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I watched Lars von Trier’s most recent movie, Melancholia, last night and it was both beautiful and terrifying. It explores the relationship between two sisters, one of which is severely depressed (though the other sister doesn’t seem to be extremely happy either), and the potential threat of a planet, by the name of Melancholia, colliding with earth. The first part focuses on the depressed sister, Justine (Kirsten Dunst), and her wedding day, which she still struggles to have fun and be happy on. There’s this one scene I liked where her sister, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), is basically scolding her for being upset, despite all the efforts that were put into her wedding day, and Justine says “I smile, and I smile, and I smile,” to which her sister angrily retorts “you’re lying to all of us!” and storms out of the room. I felt like most people could relate to both characters in that moment. At least I could.

The way melancholia (the fictional planet in the movie) is portrayed honestly frightened me. (I don’t care if it’s scientifically incorrect. The idea of earth being destroyed unpredictably isn’t impossible, so that’s what made it work for me.) I could strongly relate to how Claire felt. Seeing her paranoia and anxiety grow each day the planet got closer to earth affected me as well. Her husband is a scientist, so she gets her comfort from him, but ultimately it is still not satisfying. I understand that, I remember focusing on cosmic disasters in particular during my junior and senior year and subsequently getting panic attacks from it. I also remember talking to my earth science teacher for reassurance.

In the second act there is somewhat of a role-reversal between the two sisters. In the first part you see Justine as this distraught, depressed character, and the second part shows Claire experiencing similar emotions while Justine is peaceful and composed. The ending is also brilliant, but horrifying. I liked the way both Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kirsten Dunst handled their performances.

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