These days I’ve been watching Lars von Trier’s depression trilogy – wow, what a trip. Beautiful yet disturbing with wild stories.

Lars von Trier ain’t a director who carved a niche in horror, and he doesn’t need to, honestly. Rating his films is kinda tough for me because his storytelling brushes up against extraordinary elements that lift them out of the ordinary. His movies can make you feel real fear, not from a single scary scene but from the unsettling message the film sends.

Reading up, I realized I’d actually seen an earlier film he directed called Dancer in the Dark. He worked with Björk and Catherine Deneuve there — I remember watching it on TV ages ago and finding it totally recommendable, seriously. I also learned Antichrist belonged to a trilogy, which finally pushed me to go and watch it on Netflix.

The director tells a tragedy that, for some, turns into a tale of pure malice and — why not? — witches.”

Antichrist.

Antichrist is an intriguing film — not your typical horror flick, you know? It unsettles more than it scares. It keeps a bleak, depressing tone that only contrasts with the couple’s sexual bliss at the start. It even lets Willem Dafoe play a sober, restrained role — clearly not just any star.

Charlotte Grainsbourg’s performance surprised me; I’d seen her in the comedy Prête-moi Ta Main. What a difference between the two — Lars von Trier really brings out her best here. The director tells a tragedy that, for some, turns into a tale of pure malice and — why not? — witches.

The end of humanity somehow feels easier to accept than the end of her relationship on her wedding day.”

Melancholia.

Next came Melancholia — “science fiction” in quotes, ’cause it’s about as sci-fi as Antichrist is horror. In this intense movie the Danish director shows a world doomed from the get-go. Yeah, destruction threatens our own planet, so there’s pretty much no room for hope right from the start.

In Melancholia people’s feelings get stripped bare as they witness the catastrophic effects of the planet’s unavoidable extinction. That’s especially true for Kirsten Dunst’s character, who drives the first part of the story. The end of humanity somehow feels easier to accept than the end of her relationship on her wedding day.

But what I didn’t expect was the cold splash I got watching Nymph()maniac today.”

Nymph()maniac.

I’ll repeat that I found these movies on Netflix, so I watched them back-to-back, one after the other. The story is pretty dense; I must admit the first half of Melancholia felt a bit slow and kind of boring to me. What a contrast with Hollywood blockbusters where the whole plot spins around how brave Yankees usually save the world.

But what I didn’t expect was the cold splash I got watching Nymph()maniac today. I admit the title and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s super-suggestive poster were more than enough to push me to pick this film and give it a go. At this point I’m not surprised that my attention drifts — I’m a bit of a wanker.

As a line in the film says, society often prefers to look away or to repress it.”

Nymph()maniac II.

Watching Nymph()maniac was quite a trip — the director plunges us into a story that’s really intense. Not for its explicit sex scenes, but because it shows awkward yet deeply human themes in a pretty raw way. As a line in the film says, society often prefers to look away or to repress it. It stays with you long after the credits roll; it lingers in your head and gut days.

The trilogy Lars von Trier gives us is about depression, which I should’ve mentioned earlier. I must add these films are grouped as a trilogy because of their theme and style imposed by the director. There’s no other way to group these kinds of stories that don’t share plots or a central storyline.the director groups these films as a trilogy

The director has earned such a good reputation that artists like Willem Dafoe, John Hurt and Kiefer Sutherland chase the chance to work with him.”

Uneasy admiration, still curious.

Lars von Trier’s films His films were enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend them, but I don’t think I’d watch them again. Maybe I’ll still check out his Europe trilogy or the America: Land of the Opportunities. The director has earned such a good reputation that artists like Willem Dafoe, John Hurt and Kiefer Sutherland chase the chance to work with him.

Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgard o Kirsten Dunst also show up across the trilogy’s films. But the one who earns the biggest applause is Charlotte Gainsbourg, the only actor in all three movies —she had me a bit smitten. Better put, delighted by her work; she proved herself a great actress, so I’ll keep looking for more films she’s in, really!

Meet you at the next entry.