Dogville (2003)

On the run from gangsters, a young woman (Nicole Kidman) arrives in the isolated town of Dogville. The townspeople agree to shelter her but when outsiders looking for the fugitive visit the town, the locals make demands of the woman in exchange for their silence. Written and directed by Lars von Trier (DANCER IN THE DARK), this polarizing film is von Trier's masterpiece. A stylized parable about America's corruption and violence plays out like a visual book with a prologue and nine chapters narrated by John Hurt and acted by an ensemble cast on a minimalist stage like set with chalk lined boundaries indicating buildings (there are no walls) and actors miming actions like opening doors. Its initial reviews were very mixed with critics calling it everything from a masterpiece to pretentious twaddle. However its reputation has grown considerably in the ensuing years and it often shows up on lists of the best films of the 21st century. I found it more relevant than ever as the past several years here in the U.S. have shown how vile people can be and seen today, the film's town is a microcosm of what America has descended into. A stunning film. The superb ensemble cast includes James Caan, Lauren Bacall, Harriet Andersson, Ben Gazzara, Stellan Skarsgard, Paul Bettany, Patricia Clarkson, Chloe Sevigny, Philip Baker Hall, Blair Brown and Cleo King.