Dogville

Simple, magical, ferocious and visionary, Lars von Trier’s spartan masterpiece—shot on a single set, with chalk outlines on the floor to indicate roads, houses and even pets—offers a Brechtian disquisition on the mercenary aspects of human nature. Nicole Kidman’s Grace may appear to be the latest in the director’s long line of female martyrs, but the fangs she bares at the end of this three-hour journey sink deep.