Melancholia

AroView: Another in a current crop of movies about End Times and modern anxiety, von Trier’s ambitious ensemble drama works with big themes – both universal and personal, given the director’s public battle with depression – and overwhelming images, resulting in a film that’s very much larger than life, and, like Terrence Malick’s TREE OF LIFE, too vast for the small screen. At the same time, it’s one of von Trier’s most mature, emotionally-focused works; a few laughable moments between scenery-chewing actors notwithstanding, it’s a serious-minded film about serious, human concerns.

“A masterwork of grandeur, millennial angst and high romantic style.” ~ Ann Hornaday, Washington Post.