A Melancholic State of Mind

mel·an·cho·li·a/ˌmelənˈkōlēə/

Noun:

Deep sadness or gloom; melancholy. A mental condition marked by persistent depression and ill-founded fears.

This might be a little late considering this movie came out quite a while ago, but I suppose it's better late than never. I went to Cinema du Parc the other day to go watch Melancholia by the controversial and wildly talented Lars Von Trier featuring Kirsten Dunst and was completely awestruck by the films impeccable beauty and dream-like aesthetic paired with an overwhelmingly powerful story-line. The scenery was outstanding, set in the Swedish country-side where the characters are isolated in a castle by the water. They have no contact with the outside world and are just waiting for the planet Melancholia to come closer to earth in hopes that it will pass by and not hit. It is a subtle Sci-Fi film that also touches upon depression, love, longing, reality, and family. There are no political influences in the film , which is unusual yet a relief because we are able to see the raw, true emotions and reactions to ultimately the end of the world. The differing dynamics of how the few characters deal with the end of the world are juxtaposed with one another giving the film depth. Many critics might say that the film is tedious and slow, but that is the point. The directors intentions were for the viewer to feel what the characters were feeling. The viewer had to wait for the planet Melancholia to approach just as Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) had to. There are so many themes I could discuss about in-depth such as the influence of art in the film, the use of money and wealth, character development, Justine's emotional movements in relation to the movements of Melancholia, how Justine's melancholic depression affected her relationships, and so on and so forth, but then this post will be ten pages long. I will therefore leave you with the opening scene of the film. I urge all of you, if you have not already, to go see Melancholia because you will leave the theatre in such a state that you will pinch yourself and question if that really just happened. Yes, it's that good.