In a class by itself

Rating: Null/10 (5 August 2002)

I admit I was feeling a bit depressed. As an aspiring screenwriter, I tend to have a more critical view of movies than many people (though I also have my indulgences - I love stuff blowing up as much as the next movie goer). I had seen a few movies by writer/directors, where the writing was substantially substandard on their follow-up effort (Magnolia by P.T. Anderson being the prime example for me). About the only writer/director I found I was a fan of was Chris Nolan (If you haven't seen any of his movies, by all means see them). I can now safely add Darren Aronofsky to that short list of writer/directors I admire.
I guess it was a good thing I was watching this movie on DVD - I was able to distract myself a little by looking at the notes inside, the better not to be completely sickened by what I was watching. Not that I was sick in a bad way - but rather, when you watch the three minutes or so that is the climax of this movie - when you see how the dreams of 4 people winds up plunging them into madness, into an abyss where they will never come back from - you too will be sick. Fascinated. Horrified. It takes a great writer and director to make us feel emotionally exhausted after watching one of his movies (I also recommend Pi, which is also gripping, but nowhere near as shocking as this movie). Darren Aronofsky is one of those rare film people - in a class by himself.