A controversial choice? A controversial film, and one which pushed many of Lars von Trier's keenest critics over the window ledge. Brilliantly, viscerally brutal, Antichrist perhaps represents von Trier pushing the limits of cinema over the edge of current standards of filmmaking acceptability, or even moral acceptability. But it's a masterful piece of provocation, and comprised of so many elements of such stunning quality to make its detractors look rather silly. Even sillier than von Trier's enigmatic ending, an excellently open-ended conclusion to a film otherwise so explicit, both philosophically and visually. The cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle is utterly unforgettable - is there a single frame of this film that couldn't qualify as a great work of art in its own right (yes, even the clit-snip shot!)? And Charlotte Gainsbourg, braver even than ever, and Willem Dafoe outdo themselves with vibrant, deeply felt performances. You've heard of actors digging deep, but you haven't seen them go this deep. One of the most enduring and most misunderstood masterpieces of the last ten years.
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