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Darren Aronofsky

smoking_robotsmoking_robot 346 Posts
edited August 2010 in Strut Central




So what's the strut think about this Aronofsky? Ride? Die?

I remember reading a review of The Fountain without seeing a single preview and really wanting to watch it in the theater. It was disappointing as a movie, but visually exciting though.

I have yet to see The Wrestler, but I do want to.

This new one seems interesting, with a creepy surreal undertone, however I feel like that concept could be taken in a really bad direction.

And i guess I am required to bring up Pi and Requiem For a Dream. There, they've been brought up. Well actually one thing: I've noticed a lot of kids mention Requiem for a Dream and when i say kids i mean, when i was younger as well. It seemed to occupy itself as the gateway drug to indie cinema (whether its an indie flick, arthouse flick is not the argument) in that it seemed to be a lot of people's entry way into obscurer films. I kind of think Pi was the same. Both also seemed to be the "edgey art flick" for the common man that makes them feel proud of themselves for having seen, even though their typical fare is whatever that new will ferrell movie is going to be.
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  Comments

  • DustedDonDustedDon 830 Posts
    He's certainly a competant film maker. The Wrester is probably his best film. Always had mixed feelings with Requeim although i think it holds up well. Pi is still my fave by him, i think it's one of the films that got me into alternative/indie cinema..... The Fountain was horrible.
  • JuniorJunior 4,853 Posts
    I must confess to not having watched either Pi or Requiem For A Dream since soon after they came out but I loved both of them at the time. Sure, Pi is highly pretentious and Requiem is both pretentious and way overblown but they both offered an invigorating ride and were like a smack in the face compared to a lot of the films I'd been sitting through. I tried to get into The Fountain but sadly fell asleep and have had no desire to rewatch.

    The Wrestler's definitely worth checking out IMO, deliberately far less stylised though shares the gloomy feel of his previous movies.

    This is actually the first I've seen about this and from the trailer not sure if it's a psychodrama or a supernatural movie - I'm a sucker for either so I'll check this out but probably not at the cinema. Also thumbs up for another Clint Mansell score as well

    B/w Maybe it's because I haven't seen her in anything for a while but Portman is suddenly looking quite a bit older.
  • dwyhajlodwyhajlo 420 Posts
    I think that his movies are :weaksauce:, but he is definitely a competent filmmaker as someone said above. He's probably one of those filmmakers who you have to be introduced at a certain point in your own "development", otherwise his films might not seem as significant if you come back to them at a later point.
  • cookbookcookbook 783 Posts
    i am an aronofsky fan. requiem and pi are both great. i ride for the fountain (sorry). and the wrestler is by far his best film.

    since hearing the plot synop and people attached, i have been dying for a peak. the trailer looks spectacular. portman/kunis sex fantasy sequence? yes please.

    dude bagged up rachel weisz, :game_over:
  • OptimusLimeOptimusLime 227 Posts
    Big fan myself. Pi + Requiem are good, fountain I thought was actually great (and not just visually) and the wrestler was indeed his best.

    Also Lesbian Ballet Sex fantasy is a great name for a band. Or.... scissor swans,
  • hertzhoghertzhog 865 Posts
    Pi was decent. I think The Wrestler and Requiem are just about even (7/10), Wrestler is more solid but it also plays it more safe. I didn't even bother with The Fountain for some reason. In other words, I do not "ride," but it's always good to see a Hollywood dude doing his own thing.
  • mickalphabetmickalphabet deep inna majestic segue 374 Posts
    smoking_robot said:

    .


    nice lineup of 'i'd blap's

    + vincent cassel

    will check it
  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts
    I ride,but i wont be rushing to the cinema to watch this.
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    I've seen Pi, Requiem, The Fountain and The Wrestler.

    The premise of each of these movies looked intriguing, and the Trailers were brilliant. However the actual execution of the flick is actually disappointingly underwhelming. He reminds me of Richard Kelly, where they come up with these big Conceptual films, and after you've watched them. Your left feeling like. That's it? eh.

    This Black Swan trailer looks incredible, but his track record almost makes me not want to see it. I do love me some NP though.

    - spidey
  • selperfugeselperfuge 1,165 Posts
    Jennifer Connelly deserved an Oscar nomination for Requiem. you know what scene i'm talking about.

  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.
  • cookbookcookbook 783 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.

    HAHAHAHA!
  • covecove 1,566 Posts
    I ride hard for Pi. I don't watch movies, so i'm not knowledgeable on the subject, but it was entertaining and satisfied my love of math.
    (i've always wanted to know what the music was when main character went to play Go with the old man. pretty, ambient ish)
  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.


    It's always good to see one of the Strut's chief contrarians bless us with his infallible insight.
    :roll:
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    cookbook said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.

    HAHAHAHA!

    im serious.
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    magnetic said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.


    It's always good to see one of the Strut's chief contrarians bless us with his infallible insight.
    :roll:

    alright, alright. I'll admit as far as I can remember I've only ever seen three of this guys "films."

    Pi: So bad. It started with an interesting idea, that I'm sure Aronofsky picked up in Hebrew school or something, namely that there's "some connection" between math and the kabbalah. The rest of the movie is pretty much indie film spitup.

    Requiem: Basically drug porn. Heavy-handed message (drugs destroy your hopes and dreams!), uninspired story (boy meets girl, boy and girl descend into addiction together), the end. Some interesting visuals I guess. But where's the beef?

    Wrestler: Battered washed-up athlete who's glory days are long over coming back for one last fight? Oh yeah, complete with estranged daughter who hates him? Zzzzzzz. I've seen Rocky, Over the Top and about a million other stories that follow this hackneyed plotline. I guess if you're a Rourke dickrider or have a hardon for Tomei then you give this a pass, but I thought it was way thin.
  • dwyhajlodwyhajlo 420 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    I guess if you're a Rourke dickrider

    Definitely not a Wild Orchid fan.
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Mila Kunis / Natalie Portman lesbian sex scene. That's all I need to know. You really need anything else? You should probably check yourself.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    cove said:
    I don't watch movies

    Wait. What? Who doesn't watch movies?
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    Cosmo said:
    Mila Kunis / Natalie Portman lesbian sex scene. That's all I need to know. You really need anything else? You should probably check yourself.

    haha yeah don't get me wrong I love a good Jew-on-Jew lesbian love scene. In other words I will be peeping the DVD.

    but the thread's about Aronofsky as a filmmaker.
  • covecove 1,566 Posts
    DB_Cooper said:
    cove said:
    I don't watch movies

    Wait. What? Who doesn't watch movies?

    I don't! Don't like them (...at least not fiction....i do really like a good doc). Sure, i've seen a couple, but i would guarantee i've seen fewer than 99%+ of people on this board.
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    Cosmo said:
    Mila Kunis / Natalie Portman lesbian sex scene. That's all I need to know. You really need anything else? You should probably check yourself.

    haha yeah don't get me wrong I love a good Jew-on-Jew lesbian love scene. In other words I will be peeping the DVD.

    but the thread's about Aronofsky as a filmmaker.

    Oh word I don't know anything about that. Okay carry on as you were, dudes. I'm hitting TUMBLR...
  • cookbookcookbook 783 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    magnetic said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.


    It's always good to see one of the Strut's chief contrarians bless us with his infallible insight.
    :roll:

    alright, alright. I'll admit as far as I can remember I've only ever seen three of this guys "films."

    Pi: So bad. It started with an interesting idea, that I'm sure Aronofsky picked up in Hebrew school or something, namely that there's "some connection" between math and the kabbalah. The rest of the movie is pretty much indie film spitup.

    Requiem: Basically drug porn. Heavy-handed message (drugs destroy your hopes and dreams!), uninspired story (boy meets girl, boy and girl descend into addiction together), the end. Some interesting visuals I guess. But where's the beef?

    Wrestler: Battered washed-up athlete who's glory days are long over coming back for one last fight? Oh yeah, complete with estranged daughter who hates him? Zzzzzzz. I've seen Rocky, Over the Top and about a million other stories that follow this hackneyed plotline. I guess if you're a Rourke dickrider or have a hardon for Tomei then you give this a pass, but I thought it was way thin.

    you only take into account basic plot synopsis when deciding whether to like a film?
  • smoking_robotsmoking_robot 346 Posts
    Junior said:


    B/w Maybe it's because I haven't seen her in anything for a while but Portman is suddenly looking quite a bit older.

    good observation, i definitely see it.

    b/w but Mila Kunis is looking much better with age, imo.
  • Danno3000Danno3000 2,851 Posts
    rootlesscosmo said:
    magnetic said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.


    It's always good to see one of the Strut's chief contrarians bless us with his infallible insight.
    :roll:

    alright, alright. I'll admit as far as I can remember I've only ever seen three of this guys "films."

    Pi: So bad. It started with an interesting idea, that I'm sure Aronofsky picked up in Hebrew school or something, namely that there's "some connection" between math and the kabbalah. The rest of the movie is pretty much indie film spitup.

    Requiem: Basically drug porn. Heavy-handed message (drugs destroy your hopes and dreams!), uninspired story (boy meets girl, boy and girl descend into addiction together), the end. Some interesting visuals I guess. But where's the beef?

    Wrestler: Battered washed-up athlete who's glory days are long over coming back for one last fight? Oh yeah, complete with estranged daughter who hates him? Zzzzzzz. I've seen Rocky, Over the Top and about a million other stories that follow this hackneyed plotline. I guess if you're a Rourke dickrider or have a hardon for Tomei then you give this a pass, but I thought it was way thin.

    Absolutely right. Requiem is like Garden State or Ghostworld--a litmus test of lameness. "Requiem/Garden State/Ghost World is my favourite film ever!" = boring wannabe hipster becky
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I am not opposed to Miss Natalie and Miss Mila romancing the stone, but I think they are both terrible casting choices for this kind of film.

    I don't have alternates just yet, I'll have to think about it.
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    bassie said:
    I am not opposed to Miss Natalie and Miss Mila romancing the stone, but I think they are both terrible casting choices for this kind of film.

    I don't have alternates just yet, I'll have to think about it.

    why'd you have to fuck around and mention a good movie in this thread?

  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    Danno3000 said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    magnetic said:
    rootlesscosmo said:
    His shit is embarrasingly bad.


    It's always good to see one of the Strut's chief contrarians bless us with his infallible insight.
    :roll:

    alright, alright. I'll admit as far as I can remember I've only ever seen three of this
    guys "films."

    Pi: So bad. It started with an interesting idea, that I'm sure Aronofsky picked up in Hebrew school or something, namely that there's "some connection" between math and the kabbalah. The rest of the movie is pretty much indie film spitup.

    Requiem: Basically drug porn. Heavy-handed message (drugs destroy your hopes and dreams!), uninspired story (boy meets girl, boy and girl descend into addiction together), the end. Some interesting visuals I guess. But where's the beef?

    Wrestler: Battered washed-up athlete who's glory days are long over coming back for one last fight? Oh yeah, complete with estranged daughter who hates him? Zzzzzzz. I've seen Rocky, Over the Top and about a million other stories that follow this hackneyed plotline. I guess if you're a Rourke dickrider or have a hardon for Tomei then you give this a pass, but I thought it was way thin.

    Absolutely right. Requiem is like Garden State or Ghostworld--a litmus test of lameness. "Requiem/Garden State/Ghost World is my favourite film ever!" = boring wannabe hipster becky

    Major cosign
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    And I'd add Wes Anderson & Jim jarmisch films to that list.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Jarmusch.

    To which list?
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