I have an unabashed love for the new Lars Von Trier film “Melancholia.” I think it’s the best thing he’s done since he made “Breaking The Waves,” and right now, if I had to pick, I think it might be my choice for best film of the year.
It is, therefore, a pleasure to be able to present an exclusive clip from the film for you. This weekend, the movie will be available on On Demand, iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Playstation, and Zune, and then will open in theaters on November 11. It’s funny… I wrote yesterday about how Universal is skirting some real controversy with their VOD plan for “Tower Heist,” but for Magnolia, their business model uses VOD as a pre-theatrical window. They’ve completely inverted the typical model, and it seems to be working for them.
I want to encourage you to see the film on the biggest and best screen possible. If you’ve got a great system in your house and you can crank it up and really lose yourself in the movie, great. Do so. But if you can, wait for it to play theatrically, because it is a lush and sensual film. Much of the first half of the movie takes place at the wedding of Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), where we watch anxiety and fear eat away at what should be a joyous occasion for Justine.
In the clip we’ve got for you today, the wedding’s in full swing, and Justine has already reached a point of crisis. Her new husband is determined to be the balancing force in her life and make her happy, and we see him struggling here. You’ll also get a hint of one of my favorite things in any movie this year, Udo Kier as the wedding planner who takes Justine’s behavior personally and who is convinced that she’s ruined his special day.
What this clip barely hints at is the overwhelming beauty of the film. Von Trier has abandoned the rough-hewn aesthetic he’s known for in favor of something gorgeous and surreal, and it’s one of those films that I could get lost in visually regardless of what’s happening.
Whether you see it at home or in a theater, please check out “Melancholia.” You might hate it, you might love it, but I can pretty much guarantee you won’t forget you saw it.