Is Aronofsky this generations Kubrick?

Rating: Null/10 (23 August 2001)

I ask that question because like Kubrick, he has taken a sort-of taboo subject and made a gruesome, truthful film about it. His directing style and shooting is also quite unique, I have never seen the use of a split-screen in film before but it works wonders for this one. The film itself, I must urge do not watch this movie alone! It is a film so brutally honest and so dangerous to simply watch without anyone being there for comfort. I watched it alone and when the film was over, I was in complete shock. There is only one other film that you might remotely relate this one to and that is Trainspotting, and that film doesn't even come close to the impact that Requiem For A Dream has. This film affects you in every way possible. It's visions haunt you while it's subject matter urges users to NEVER indulge again, and scares people who have yet to try drugs into never trying them. The actors all did a wonderful job. After seeing this I definitely think Ellen Burstyn deserved the best oscar over Julia Roberts, but I digress. Her and Jared Leto, I'm not too familiar with except for this film in which they both do a marvelous job. What happens to this mother and son is heart-wrenching.(I couldn't believe that Burstyn's character went that far into her addiction). Connelly and Wayans were the two actors that I had been familiar with going in, and I was amazed at their performances as well. It's a shame that this film was not nominated for best picture. In terms of "dangers-of-drugs films" it was much better than Traffic(sorry Benicio). All-in-all a very entertaining, moving, and educational film 3.5 out of 4.