#thefountain

Of the multitudes of New York directors that have made a splash on the film scene over the decades, one of the modern day creatives I put on a pedestal is Brooklyn’s own Darren Aronofsky.  Right out the gate he introduced the world to what he called “hip-hop editing”, a frantic and pattern-based editing style that gave his films a fresh, bold look.  With almost 25 years in the business under his belt, it doesn’t appear that Aronofsky is planning on hanging things up any time soon, so why not look at take a look back at the films in his canon and rank them for the hell of it?

7.  The Wrestler (2008) Perhaps the most down to earth of the Darren Aronofsky films, it’s a bit tough putting it at the bottom of his film list.  He takes a very grounded and sobering approach to the examination of falling short of personal dreams and fractured relationships between parents and children, which gives Mickey Rourke the proper tools and space needed for a moving performance.  That being said, when a magician like Darren Aronofsky has shown you monumental feats of movie magic, sometimes a card trick is underwhelming by comparison, no matter how well executed.

6. Noah (2014) Turning the Biblical tale of Noah into a post-apocalyptic big budget thriller may seem a bit strange on paper, but leave it to Darren Aronofsky to make such an ambitious idea actually work.  Russell Crowe brings the goods as a spiritually conflicted, faith-driven Noah in a landscape that Aronofsky gets a chance to flex his visual muscle on, using vivid time lapse photography and color alteration to great effect.  Ideas presented in The Fountain receive refinement, and we get a glimpse at ideas that would reemerge in mother!, making Noah an interesting middle-point for the Aronofsky canon.

5. Black Swan (2010) Outside of Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan is probably the strongest Aronofsky film in terms of ensemble performance.  Turning a story about the drive and dedication it takes to succeed in a discipline like ballet into a symbol-heavy allegorical remix of The Ugly Duckling narrative works well in the hands of Aronofsky, as he handles his narrative and characters with care and emotion rather than exploiting them with sensationalism and catty behavior.  For a film with a mostly grounded story, the visual flourishes are stunning in their uniqueness from the methods Aronofsky normally uses, and for this boldness alone, it deserves attention and praise.

4. Pi (1998) This brilliant, stunning debut film reimagined what a psychological thriller could be, taking a deceptively complex idea which, at its root, is a concept so simple that it is easy to apply to our daily stimulus.  As a result, we are taken into one of the most vivid black and white worlds committed to film since the expressionist films of the 1920s, with an influx of technology that was already outdated by the time of production serving as the visual equivalent to Max’s obsession and madness with unlocking the secret code.  From the Stock Market to the Torah, and all points in-between, Pi takes viewers on a rollercoaster thrill ride that doesn’t let up until the credits roll. 

3. The Fountain (2006) When this film was released, I went to see it strictly off of the name recognition of Darren Aronofsky, but based on the promotional materials, I misread it as a Hugh Jackman time-traveler story.  I was in no way, shape or form prepared for the visceral emotion, the inconceivable grandness of the love story, or the mind-blowing esoteric resolution that ties the film together.  Aronofsky’s trademark “hip-hop editing” is pushed to its creative limits, with mirroring and repetitive cuts and shot sequences used as connections through space-time, all the while keeping two souls tethered together through the vastness of experience.  For anyone who has been hesitant to see The Fountain based on the fact that it looks and feels different from what you’d expect in an Aronofsky film, do yourself a favor and check it out... and prepare to be moved.

2. Requiem for a Dream (2000) Pi may have put people on notice in regards to Darren Aronofsky, but Requiem for a Dream left no question that he was a genius in regards to filmmaking.  Not since Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas had a novelization of such harrowing experiences been adapted to the screen with such preciseness and unchecked energy, as Requiem for a Dream successfully covered the umbrella of addiction, be it to Schedule 1 narcotics, the opioid epidemic, or even material and carnal desires.  The film stood as the world’s proper introduction to Aronofsky’s “hip-hop editing” style I’ve mentioned previously, and I will go to my grave believing that Marlon Wayans not being recognized for any acting awards in regards to his performance in this film was criminal, not to mention Ellen Burstyn’s loss to Julia Roberts at the 2001 Academy Awards for Best Actress.  Plain and simple, for nearly 20 years, this film stood as Aronofsky’s greatest achievement... but suddenly, near the end of the 2010s, a new challenger arrived to take its rightful place at the top of the list.

Float Away in a Bubble

Gouache on Fabriano

2012

I think this sound matches this movie perfectly

I think this sound matches this movie perfectly