The Big Picture

The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 20 - ‘Melancholia’

The Big Picture · May 14, 2025 · 43m

The movie

Melancholia
The main topic of this episode

Show notes

Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Lars von Trier’s ‘Melancholia,’ the deeply upsetting 2011 science fiction drama, which stars Kirsten Dunst and Kiefer Sutherland and features one of the greatest opening scenes of all time. They discuss Dunst’s astounding performance, explain why this was such a critical project for von Trier’s career, and revisit the infamous controversy at the Cannes Film Festival and consider what it means for the legacy of the film. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More episodes about Melancholia

All episodes about Melancholia