Tom-191

One of the greatest and most important films of the last ten years. Post-Musical-Tragedy with bible-like (old testament of course) power and truthness of human existence, but without giving the people their daily religion-opium pretending there could be a good god. Sometimes there is no way out and no right solution, and that's why Selma (Björk) is such an overwhelming character, like in an antique greek tragedy. Beside this abstract level and the absolut convincing consequences, there is a lot of great music, photography, playing and editing. The balance between Selmas day-dreaming in the world of musicals (there is no real harm!)and the hard reality is made with perfect sensibility and when the noise of the machines or the horrible quietness of the prison slowly comes to music in Selmas mind, everybody can see and feel what a great director Lars von Trier is. Some people says why Selma did not tell the judge how it was, she would not have been sentenced to death. These are naive questions, it is like demanding Jeanne d'Arc to say that there are no voices and no duty to do.If someone wants to know where Lars von Trier comes from see "The passion of Jeanne d'Arc" of C.D. Dreyer. "Dancer in the dark" is innovative cinema at its best.

Shot in DV the film shows the fascinating possibilities with the new small cameras: Special atmosphere (strange but realistic), permanent changes of perspectives, authentic locations.It will be worth to discuss now all the losts and founds of this new kind of filmmaking. Besides these esthetic questions, the narrative structure of this film becomes more and more fascinating if you don't give up the attention after the irritating impressions at the beginning. It is only another story of dissolving the family structures under certain circumstances, but Nossiter shows that this can still have real suspense and a cool and analytic story-telling. Deconstructing love and family values. Good film!

Wenders is still a great visionair of contemporary cinema, but the love story here does not function at all. Beautiful pictures in the beginning and in the end, but in between he looses the story trying to find always metaphorical and symbolic scenes and that is sometimes boring. Milla Jovovich and Jeremy Davies are great actors but not convincing as a couple in love. But Wenders music-taste is reliable, a very good soundtrack! So it is only consequent and not a tragic irony that he probably will get his first Oscar not for one of his long fiction films, but for a music documentary: Buena Vista Social Club.