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Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgård, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Hurt ... see more see more... , Charlotte Rampling , Stellan Skarsgård , Udo Kier , Brady Corbet , Jesper Christensen , Jim Cagnard , Deborah Fronko , Charlotta Miller , Claire Marie Miller , Erin Lee Sahlstrom , Christian Geisnæs , Cameron Spurr

Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law (Kiefer Sutherland). M... read more read more...eanwhile, the planet, Melancholia, is heading towards Earth... Melancholia is a psychological disaster movie from director Lars von Trier. -- (C) Official Site

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69% liked it

26,828 ratings

Critics

77% liked it

173 critics

R, 2 hr. 15 min.

Directed by: Lars von Trier

Release Date: November 11, 2011

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DVD Release Date: March 13, 2012

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Stats: 3,035 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,035)

  • jarobb3
    May 14, 2012
    jarobb3
    Strange but interesting. Opening sequence bored me to tears, but things pick up once the story begins. Atmospherically wonderful and well-acted -- I could actually feel what it would be like if the world was coming to an end -- but the net effect was one of distaste rather than a... read moreffinity. Definitely worth a shot if you're into Art House. Or you could just see Mission Impossible and be happy.
  • fb733768972
    April 26, 2012
    fb733768972
    Some people call this film a masterpiece, and others may find it confusing and pointless. My opinion falls somewhere in the middle. Throughout the entire film there is mention of a planet called Melancholia, that has been living on the other side of the sun. It has been passing t... read morehrough the universe and will eventually pass by Earth. The film plays as a waiting game in whether or not the planet will collide. The film is broken up into two parts, and honestly, the first half of the film takes place entirely at Justine's (Kirsten Dunst) wedding. It is a very different film, not one that you would see in the cinema's on an everyday venture. I must say that Kirsten Dunst's performance is phenomenal, the cinematography is very Von Trier-like, and the visioning of the film, even though it has a pretty simple premise, is astounding. I loved Melancholia while I was watching it, but you hope not to have the conventional conclusion, which is exactly what you get. "Melancholia" had far too much potential for the film that is was. Highly recommended, but don't expect a spectacular ending. I guess that is something I wronged!
  • Saxia
    April 26, 2012
    Saxia
    Beautiful to look at, but somehow the movie didn't really catch on with me.
    Living hurts for Justine (Dunst). The threat of the approaching planet is a physical metaphor for her mental and physical suffering. Instead of fighting it, she accepts it. It's almost as if this pending ... read moredestruction of the planet is what she's been anticipating her whole life.
  • LWOODS04
    April 25, 2012
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Kiefer Sutherland, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling, Jesper Christensen, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier

    Director: Lars von Trier

    Summary: This inventive drama charts the disintegrating relat... read moreionship between newly married twentysomething Justine and her melancholy sister, Claire, just as Earth hurtles toward certain collision with a newly discovered planet.

    My Thoughts: "Kirsten Dunst is one of the better actresses today. I really enjoyed her depressing performance and thought she did great. The film is has a great cast and they all gave great performances. The film is dark, slow, depressing, but yet beautiful and fascinating. The dramatic music is a nice touch. Justine shows the acceptance of the impending doom. She has given up quite awhile ago anyways and is at peace with it. Claire shows the anxiety and the fear of it. I thought it balanced well. Probably something I wouldn't watch again though. In reallity life is depressing with only moments of happiness.. Well, my opinion of course."
  • fb791220692
    April 16, 2012
    fb791220692
    Whoa... Melancholia is an experience. It's ending was so emotionally intense that it literally left me speechless, but that doesn't excuse the first half of the movie, which is long, dull, and aimless. And while this pacing was intentional, in order to get audiences to become att... read moreached to the characters, all the patience in the world can't help the fact that just about every single character is unlikeable (despite all of the actors' great performances). Melancholia is a beautiful movie, and if you can bear the initial slog you will be rewarded with a haunting conclusion, but Lars Von Trier has definitely crafted a tough sell.
  • itsjustme2004
    April 12, 2012
    itsjustme2004
    H-O-L-Y C-O-W! Do not watch this movie unless you are totally prepared for an extremely boring, drawn out, uneventful, and mildly confusing hour and a half. Do watch it if you ARE prepared, and then brace yourself for what comes next.... I really don't know how I feel about this ... read moremovie. I'm glad I watched it, but I don't ever want to see it again. Ever. I AM afraid that it will haunt my dreams for awhile...
  • lewiskendell
    April 9, 2012
    lewiskendell
    It's usually tough for me to review "art house" films. It's clear enough to me whether I like one or not, that depends on whether I "get" the movie and whether it has a conclusion that seems satisfactory or not. Melancholia gets a yes in both of those categories. I never felt los... read moret and it was clear that Lars Von Trier had a definitive vision for his work, which I think he achieved. This is a very evocative film, which is the whole point of art house pictures, as far I'm concerned.

    Melancholia has great acting, lush cinematography, and an ending that resonated with me. I'd recommend it to anyone with broad a broad taste in cinema.
  • flixsterman
    April 6, 2012
    flixsterman
    This is Depression and Anxiety set against the backdrop of Armageddon. A prodigiously artful expression of disorder.
  • fb100001048934982
    March 27, 2012
    fb100001048934982
    Sometimes engrossing, sometimes off-putting, and sometimes breathtaking, Lars von Trier's 'Melancholia' is a film that should coax wildly different opinions from its viewers. The bold cinematography and score make for a powerful and undeniable cinematic experience. The acting is ... read moreamazing as well, with Dunst positively electrifying in her role. The long run time and dismal story may prove too much for some viewers, but 'Melancholia' is sure to be a movie you'll reflect upon once the credits roll.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    March 22, 2012
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Lars von Trier has stated that MELANCHOLIA is his "happiest" film to date. It's actually incredibly down-beat and depressing (hence the title). but considering his body of work to this point, he may speak the truth. Out of all his films however, "Melancholia" is the one that hit ... read moreme the hardest; not in the usual dark, dank, Trier sort of way, but with honesty and pure emotion. This is Lars von Trier at his softest and most unmanipulative... and low and behold it's a film about the end of the world! His characters have never felt so real and his films never this intoxicating. I was enthralled by ever inch of this film, and I believe it's von Trier's best, most profound work to date. The first 10 minutes are so achingly beautiful and the film itself; among 2011's finest.

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Critic Reviews

Bill Goodykoontz
December 1, 2011
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

"Melancholia" is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on depression that is as likely to exasperate as many people as it moves. Full Review

Joe Baltake
November 30, 2011
Joe Baltake, Passionate Moviegoer

von Trier's 'Melancholia': Bad 'art.' Full Review

Christine Champ
November 29, 2011
Christine Champ, Film.com

Melancholia floats in an air of supernatural malaise and tension, a melancholy mirrored in everything and everyone. Full Review

Rafer Guzman
November 23, 2011
Rafer Guzman, Newsday

Melancholia will haunt you for days, maybe weeks. Full Review

Chris Vognar
November 23, 2011
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

A severe and ecstatic work of art. Full Review

Colin Covert
November 22, 2011
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

No moviemaker I know creates psychodramas so hard to watch and difficult to forget. If we esteem Sylvia Plath, Vincent van Gogh and Samuel Beckett, Von Trier deserves our attention, too. Full Review

Richard Roeper
November 12, 2011
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Bizarre, sometimes tedious, occasionally amazing. Full Review

Peter Rainer
November 11, 2011
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Dunst gives a strong, hard-bitten performance even though she is playing an attitude rather than a character. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
November 11, 2011
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter

The end of the world, von Trier-style, is a middling thing as a film. Full Review

Bob Mondello
November 11, 2011
Bob Mondello, NPR

It's a planet that can't come soon enough for her, but one that I kept willing away. Not, I'm a little embarrassed to say, to save humanity from Melancholia, but simply to stay in this remarkable movi... Full Review

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Facts

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    • Claire: It looks friendly.
    • Justine: The Earth is evil. There's no need to grieve for it.
    • Justine: The earth is bad, life in this planet is horrible. There's nothing to grieve for,
    • Justine: If you really think I'm afraid of a planet, then you're too stupid.
    • Wedding Planner: I can hire half of the working class to kill the other half. Jay Gould 1890's Robber Baron & Strikebreaker
    • Justine: You know what I think of your plan? I think it's a piece of shit.
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