I love Lars von Trier. And just stating that feels like I'm offending someone I've never met. His films are difficult and self-indulgent (in the best possible ways). They are as artsy-fartsy as they are 'problematic'. To be a fan of LVT is essentially to admit that your brain does not function in a fully normal way. As the man himself as struggled mightly with mental illness (and now brain illness in the form of Parkinson's), perhaps this is self-evident.
In 2023, I devoured every available film he's ever made: his short film work (which I made under 60-second YouTube shorts reviews), his two debut short features/student films (The Orchid Gardener and Images of Liberation), his lone documentary feature The Five Obstructions, and all fifteen of his full-length films.
Ranking these was very difficult — the top six all garnered a 10/10 — but I did my best. Enjoy...
OFFICIAL LARS VON TRIER FILMOGRAPHY RANKING
15 Epidemic
14 Medea
13 Manderlay
12 The Idiots
11 Antichrist
10 The House That Jack Built
09 The Boss of It All
08 Dogville
07 Melancholia
06 Dancer in the Dark
05 The Kingdom/The Kingdom: Exodus
04 The Element of Crime
03 Nymphomaniac
02 Breaking the Waves
01 Europa
15 Epidemic
14 Medea
13 Manderlay
12 The Idiots
11 Antichrist
10 The House That Jack Built
09 The Boss of It All
08 Dogville
07 Melancholia
06 Dancer in the Dark
05 The Kingdom/The Kingdom: Exodus
04 The Element of Crime
03 Nymphomaniac
02 Breaking the Waves
01 Europa