von Trier, is surprised by how accessible and moving Melancholia is, calling it the director's film for people who dislike his previous work. They single out the jaw-dropping visuals and the riveting performances of Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg for particular praise.

The critic praises the film's meditative take on depression through an apocalyptic scenario, highlighting Kirsten Dunst's immaculate performance as Justine and the film's exploration of melancholy's true nature.

The critic calls the film stunning and aesthetically dazzling, praising its focus on the human condition and Dunst's engrossing performance as the depressed Justine, while noting minor flaws like shaky camerawork.

The review praises the film's grand visuals, ideas about happiness and depression, and Dunst's standout performance while noting it fails to forge an emotional connection with the audience. It criticizes the cold, academic distance despite the weighty themes.

The critic finds the film an occasionally fascinating but generally alienating study of clinical depression and reactionary panic. They single out the visual style and child character's perspective for limited praise while complaining that the characters are one-note, the drama flaccid, and the experience exhausting.

The review hails the film as a visually stunning and emotionally powerful portrait of depression and human frailty under apocalypse, subverting dichotomies of life and death. It singles out the beautiful prologue and nuanced study of the two sisters' contrasting responses.