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May 3, 2021 · A controversial figure who has aimed to produce work that intentionally confronts the viewer, even to the point of alienating portions of his audience, von Trier has managed to be prolific in his more than four decades of being active in the industry. It helps that he has consistently drawn critical acclaim.
- Michael J. Seidlinger
- 20 'Images of Liberation'
- 19 'The Boss of It All'
- 18 'The Element of Crime'
- 17 'Epidemic'
- 16 'Manderlay'
- 15 'The Idiots'
- 14 'Nymphomaniac: Vol. II'
- 13 'Nymphomaniac: Vol. I'
- 12 'The Kingdom: Exodus'
- 11 'Medea'
Images of Liberationultimately stands as Lars von Trier's first feature-length film, even though it only runs about an hour. As such, it's worth noting, even though it was his first movie, was made when he was only about 25 years old, and was a student film (though it received a limited theatrical release in Denmark). RELATED: Every Andrei Tarkovsk...
It's a shame The Boss of It All is a little boring to watch, because the premise and the film's visual style both have so much promise. Broadly speaking, it's a comedy about an IT company that hires an actor to be their company’s president for an important business deal. Visually, it's filmed with a computer programthat chooses the framing, leading...
The Element of Crime is certainly an improvement on von Trier's 1982 student film/feature debut, Images of Liberation. This one at least has some of the style his later films would have, showing that his trademarks were well on their way to becoming well-defined and famous/notorious. It's a disturbing mystery film about a serial killer that aims to...
Like The Boss of It All, Epidemic is a darkly comedic/satirical movie that has a great concept, but somewhat lackluster execution. It follows a pair of screenwriters who work together to make a screenplay about a global epidemic, with the two getting so invested in their work that they don't notice a real viral outbreak happening around them. RELAT...
Manderlay is a sort-of sequel to a noticeably better Lars von Trier movie that came out in 2003 (more on that later). Some of the cast carries over, but not all, which makes it feel a little disconnected and odd, and though some of the character names are familiar, the events of the last film don't have a huge impact on Manderlay. The film stars Br...
Though The Idiotswasn't von Trier's first challenging or alarming film, it arguably stands as his first very controversial one. Part of that controversy comes from the premises itself, as it follows a group of adults who intentionally behave anti-socially, clashing with the world they live in under the pretense of wanting to find their "inner idiot...
Unsurprisingly, Nymphomaniac: Vol. II is the second half of the overall story that began with Nymphomaniac Vol. 1. All up, these two volumes tell a story that's approximately four hours long, centering on a woman named Joe, who's lived her whole life with an addiction to sex. RELATED: Extremely Long Movies That Were Shot All At Once, But Released i...
The first volume of Nymphomaniac is similar to the second, but is a little stronger overall. It can be shocking and confronting for sure, but the alarming material feels a little more justified, or otherwise is jarring in a "good" or effective way, rather than just seeming a little cheap, like the ending of Vol. II, which somewhat sours what came b...
It's impressive enough that The Kingdom: Exodusexists, and the fact it ever came to fruition makes it a worthy addition to Lars von Trier's body of work. It's the third and final installment of a miniseries trilogy that began way back in 1994, and continues the story the best it can, despite numerous cast members from the first two installments hav...
Even thoughMedeais defined as a TV movie, it's easily the most cinematic feature film he made before the 1990s. As such, it's arguably his first great (or close to great) film, and marks a point in the overall von Trier ranking where his ambitious ideas start to become fully realized into very compelling - though still challenging - movies. RELATED...
- Jeremy Urquhart
- Feature Writer/Senior List Writer
- “Melancholia” (2011) As Justine in Lars von Trier’s masterful end-of-days drama “Melancholia,” Kirsten Dunst professes, in the face of utter, inexplicable doom, that she “knows things.”
- “Breaking the Waves” (1996) Twenty-five years later, “Breaking the Waves” has lost none of its power, not only as the breakout vehicle for a then-unknown Emily Watson as a martyr in the Scottish Highlands trying to save her paralyzed husband’s life, but also as the film that brought von Trier American attention.
- “Dogville” (2003) “Dogville” went off like a bomb at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, dividing American and international critics’ for Lars von Trier’s three-hour-long screed against class lines in the United States, here situated into Depression-era Colorado.
- “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) “Dancer in the Dark” is a punishing experience enlivened by an all-time performance from Björk who deservedly won Best Actress at Cannes for walking through hell with von Trier, and arriving intact on the other side.
Jan 3, 2021 · The best and worst from the innovative and controversial filmmaker. by Aidan Whatman. Updated: July 18th, 2021. Zentropa. In the world of Hollywood, Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier stands...
- Lars von Trier. Lars von Trier has earned quite the reputation in the world of cinema through his creations and his behavior behind the scenes. On the creative end of things, one need only look toward his aptly named "Depression Trilogy" for proof of his shocking choices.
- Takashi Miike. Based on its output, Japan has produced some of the most mind-bending visuals and gnarly movies of all time! From the body horror masterpiece "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" to the original basis for "The Ring" and "The Grudge," Japanese horror is loaded with gems.
- Woody Allen. When the conversation of Hollywood's most influential and successful directors comes up, Woody Allen is a favorite choice. Allen is best known for influential films such as "Annie Hall," "Manhattan," and "Bullets Over Broadway," just to name a few.
- Roman Polanski. It's never a pleasant conversation when Roman Polanski comes up, but it is a necessary one that shouldn't be forgotten. Polanski helmed some of Hollywood's biggest and most influential films, such as "Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby."
Oct 19, 2022 · The Danish director Lars Von Trier is one of cinema’s most controversial auteurs, with films such as Europa (1991), Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville...
Dec 14, 2018 · The controversial director’s new film, ‘The House That Jack Built,’ is the summation of a career built on antagonizing and torturing audiences with his brutal vision of the world. But...
