The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

In anticipating Mother! this weekend, I've been revisiting Aronofsky's films, and decided to make a thread reviewing his filmography. In chronological order. So, enjoy.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Pi (1998)

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Aronofsky's first film Pi proved from the get go that a fresh new voice in cinema had arrived. Filmed in stark, grainy, black & white, the film is almost Lynchian in its hallucinatory imagery and set-design, recalling Eraserhead. But Aronofsky's vision remains entirely his own.

A film about mathematics, algorithms, and numbers turns into a mind-frying descent into obsession and madness, leading to a memorably disturbing climax. The way we are immersed into this characters state-of-mind is impressive as we start to feel just as claustrophobic and paranoid as the protagonist does. While a smaller feature, and not quite at the level of Aronofsky's best films, Pi remains a stunning and creepy thriller with unforgettable imagery, and an uncommon intelligence. Giving but a taste of the greatness to come.




3 out of 4

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I quite like Pi but feel its a step down from his later works. This is how I'd rank the ones I've seen.

1. Black Swan -
2. Requiem For a Dream -
3. The Wrestler -
4. The Fountain -
5. Pi -

Phi was the best from him and for the 2nd qas black swan, imo. I like the fact it take a lot from tetsuo iron man, very raw and insane ride.
The other probably just not my cup of tea. Feel i need re seen the wrestler tho'

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Its still very enjoyable but I suspect part of the reason Black Swan made such an impact at the time is that he was first to market in the US mainstream with that kind of ultra closeup filmed taught drama, we've had quite a few such films since then, some of which I did think were arguably superior.

I do think he's best suited to more small scale drama though, besides Black Swan my favourite by him is The Wrestler.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

rank

1. The Fountain
2. Black Swan
3. Pi
4. The Wrestler
5. Requiem for a Dream
6. Noah

Hyped for mother! as well. I've read... crazy things.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

https://hannahpoturalski.files.wordp...uiem.jpg?w=750
1- Requiem For A Dream +
2- The Wrestler +
3- Black Swan +
4- The Fountain
5- Pi -

Didn't watch Noah and I don't have the intention to watch it :p

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Ranked:

01.The Wrestler

I kind of like Noah. It's fun un a very soulfully unhinged way.

Plus, this image is killer -

A thread dedicated to my favourite director? Great.

Ranked:

1. Requiem For a Dream
2. The Wrestler
3. Black Swan

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I didnt realise he made Pi. Very disturbing movie. I loved it.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Pi was my first by him, so it ties for first place with Requiem for a Dream. Both get a perfect score from me.

Mine too:)

Same here.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I've seen:
1. The Fountain - very good, philosophical
2. Black Swan - you all know;)
3. Pi - my first meet with Aronofsky. Love at first sight:love:
4. The Wrestler - I had to come of age to watch it. But in the end I was fascinated. Mickey Rourke was brilliant.
5. Noah - I didn't know it was Aronofsky, when I watched it. Phenomenally showed Noah's story in modern way👍

Requiem for a dream - I haven't seen it and it was on purpose.

Eek I didnt know Noah was his either. I was told it was ridiculous so didnt bother. The Wrestler I loved - Rourke was outstanding.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I didn't know about Noah for a long time, it was directed by A. And I watched when it was on TV. I was sitting like charm. It isn't ridiculous IMO:)

My sil mentioned it. I cant remember what she said exactly.

Is The Fountain depressing? Not sure I can watch that.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Different people, different opinion;)

The Fountain is specific, but I wouldn't say depressing.

Oh God yes.

Thanks for the headsup, Yods. No nope not happenin.

I have to say Dani that because of your TV viewing habits you have me infinitely curious about how you decide what movies you won't watch because of content.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

It's pretty uplifting, too. Just sayin': some really sad stuff.

Certainly don't regret watching it or anything.

Too real for me, sean. My tv and movie watching is mostly for escapism.

The Fountain is not depressing.

It's uplifting, to say the least.

Yoda must be a Tommy and not an Izzy.

My Rank:

1. Requiem for a Dream
2. Black Swan
3. The Wrestler

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Soundtrack should clue you in.

https://youtu.be/swAicg0GjNg

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

@Dani8
The Fountain is romantically depressing. The whole undercurrent there is ambition, love, and missed love. Making mistakes through life and would-be reincarnation in the pursuit of idealistic love but not recognizing it until it too late type of stuff. I make it much too small to give it justice. Hm. Depressing may not be the word for it though. It's more just intensely emotional, if the abstract time leaps don't pull you out.

For me, it is one of my top 10 films of ALL time. It is visually stunning. The score is gorgeous. I can listen to it alone and still be moved to tears. Not from sadness, but beauty. The movie is simply an experience that if you have the mind for it and can overlook it's few faults, I highly recommend. Just know that it can try to be a bit too heady. It's borderline for me, but can be off-putting for others.


WATCH IT PLEASE NOW I WILL BUY THE STREAM FOR YOU SOMEWHERE JUST SO YOU SEE IT!!!!

;)

Thanks, my friend, but I'll take a rain check. Will shout you a ticket to see Mother, though.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

As with most high concept, The Fountain left my pea brain quickly after seeing it. High concept and surrealism, forget about it. I am sure I had to chase my viewing with a Woody Allen film.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Someone described mother! as being The Fountain's negative image and that got me really fascinated by it.

I kind of like that he's going back to Pi or Requiem like territory.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I AM SO

EXCITED

FOR MOTHER!

Black Swan is my fave Aronofsky. Mother! might change that fact.

'm hearin ya.

:eek::nope:

Different strokes for different folks. He also said it was uplifting. Just not for me.

That's true:)

Are you crazy people really disputing the idea that The Fountain is sad? :eek:

Reasonable to think it's not just sad, or that it's more uplifting than sad, etc. But c'mon. Some of those scenes are heart-wrenching. Don't make me describe them.

Yes they are obviously crazy mofos. And please dont describe them or I;m blocking your green butt. I will find a way.

Pi is awesome. Black Swan is good-not-great. Fountain, Noah, and Wrestler are mediocre. I haven't seen Requiem for a Dream, and I'm not interested in Mother!

I ball up crying every time I watch it. For me it's not that it is sad. It is---it is a terribly romantic tragedy, full of loss and heartache---but the story and character development transcends the pain. I mean, this is The Fountain, moving beyond both time and space! Sadness is my personal feeling in empathy towards the character; however, that character becomes more than a single selfish emotional medium at a point along that character's development, taking three lifetimes to finally reach such awareness. At that point, my perception of that character's sadness is but a grain of sand on the beach compared to what becomes. And that transition for both the character and for myself as an empathic observer is exhilarating!

I cannot leave this movie sad. I am more in awe. And as the movie states, death is the road to awe. OMG how beautiful a summary!!!

Dani8 here is a portion of the score. Just perfect. IMHO. You can maybe get an idea of the highs and lows and pure emotional intensity this film offers by this track alone. UGH I have to watch this now, tonight. Twice. =\
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr0NBPRMe2E

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Seeing mother! tonight. I might have to break the chronological order, because I have a feeling I'll want to hopefully rave about it after.

P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Requiem For A Dream (2000)

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Drug addiction has an insidious way of invading a person's life. Various substances can provide hope, epiphanies, happiness, ecstasy, peace, that you wonder how you were able to live without them before. Soon though, before you're even able to comprehend how you got there, you find yourself in the center of a black hole, spinning violently out of control. The drugs' early magic is now working against you, you lose a sense of yourself, your passion for life, your connections with others. What was once something of a support group, is now a group of bullies encircling you, laughing at you as you are brought to your knees and they overcome you, trying as hard as they can to stop you from getting back up.




The four characters at the beginning of Requiem for a Dream are living in the calm before the storm. Yes, they are drug users, but they have other hopes and ambitions for their lives. Marion, Harry, and Tyrone at first seem to be in control of things, even as in the background their fates are slowly taking a turn from which they may never be able to come back from. Then there is Harry's mother Sara, old and alone, friendly with her neighbors, loving of her son. Her life has all but passed her at this point, so her fantasy to be on her favorite infomercial is her only escape, and will be the catalyst to her downfall. Especially after she's been prescribed dieting medication so that she can slim down enough to get into her favorite red dress.



If Aronofsky proved a striking new talent with Pi, then Requiem For A Dream cemented his place as one of America's most exciting of filmmakers. Using every tool in the cinematic tool box he seduces the viewer with the films flashy style before dropping the viewer into an unforgettable abyss that seems designed to leave a person in the fetal position by the end. From repetitious montages, manic but effective editing, amplified sound design, slow motion and fast motion, incredible cinematography, Clint Mansell's classic next-level original score, and enough horrifying visuals to leave one shaken and queasy, it'd be hard pressed to not feel somewhat affected by the results. This is an intense film, extreme in content, but never tasteless or pointless. Drug addiction is not a fun experience, and Aronofsky does everything he can to appropriately convey this message. There are scenes of humanity at its most degrading, desperate, and depressing, and yet you can not once take your eyes off the screen. It's electric film making.
Roger Ebert said in his review of the film, “Anyone under 17 who is thinking of experimenting with drugs might want to see this movie, which plays like a travelogue of hell.” and I couldn't agree more. Even if at the same time, it didn't stop me, but fortunately I was able to pull myself out of it in time. But I digress.

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Finally, the four performances here are brilliant if heartbreaking. The way in which Jennifer Connelly portrays Marion's soul slowly evaporating throughout the film, until she is nothing but a hollow shell, is quietly haunting. Marlon Wayans easily gives his best performance of his career, making one wonder where he could have gone had he pursued more challenging and dramatic material. Leto is also without fault as a good hearted boy in the body of man, before losing himself as well. But above all else is Ellen Burstyn as Sara, in a tour-de-force and fearless performance. The fact she lost her Oscar, and most of her awards, to Julia Roberts in Erin Brokovich continues to baffle me (though had she campaigned for supporting, it probably would have brought her her second Oscar). She is transcendent and earth shattering as the loneliest of woman, without her husband and her son, in a monotonous lonely existence. This is real earth-shattering acting, you wish to save this women as she comes face to face with an all-consuming monster she was neither prepared to fight or even aware of. It's a breathtaking performance, and a career highlight from one of cinemas finest actresses.
Requiem for a Dream is a masterpiece of persuasion and immersion. Not or the weak of stomach or heart, but absolutely essential viewing for any lover of cinema. A free fall into a hellish nightmare that you will never, ever, forget.



4 out of 4

sorry guys, some unexpected things came up today after throwing my back out at work, so mother will be seen tomorrow instead.

Better not, because it would mean You are crazy too:p

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Welp, I loved it. Murderers! Can't get it out of my head.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I didn't quite flow with The Fountain the first and only time I saw it... I do owe it another visit though. And my current home theater set-up is top notch and therefore I feel like it's perfect for a movie that is alot about the visual/audio experience apart from the metaphoric/symbolic approach...

As for the rest of Aronofsky's movies, he's definitely one of my favourite directors...

Black Swan is pretty much a perfect movie to me. The Wrestler is, if not close, to a masterpiece.

Requiem was great, but very disturbing. I don't have the biggest of desires to watch it again. I liked Noah more than its reputation and I have yet to see Pi.

mother! (2017)
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I can honestly say I have never seen another film like 'mother!'. It is a cinematic experience unrivaled, blazing its own path, and seemingly daring the audience to stick with it. Many, many, many people will hate it, and I can understand why. It offers no easy answers, and its meaning is mostly whatever you project onto it. I'm still not sure what to make of it, but I already can't wait to see it again as I'm sure a second viewing will bring even more rewards, and possibly more questions.

People have compared mother! to Requiem for a Dream for its intensity and extreme visuals and storytelling. For sure it is a grueling experience, just as much as Requiem is. Whether it is more or less so depends on the viewer, and what each viewers threshold is for tension and violence. For me they are both in the same ballpark, but by the end I was disoriented, shaken, and gobsmacked. I'd hope Aronofsky would beat me to a pulp with this one, and he did not let me down in that department.

Jennifer Lawrence is the anchor and focal point of the film, and anyone who may have their doubts about the actress (personally, I don't understand the hate she has received by people in recent years) should be blown away by what she does here. Giving an emotionally raw, bruising, performance, it is a side of her we have never seen. She is even better here than her Oscar winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook. She's in every moment of the film, the camera always close up to her face, or over the back of her shoulder, carrying the film in more ways than one and it's impossible to take your eyes off of her. The whole cast is great here, of course, especially the ever-sexy Michelle Pfeiffer playing the fiercest bitch from hell, but this is Lawrence's film all the way.

As for the direction, all I can really say is "wow". My jaw was on the floor during most of the second half, which I wouldn't dare to spoil. But the direction, or directions, the film goes in this section is mind-obliterating. It's boldly, wildly, original, and just pure-bat-****-crazy-what-the-****-is-happening-insanity. Truly, madly, deeply, nuts. And I loved every second of it. Aronofsky orchestrates the chaos like a master conductor, turning up the insanity one minute at a time. It goes off the rails in the best possible sense. You are just as confused and overwhelmed as Lawrence is, and it feels like something truly unique and unheard of before. To call it ambitious would be an understatement, and the fact that Aronofsky never once loses his grip on the film is astonishing.

I wish I could write more about why I love this film, but that would require me to spoil it, and its best to go into this as blind as possible. But have no worries, the trailer is just the tip of the iceberg, you haven't seen anything yet. mother! fried my mind and left me breathless. It's next-level bonkers film making of the highest order. Some may claim it's pretentious, pointless, crap, and I feel bad for them. But when you're staring into the face of a film this forceful and unrelenting, considering the rather cinematically taboo areas it goes (at least when it comes to mainstream releases), it's bound to split audiences in two. Fortunately, I happened to fall on the side of loving it. This is my kind of movie through and through. Thanks Darren!

4 out of 4

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Bloody fantastic write up. Cheers.

Kind of you! Thanks.

I really am hanging out to see this but Mr D is so far unconvinced. He's the fun police. I cant remember if he watched BS with me but he did watch The Wrestler and really liked it, and also liked RFAD which I havent seen and probably wont.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

mother! is getting such good reviews. I have to watch it soon

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

My Ranking:

Requiem For A Dream -
Black Swan - or ...I don't know, it depends on the day.
Pi -
The Wrestler -
The Fountain -

Can't wait to see Mother! though.

Is Mr D you're significant other? If he's not a fan of Aronofsky he'd probably be not too fond of mother. The Wrestler is one of Aronofsky's most accessible and very grounded in reality. mother on the other hand is very abstract and is no walk in the park.

I'd highly recommend seeing it in cinemas though, as the sound design and immersion is incredible. If anything you'd have much to discuss after whether you love it or hate it.

Also if you're a fan of cinema RFAD is essential viewing. It never really disturbed me as much as other people (I can rewatch it over and over, while many say they could never watch it again), though it is a rough watch at times. But just on a film making/technical level it really needs to be seen.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Seems rather split to me. People aren't responding to an absolute allegory.

Just go in with no expectations and don't spoil it by reading reviews. And don't try to make sense of it the first viewing, part of the experience is just going along for the ride.

Yeah, I had quite a few walk outs in my theater. People were dead silent after. And it's viewer rating is at 49% last I checked, plus the F cinemascore (which is meaningless, anyway)

He is.

I dont think he ever even considers a director's body of work. He probably doesnt even know who aronofsky is. I didnt even know who he was until Black Swan. We dont choose movies according to director.

I've seen too many comments that RFAD is depressing. I dont like depressing movies. Just not my thing. I actually have to be depressed to watch them and not interested in going into that territory

The Fountain (2006)

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The Fountain was originally set with a 75 million dollar budget, with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett cast in the leads. But when Pitt and Aronofsky faced creative differences, Pitt ultimately dropped out, and the film was shut down. A couple years later the film was put back into production, only this time with a considerably lower budget of 35 million, and Hugh Jackson and Aronofsky's then wife Rachel Weisz replacing Pitt and Blanchett. The results were mixed, to say the least.

While some consider The Fountain a visionary wonder, I see it more as an ambitious misstep, a less satisfying film than it could have been had it been able to keep its larger budget and original cast. With that said, on a technical level, The Fountain is filled with gorgeous sights and sequences, and a moving original score by Clint Mansell that stands on its own as a work of art. Leave it up to Darren Aronofsky to prove that even when he stumbles, he still creates something interesting, and overflowing with aesthetically overwhelming visual wonders.

As a story, this is one's a downer, but not in any way that is actually moving or transcendent. Not that it needs to be a laugh fest or have moments of levity, but there's simply not much life to it below the surface. Near the end Aronofsky's artsy pretensions take over, but they are more silly than powerful. There are moments during this last stretch that I was sure I wasn't supposed to be giggling at, but couldn't help it. It takes itself too seriously in a wildly over-the-top way, and Hugh Jackman is miscast, failing to really convince when it matters, save for a few early scenes.

I know there are a lot of fans of this film, and I can understand why, but for this viewer The Fountain is one of the directors weakest films. Despite how pretty it is, it ultimately can't hold up its own weight and collapses in on itself. Maybe one day I'll return to it and it will speak differently to me. Then again I've already tried giving it another chance and it still didn't click. But what a film it could have been!

2 out 4

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I knew I'd lose everyone for not being a huge fan of the fountain.

I've only seen Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, and Black Swan...I think Requiem is his masterpiece and The Wrestler is one of the most heartbreaking movies I have ever seen. Black Swan is severely overrated IMO...a lot of story inconsistencies that made it hard for me to really invest.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I didn't like Fountain much at all either... But I want to watch it again to be certain and cement my opinion.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I remember not even finish the fountain. Too boring at the time.

01. The Fountain
02. The Wrestler
03. Pi
04. Requiem for a Dream
05. Black Swan

No interest in Noah but mother! looks cool.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

hah, saw mother with my friend today. At one point she just got up and walked out, and I went out to see what was up. I found her pacing and crying. She had to regain composure because she wanted to finish it. She loved it in the end, but man, it really wrecked her. I felt bad.

The Wrestler (2008)

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With The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky turned a new page stylistically as an auteur. Gone were the more elaborate stylistic flourishes of his previous films to tell a more intimately scaled character study of the highest order. Straightforward in its narrative but no less gripping or emotionally galvanizing, this is one of Aronofsky's most nuanced and authentic films.

Mickey Rourke is truly a revelation as Randy, known to his many fans as The Ram. As a deeply flawed man past his prime who is now sleeping in the bed he has made for himself, Rourke gives a performance for the ages in what should have been a career revitalizing role. After being struck with a heart attack, he is now woken up to the life he has made for himself, or lack of one, and must face the person he has become. Beyond that, his health is deteriorating, with the abuse he has put his body through finally taking a toll on him. If he is to go back to wrestling he may very well be putting himself into his own grave, but having no skills outside of the ring, his options for income are slim and desperate. Without his fans he is almost completely alone, save for a local stripper Cassidy (played marvelously by Marisa Tomei, who is sexy as ever) who he has formed a bond . While she certainly cares for him on a different level than her many other customers, she still struggles with crossing the line of her job which prevents her from fully expressing her feelings for him. Then there is his estranged daughter Stephanie, now a young woman, that he wishes to rebuild a relationship with and right his wrongs, but for her it may be too little too late. Evan Rachel Wood is strong in the role, even if the character she is playing is nothing new for the actress.

The Wrestler is not a wrestling film, the same way Black Swan is not really a ballet film. But Aronofksy still approaches this particular profession with an unflinching eye. The wrestling sequences are incredibly hard to watch in their escalating brutality. Especially a match involving a table, glass, barbed wire, and a staple gun, that is genuinely shuddersome. As set up as these shows are, these men are also not messing around. Willing to destroy their bodies for the sake of their adoring fans, not just during the fight but also through the use of steroids and other substances. Using real wrestlers is a smart choice, as there is never once a false step to be found, and Rourke seems to have really developed a bond with his fellow wrestlers. However these scenes are truly painful to sit through, particularly an unsimulated moment where Randy (and Rourke) cuts his own forehead with a razor. These men give over their bodies for the entertainment of others, so when a fan meet and greet fails to attract many people, it's a sad reality that makes one wonder if its really all worth it.

Through Maryse Alberti's cinema verite cinematography, The Wrestler almost takes on the feeling of a documentary. While Aronofsky is less flashy here, he is a smart enough director to know that this is not a story that calls for bells and whistles. It's the vividly developed characters and shattering emotional undercurrent that drives the film, no distractions are needed or required. With that said, there is still plenty of beautiful images to be found, with Aronofsky showing his strong use of color. From the drab, muted, surroundings of the city, to the glitzy, colorful, environments of the strip club and wrestling arenas. Every ingredient seems to come together to put on a spectacular fireworks show, even if there's not much in the way of obvious action. It's still very exciting and mature filmmaking.

The ending to The Wrestler is practically perfect if emotionally draining. A certain element is left open-ended, but it doesn't matter in the long run. Whether or not Randy goes on with his progressively pathetic profession, or is unable to, makes no difference. The damage is done, Randy is done, with only entertaining his fans and his dwindling passion for his craft all he really has left to offer in this life. No matter how many times he wins the game, he has essentially failed where it really matters, and there's no coming back from that. The saddest part of it being that he is fully aware of this fact. This is simply brilliant drama with everyone at the peak of their powers.

3.5 out of 4

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

The Wrestler was my first Aronofsky and was what got me into him

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

I have only seen Requiem For A Dream and Black Swan. Two great movies that I enjoyed so much. I was waiting for Mother (2017), but I don't think that I am gonna watch it after all those low ratings given by almost everyone.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

If you liked Black Swan then you need to check out The Wrestler

I liked Black Swan because of the psychology in it. Just googled The Wrestler, didn't find it psychology, but I am going to watch it soon.

Firstly, forget what people are saying about mother and just go see it. It's a different experience for everyone. If you were a fan of Requiem and Black Swan there is a big chance you'll dig Mother too.

Maybe I would like it, but maybe I wouldn't. The bigger chance is that I am not gonna like it. Every critic that I agree with gave a low rating for the movie. I really don't want to lose 2 hours for nothing. I am not gonna watch the movie anytime soon, but I will surely watch it if it gets an Academy Award nomination.

I thought the same as you but I thought '**** it' and went.
And I now realized that the low ratings are given by people who just don't understand it.

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

Taking it to the edge - Film link

Interesting article

https://www.filmink.com.au/darren-ar...y-taking-edge/

Re: The Films of Darren Aronofsky
 

My ratings and rankings:

Mother! 9/10
Black Swan 9/10
The Whale 9/10
Requiem for a Dream 8/10
The Fountain 8/10
Noah 8/10
The Wrestler 7/10
Pi 6/10

Just looked at his IMDB page and realized I've only seen five of the 20 films he's directed but wouldn't rate any of those five films under