Rating: 
Summary: This one is for Bjork!
Review: I was left scratching my head walking out of the theatre but have since grown to appreciate this film more over time. What I like about von Trier is that he is not afraid to take chances, and he took some pretty big chances on this one, most notably casting Bjork in her one and apparently only film performance. She was great! Too bad the rest of the cast couldn't measure up to her level of emotions, but then von Trier seemed to design it that way. The story is a convoluted one and fails to make much sense. Von Trier is after emotions and there are some very memorable scenes. It doesn't have the tension of "Breaking the Waves," one of the most riveting films I have ever watched. Von Trier breaks the tension with whimsical musical scenes, which serve as day dreams. I particularly liked the muscial scene in the stainless steel sink factory. I never would have thought that Bjork had it in her to do a film like this, but she did. After such an emotionally jarring performance I can well understand why she turned her back on the screen.
Rating: 
Summary: Contrived tear-jerker
Review: There's some parallel between Dancer in the Dark and Pennies from Heaven - both have lead characters that are frustrated in life and then unjustly accused of murder; both characters escape into musical fantasies when they cannot face cruel reality. Pennies from Heaven was a masterpiece; Dancers in the Dark is not. The choreography of the dance sequences of this film is primitive, and the songs instantly forgetable. The main character Selma's emotions appear contrived and superficial, as she tries to hide the facts about her son's operation and her landlord's bankruptcy. If the landlord hasn't stolen Selma's money, there would not be much drama at all.The great injustice here is that this film received the Cannes Festival Award while Pennies from Heaven is mostly forgotten.
Rating: 
Summary: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE
Review: I would never, ever say this about any other work of art that has ever been created but for this movie I will: ... This is the one movie that you absolutely must recognize as pure genius no matter who you are or what you believe in. Lars von Trier is one of the great artists of our time, as revolutionary and brilliant as Fellini, Bergman or Godard, and if you want proof of this just consider how much people must have railed on "8 1/2" or "The Seventh Seal" when they were released. True genius never seems to be recognized during the lifetime of the artist, but of course that's just what the artist lives for, immortality. They must know that it will take decades for their works to be appreciated but it DOESN'T BOTHER THEM. I, personally, just consider myself very fortunate to have lived in the time that this was released. This is true art in its highest form. Now let's just hope that for his next project he can harness the acting that I think we all sense Nicole Kidman is capable of.
Rating:
Summary: I've seen it all...
Review: Oh. My. God.
Bjork is a goddess.
I have watched the movie, slept on it, and woken up still in a trance. It is a film that will creep inside of you. Bjorks music will live on in you. And the images will flash through your mind for days after watching the movie. If anything can explain how powerful this movie is and how mind altering it can be it is my little story that I will start my review with. My mum who found after only watching about 15mins of the middle of the movie too depressing ended up walking out of the room (she had no idea what the story was about or what was happeneing). I myself managed to sit through the whole movie although at times I admit this was very challenging. I woke up this morning to my mum who asked me "how was the rest of the film?"...I simply replied "it was the most amazing film. But also the saddest film I have ever seen."...I then continued to explain the ending for her (as quickly as I could because she was in a rush to get to work)...well while I'm talking and explaining the ending my mum starts to weep. Tears are running down her face and I was shocked even further. For a woman who hadn't even seen this movie to so openly weep showed me that this film was a unique treasure.
I believe I did the right thing by watching the movie without reading any reviews and not studying it before viewing it. It is a movie that needs to be approached with an open mind and heart and to be taken for what it is. A drama/musical that is nothing like anything you have ever seen before. ( and I can guarantee you this.) Some people may argue that the movie is simply to sad and too depressing with no moments of happiness or joy. But I don't believe this. I found times when I smiled (even if this was through a veil of tears!) especially when bjorks amazing song and dance routines came into play and as a viewer you are shown that this woman who has had much hardship is still able to find happiness in something.
I will wrap up by saying that this is a very challenging yet rewarding film if you watch it all. At 2 and a half hours it is rather lengthy but not once did I find myself bored or distracted...just continually mesmerized. Some other reviews that I have read have stated that the first 30 minutes are rather slow but even I found beauty and was intrigued by the 4 minute musical montage at the very beginning that in the long run I never quite understood the relevance but found it unique like the movie and the actors and the setting and the story.
It is not a movie I think I could watch again in a long time. But would buy, simply to say that I own such an amazing film that I honestly believe will never be matched by anyone who tries to make anything similar in the future. "They say it's the last song
they don't know us, you see
It's only the last song if we let it be."
Rating:
Summary: A unique film!
Review: This is a unique film in that it stars songbird Bjork. With that said you know that this is not your typical Hollywood film.
For Bjork fans, this film is a treat. The plot of the movie is good and Bjork acts well with a lot of emotion. What is bizarre about this movie is that it has a choppy low budget quality to it. The cinematography leaves much to be desired. The first fifteen minutes of the film are horrible and gives you a feeling that you are watching someone's home video. It is very tempting to want to turn off the film in the beginning as direction is drab and the quality of filming and scenery is just awful. After a half our or so into the film the story unfolds and will capture your attention. If you can get past the first half hour of the film, you will find the movie entertaining and wanting to see what happens next. Bjork plays her part well and shows a lot of emotion toward he end. A very unique and depressing film to the delight of any Bjork fan. This movie would of been much better if quality cinematography would of been utilized during the filming.
Rating:
Summary: making people cry is easy
Review: What starts out as an innovative, fascinating variety of "musical" loses all earned credit as the movie tries every trick in the book to wring as much sadness out of the viewer as possible.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful film.
Review: The director is a brilliant young talent. But it is Bjorks performance as "Selma" that is the heart and soul and beauty of this film. Selma is beaten down by life; a disease means her eyesight is slowly degenerating to blindness, she never knew her father, her son will get the disease too unless he has an operation. So Selma saves money, gets it stolen by her neighbour and ends up in Prison. This film is about how despite all life and the external world may try to to crush you and hurt you, if you beleive in yourself and love your family and friends, our human spirit can soar above this petty world and be victorious. Its also about the greatest, purest form of love known in human existence: the love a mother has for her children. And the fact that a mother is sometimes willing to sacrifice her own life (here, literally) for her children. Bjork's fragility , her unconformity in a conventional world, her sense of humour and joy are ultimately what make this film so moving. I have an instinct that the people who dislike this film have become too cyncial and jaded by our society of greed and violence.
And the people who love it (like me), give me hope in human beings, becuase they still believe in innocence, in honesty and trust, and havent forgotten the joy of truly being alive, and what true love and courage means.
Rating:
Summary: Not Enough Words!!!
Review: This is one of the most shocking, stinging, fascinating, and emotional movies i've ever seen in my life. it is definetly not for the faint hearted or immature. this is one of those movies it takes weeks to get over. i recommend this film to any and all of those who love to be disturbed by the brilliance of an amazing picture.
Rating: 
Summary: GIVE LARS A STEADICAM......PLEASE
Review: Director Lars Van Trier certainly knows how to infuriate, as well as entertain, viewers. The first 30+ minutes of this film are bordering on unwatchable. The jerky hand-held camera work comes off as sophmoric, ill-at-ease, poorly executed; terrible lighting, terrible angles...like it was not story boarded at all; like it was shot by a 15 year old film student with an 8 mm camera. A third of the audience gets motion sickness. I guess one can forgive Trier for substituting southern Sweden for Washington state, but why would any artist, director, or cinematographer consciously choose to present the audience with a plethora of poorly composed shots ? But specific kudos to whomever conceived of the musical numbers. The music seemed to spring out of the guts of factory machines, and the state of naivte and confusion in the mind of Selma/Bjork. Each of the musical numbers worked like gangbusters; very creative. Ironically, during the musical interludes, the camera work smoothed out, and one remembered that Trier was also the director of BREAKING THE WAVES, and THE KINGDOM. But in between the musical moments, one was resubmerged into the poorly written dialogue, and the jumpy hand-held hell of the first part of the film. Yes, we know that Art is supposed to outrage and challenge us, and if that is the case then maybe this film deserved it's Palm D'or from Cannes in 2000. But it does not change the fact that one has to have the constitution of a Russian weight lifter to ride out the celluloid chaff, in order to hang on with our teeth and arrive at the emotional heart of the film. Ms. Bjork was filmed as unflattering as possible; harsh washed out lighting, and bizarre angles. Yet, despite all the stomach churning and antagonism, Bjork presents us with a Selma that emerges triumphant. She was beaten down, violated, cheated, framed, even destroyed, but her beautiful soul soared over us sprinkling a pure joy, a shower of white light, shards of pixie mist, like angel dust; and we are left expended, spent, weeping, yet uplifted.
Rating:
Summary: she's great.
Review: To be honest, i went to this movie because of Björk even without reading the trailer or whatever but the story and the production is great! We all knew Björk as a singer/composer, but here we can see that she is also an actress! Her Icelandic coolness is getting bigger and bigger everyday. Go and buy this DVD without a doubt. She rulz!
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