The best movie that I only need experience once...

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2000)

...but will study many times on DVD.
Incredible. Not ignoring the first 30 minutes - when I was overly conscious of Aronofsky's technique and wondering why I care about any of these characters - this movie was my reality for its running time and a short period afterwards. Its effect on me was akin to the drugs its characters relentlessly sought, shot, and swallowed throughout. It was a rough drive home.
I can see how this could be the type of film to fly right over people's heads, or at least make them want to go home and scrub down real good. There's not much to say for a cohesive narrative here. So it would seem after one viewing. Really, a viewer must sink into the seat and under the skin of this film, though two things do make themselves apparent on the surface: Ellen Burstyn's praiseworthy - if there are words - portrayal of a lonely mother/widow and the tight coupling of sound and editing. But, you've probably already read about both of those.
If you're a fan of PI, you'll see a few familiar faces here in Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Samia Shoaib. Some of Aronofsky's stylistic continuity from PI to Requiem includes: the way the characters are shown to take drugs...flash-cut and up-front sound -=BOOM=- new reality, shots with that custom-made camera attached to the actors (I forget what its called), the blood splatter towards the end, and again, as evidenced by the drug scenes and the intense final act, a profound integration of sound and visual editing.
There's plenty of new stuff here, too. Honestly, I DO have to see it again in order to take myself out of the movie and analyse a bit. Its that immersive. I recall the gradual changes in lighting and color and of course the split screen technique toward the beginning.
Aronofsky has proven himself again to be extremely proficient not only technically, but as an artist who's technique serves his craft and pushes the boundaries of the art of film.
Hyperbole? Well, I am excited.