Pi
1998 Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Synopsis
There will be no order, only chaos
The debut film from Darren Aronofsky in which a mathematical genius Maximilian Cohen discovers a link in the connection between numbers and reality and thus believes he can predict the future.
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It's only fitting that Hasidic Judaism is a major plot point, because Pi is as neurotic a film as they come (I can say that, I'm a Jew, okay?)
Especially considering its $60,000 budget, Pi is an incredible piece of filmmaking. Sure, it's got plenty of issues. The acting, though it does the trick for the most part, is one-dimensional and unconvincing. It's only a tiny bit confusing, some better writing wouldn't hurt. And if we're being honest here, the paranoid genius descent-into-madness thing is a little overdone. Yet somehow, Aronofsky's fresh and fascinating take on the whole thing elevates it to a genuinely harrowing cinematic experience. His utilization of camera movement is measured and precise even when it pretends…
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This movie is as disturbing as they come. A deep and intricate analysis into the life of a mathematics genius who gets so obsessed with his obsession of numbers that his god given gift is turned slowly into a man made curse. Sean Gullete beautifully exhibits the intense paranoia and the addictive nature of the character. Aronofsky and Clint Mansell at their very best!!!
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Whoa, now here's a debut anyone would be proud of. It's got the obvious touches of amateur production, but Aronofsky displays an impressive ambition and thematic scope that just commands respect. It's tough to make a gripping thriller from number theory, yet that's exactly what we have here. Weird, wonderful, transfixing, and terrifying, it brings to mind the works of, among others, Lynch and Cronenberg, the strange surrealism and body horror aspects scattered throughout among the finest things on display, contributing a disquieting eeriness that's invaluable to making it quite so engrossing. Performances waver, plot gets too heavy in the final moments, certain angles really don't work, but I was enjoying it too much to care.
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Pi is like a really complex math equation.
It's confusing as hell, you feel stupid when you don't get it, it's a little boring, you're wracking your brain wondering what it really means, and you're still trying to figure out just what the hell do letters have to do with math.
Does that mean it's bad? No, there's some good stuff in this, it's just a confusing math equation. The lead actor is good and it's interesting, though at times bland mainly because of poor camera work. Could'nt tell what was going on. As Darren Aronofsky's debut, you get some impressive shots, some of which he would use in later films like Requiem For A Dream along with similar themes.…
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Moral : Listen to you mother, Don't stare into the sun.
Like Fountain, the whole concept seem a bit too complex for my teeny tiny head. But the most interesting part is I loved it. It was intriguing in many ways. A movie that builds on the chaos the human mind creates. It just builds on until it eventually explodes. The score was impressive, it really makes you feel you are in his head, the chaos , the silence all captured really well.
A movie that can go either way, love or hate.
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After watching this, The Fountain, and Requiem for a Dream, I think I understand Darren Aronofsky as a director -- he's obsessed with the theme of, well, obsession, and how it can lead to self-destruction. And as should be expected from such a director, Pi is at its best when it's showcasing the main character Max's mental deterioration, employing a cool style of quick cutting, camera technique (shaky-cam to convey paranoia, fish-eye lens to disorient the viewer), and metaphorical visuals (e.g. the brain, the disappearing man) that would later be enhanced and perfected in Requiem. The stark black-and-white style gives Max's world a sense of grit, which is supplemented by Clint Mansell's pounding electronica score and occasional voiceover from lead…
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Sure as shit, this is an Aronofsky film. Beyond Pi I had seen each of his films in order of release, always having failed to get to (or, quite frankly, just put off -- I owned a copy if this on DVD for eight months without ever popping it in) this particular flick. It's obvious to see why the writer-director has such a cult-like following. I mean, pretty much any film about drugs (sup Requiem?) is obliged to blind adoration. Nevertheless, Aronofsky is a skilled filmmaker who seems to work best within the umbrella of his niche.
Pi, another film emblematic of America's indie-boom in the 90s, succeeds on a number of levels, none more so than the resounding welcome of a man who aims, at the very least, to bring to cinemas something so many others shy away from.
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It's only fitting that Hasidic Judaism is a major plot point, because Pi is as neurotic a film as they come (I can say that, I'm a Jew, okay?)
Especially considering its $60,000 budget, Pi is an incredible piece of filmmaking. Sure, it's got plenty of issues. The acting, though it does the trick for the most part, is one-dimensional and unconvincing. It's only a tiny bit confusing, some better writing wouldn't hurt. And if we're being honest here, the paranoid genius descent-into-madness thing is a little overdone. Yet somehow, Aronofsky's fresh and fascinating take on the whole thing elevates it to a genuinely harrowing cinematic experience. His utilization of camera movement is measured and precise even when it pretends…
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Aronofsky's first is his worst.
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π. is a strange film, with a fascinating theme, yes the film goes around numbers…
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It seems like a lot of good directors like to do their first film is black and white (I'm looking at Nolan here) and it seems as though they go for noir more than action and fast paced suspense. Pi falls into this category. It's story i quite the mind bender and if you are terrible at math (like me) this film may annoy you to no end. What is boils down to in the end though is simple, obsession. This was a first time watch for me so i was finding it hard to catch on at first but what I found is that if you read into the math part TOO much it is easy to get lost…
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One of my favorites. Always leaves my head sort of buzzed with a numbness. Fucking brilliant.
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This Aronofsky is one kirk fellow.
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VERY different from Yann Martel's novel. Although the filmmaker's nixed the tiger, the boat, the young indian boy, and replaced the spiritual themes with ones that revolve around math, i'd be lying if I said it wasn't entertaining.