To begin with there are two sorts of movies that are made. One is a film that entertains the masses, that type of film that you go to and walk out being completely entertained by. The other is the art film, a movie genre that can often times be included in the first category but more often than not is so full of itself that it offers no entertainment at all, just that pseudo intellectual crap that only people who think of themselves as above all others enjoy. I've never believed that they actually enjoy it but have felt that they want to impress those around them so much that they pretend to do so. These are the people who watch a film like Andy Warhol's EMPIRE, a static shot of the Empire State Building from 3AM until the next day, a think it's art. Give me a break.
This brings us to MELANCHOLIA. Directed by Lars von Trier, a director that the art house crowd holds in high esteem, the film is one of the most boring things I've ever witnessed. It begins with Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and her new husband en route to their wedding reception. Nearly 5 minutes time is spent with their stretch limo having problems getting around a winding curve as they try and help the driver and take turns driving themselves. They finally arrive and rather than greet their waiting guests, Justine insist on going to say hello to her favorite horse in the stables.
Over the next hour or so we simply witness the wedding reception, hear from various guests that are their and watch as Justine, hoping to find some sort of happiness in it all, continues to deal with the depression she is prone to. It doesn't work no matter how hard her family tries to help her (except for her mother played by Charlotte Rampling who piles on the reasons why marriage stinks).
As the movie progresses we find out that another planet it hurtling towards are own on a collision course. There is no last minute save here, no heroes trying to launch an atomic bomb at the planet or anything else, just the knowledge that the two will collide and everyone will die. The name they give this planet is Melancholia thus tying it into the whole depression motif witnessed throughout the film.
The second half of the film deals more with Justine's sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the one who seemed under control and composed who took care of Justine's wedding and reception. Claire has no idea how to deal with the imminent demise of the world she knows, of her family and slowly begins to fall apart while Justine seems to accept the end calmly and coolly.
SPOILER ALERT
As these two sisters and Claire's son gather on the golf course her husband owns under a makeshift bunch of sticks they collected, Melancholia crashes into the planet and everyone dies. The end.
I cannot begin to explain how boring this movie was. From scenes of nothing more than people going through the motions of events to the back and forth dialogue that feels like it goes no where all I could think was when will this be over? This is not to say a movie filled with dialogue must be boring. MY DINNER WITH ANDRE was fascinating to watch and listen to. This movie just is...boring.
Not only does this movie bore the viewer to death it does little more than attempt to inspire a feeling of depression in it's viewers as well. Its as if von Trier said hey I feel depressed and I don't want to feel alone like this so let me try and make you feel just as bad. Are there people out there without enough problems in their own lives that they need to add to it by sitting through this sort of thing?
If you know someone who is eternally happy, who is care free without a fret in the world that you'd like to see brought down a bit then by all means recommend this film to them. By the end even they may be searching for a razor. If not then avoid this film at all costs and hope that von Trier either finds something to make himself happy or stops making movies.
Click here to order.
No comments:
Post a Comment