Melancholia is a 2011 apocalyptic drama film written and directed by Lars von Trier, starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, and Kiefer Sutherland. The narrative revolves around two sisters during and shortly after one's wedding, while Earth is about to collide with an approaching rogue planet. The film prominently features music from the prelude to Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde (1857–59).
Lars von Trier is great. I really enjoyed the odd slow-motion kind of oppression of Melancholia. The pace of the film was masterly scripted as the end of the movie came closer and closer.
Man, I can't stand von Trier. I've only seen Melancholia and Antichrist, but I think that's enough to know that I'll never see another one of his movies. Only Terrance Malik can make boring that entertaining (The Thin Red Line, that is, not so much Tree of Life). Then you layer on the utter ridiculousness of von Trier's plots, and it's a complete catastrophe. There were parts of both movies, but especially Antichrist, that deserved laughs when they were utterly serious. (Contains spoiler) Normally I feel some empathy for the characters when the world finally ends, but in this case, I was only felt relief that I could finally get the fuck out of the theater.