3. Melancholia (2011)
Justine and Michael get married. They go to the family estate where Justine's sister Claire lives. Justine has a hard time of it because she is deeply depressed and this ruins the wedding. The second half of the film deals with the imminent destruction of the earth by a planet called Melancholia. Von Trier studies the protagonists' behaviour in the run up to So a planet called Melancholia destroys earth. Is this a metaphor for depression wrecking the self? Again, we know that von Trier suffers from periods of severe depression and this has obviously influenced his work to take on a morbid tone. None of his films could ever be called 'cheery' but Melancholia takes the biscuit. It shows personal unhappiness through the vessel of Justine (named after the Marquis de Sade's eponymous heroine) and apparently much of her character is based upon von Trier himself. We start off knowing that the world is going to end and everyone is doomed. Von Trier wanted to study the effect that a massive disaster - like the ending of the world - has on the psyche and how people behave in such times. Justine, because she is depressed, copes better than Claire and just takes it in her stride. It should be noted that von Trier did not use the laws of astrophysics in the film. It is purely a psychological drama and it makes the world ending look impressive. It is a bold and unforgettable film.