10’Joy Ride' (2000)
Directed by Martin Rengell
“She really is dead!
Their ambiguous and directionless relationship provokes tension, threatening to cause a schism among the friends.
Joy Ride’s only noticeable deviation from Dogme is the use of a non-diegetic soundtrack.
The only noticeable deviation from Dogme is the use of a non-diegetic soundtrack.
Joy Ride is not currently available to stream or purchase in the US and Canada.
Through these characters,the movie becomes a broader exploration of loneliness and connection.
Image via Frenetic Films
The Benchis anchored by a solid lead performance fromJesper Christensenas the town drunk.
He also appeared inseveral Lars von Trier movies(as well as a small part inSam Mendes’sSpectre).
What setsThe Benchapart is itsrefusal to get sentimental or melodramatic.
Image via Nordisk Film
It also avoids politics and didacticism, instead remaining focused on the human side of its believable characters.
The Bench is not currently available to stream or purchase in the US and Canada.
Yet, she brought a similar restrained and tense approach toher hit Netflix original movie,Bird Box.
Image via Nordisk Film
Likewise, Bier leaves things open-ended and ambiguous, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions.
For this reason,Open Heartswas widely acclaimed, currently holding a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The lines between fiction and reality quickly blur as the performance becomes a reflection of their lives.
A lot of the praise for this must go to the cast, who are terrific across the board.
They includeMiles Anderson(who also appeared inJoel Coen’sTragedy of Macbeth) alongsideRomane BohringerandJennifer Jason Leigh.
It adds up to a strong statement on truth, fabrication, and performance, staple themes of Dogme.
Each of them has struggles, ranging from loneliness to emotional insecurity.
Naturally, there are sparks and drama along the way.
Italian for Beginnersis surprisingly warm and witty, in part thanks to Lone Scherfig’s light-touch direction.
Image via October Films
She handles the ensemble cast well, giving each of the major actors room to flesh out their characters.
Scherfig would demonstrate similar powers in her brilliant English-language filmAn Education, starringCarey MulliganandPeter Sarsgaard.
Kresten’s new situation forces him to reevaluate his life and the choices he’s made.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The title is playfully intertextual, referring both to the Japanese actorToshiro Mifuneas well as a famous Norwegian poem.
The Idiotswas controversial, mostly because of its nudity and unsimulated sex scenes.
It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea and occasionally feels like rule-breaking for rule-breaking’s sake.
It’s nothing if not unflinching.
Even if it costs you everything.
Part of the movie’s strength is the fact that it treats all its characters complexly.
Image via Fine Line Features
The movie is bursting with creativity while also remaining wise and honest in its depiction of heartbreak.
Not for nothing,it won that year’s Palme d’Or.
WhileDancer in the Darkis not without its critics, its overall reputation has only grown in the years since.
1’Festen' (1998)
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg
This is a family.
Nothing should break that.
While not the easiest to watch,Festenis simply a great movie.
Image via Nimbus Film
Thomas Vinterberg would go on to make other fantastic films likeThe HuntandAnother Round, but this remains his masterpiece.
NEXT:The 15 Most Historically Accurate Western Movies, Ranked
