Review of Melancholia (2011) by Alice L — 01 Dec 2012

The flow of the film itself is very odd and perhaps flawed, but this in itself (at the risk of sounding pompous) does reflect what the film is dealing with, which is essentially depression. Anyone with no understanding of the illness will likely find the film totally unwatchable.

It's key lies in how depressed people cope calmly with extreme situations, in this case a planet colliding with Earth. The characters often act very inexplicably, and the pace is strange, but this film is definitely worth a watch even if just for it's weirdly beautiful vibe.

EDIT: I originally watched this film back in March 2012 and rated it 7/10, but I have just rewatched it 9 months later. Honestly, now armed with a deeper understanding, this film is difficult to fault.

I found the pacing completely engrossing the second time as opposed to crawling the first time. It isn't perfect, but this really is a masterpiece on so many levels.