Directed by: Lars von Trier/ 2009/ Denmark/ 109 minutes
Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier is sometimes considered controversy incarnate, and Antichrist, his latest cinematic exploration into the lower depths of humanity, will surely do nothing to quell his contentious reputation. Taking place in a remote cabin, the story involves a distraught couple in the process of mourning the accidental death of their son. Through one grueling, nightmarish night the anguished couple works through their pain in devastating scenes of graphic ferocity meant to symbolize: grief, pain and despair. Featuring fearless performances by Willem Defoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Antichrist won a major award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Beeswax is an inventively lifelike comedy that explores the lives of a group of twenty-something friends living in Austin, Texas. Jeannie and Lauren are twin sisters who share as many differences as similarities. Jeanie is the responsible one, running a small business, while Lauren is the flighty one who is still trying to figure out what to do with her life. Meanwhile, important decisions are pondered, ex-boyfriends suddenly appear, and the complexities of life are dealt with all in this subtly brilliant movie. A.O. Scott of, The New York Times calls, Beeswax, “a remarkably elegant film”.
