As with much of film making, Dogme defined a set of rules which were a departure point, and film makers went about finding ways to break them. Some of Harmony Korine’s most important films like Gummo were influenced by Dogme but are not pure Dogme 95 films. Films that do abide by most of the rules, like Von Trier’s The Idiots are almost unwatchable - and that film in particular would be considered porn in the US. Those films are like a reference implementation in the software world.
I loved most of the Dogme files - including the idiot, Festen and a few others. Not at all unwatchable, but certainly uncomfortable.
In my opinion, great art and great entertainment are two independent dimensions of filmmaking. Dogme films were (imo) great art, but difficult entertainment.
I had to stop watching that sort of thing after von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark (not a dogme film). I felt awful for a week.
Dancer in the Dark just went too far, meaning it eventually threw me like one of those mechanical bull things. As I watched it, I had such a powerful reaction to her exploitation that I was emotionally wrecked, but about 80% of the way through, her agony became so extreme that I ... started laughing. He just went to far, and I was like, OK, we just broke suspension of disbelief, and now her suffering is so extreme that it feels like someone is daring him to see how far he can go. Like in "Mother" (film): it went from tortuous to off-the-fucking-rails in a really funny exciting way. It didn't help that Kristen Wigg was an executioner, because I already think she's hilarious.
Italian for Beginners is fantastic, unquestionably the second best Dogme movie. It stands out from the rest by being completely wholesome, romantic and charming, unlike the more well-known Dogme films.
