Saturday, June 23, 2012

And Then There Was This


Don't you love it when entire movies can be summed up in their opening moments? Or how about when opening moments are miniaturized versions of the entire film you are about to see? Wait, is that the same thing? Regardless, Lars Von Trier's, Melancholia kind of makes me want to die a little. But in a good way. 

These opening vignettes, these eerie painting-like pictures that move minuscule amounts and that are set against a backdrop of a soul crushing symphony---are quite possibly the best things I've seen in a while. The movie is good too, but these opening moments.....these are what keep me up at night. 

I think sometimes that the beauty of sadness is one of the most taboo subjects out there. People hate  sad. Worse--people really hate watching entire movies that are made up of overwhelming levels of sadness. Still worse---people hate to see beautiful actresses looking sad and ugly. Sadness IS ugly they think. No. No it's not---it's beautiful. And here is our proof. 















One day you'll watch Melancholia and finally get what it is that makes it so unbearable and yet so captivating at the same time. Perhaps you won't know until you too have experienced great loss, have been depressed or fallen to that unreachable place below the depths of despair. Yikes this is getting melodramatic. I don't mean to be. I simply mean that Melancholia speaks to a very simple idea of the inability humans have to relate to one-another---unless they have been through the same. 

This is a simple concept when you think about it. One that is clearly echoed throughout the movie and even right now as I'm talking to you-- because if you haven't seen Melancholia, then you have no earthly idea what I'm talking about. But one day you will.  You just will. 

4 comments:

Franco Macabro said...

Agree, those opening sequences are awesome, this was one of my favorite films of the year...loved it even though its an overdose of sadness.

commodore sixty four said...

this is morrissey's favorite movie

Spooky Sean said...

I enjoyed when Justine was all splayed out naked in the grass.
It seems to be a Von Trier staple, the naked lady in the woods, splayed.
Also, the super slow motion intro.
Liked it though. As someone with diagnosed depression (pity party at my house) from time to time, it was a fairly accurate portrayal of the struggle to appear chipper and enjoy yourself, despite the inability to.
Sadly, I've never been able to pee on a golf course in a wedding dress. Still got a whole life ahead of me though...
She should have just put down the right number of beans, to make the wedding planners happy.

bluerosekiller said...

OK, now don't get me wrong. I TOTALLY plan on seeing this movie regardless, but i have to ask:
How much time does Ms. Dunst spend in it without any clothes on?
Like I said, it won't decide whether I see it or not, but it likely WILL effect how soon I see it.
I know, I know, it's pervy of me to ask, but I assure you that I'm not one of those trolls that stalk the IMDB comments section of seemingly EVERY actresses profile inquiring about their nude scenes. I'm just a huge Dunst fan that has yet to see her naughty bits on the screen & I'd like to. So there! LOL

Jim