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Requiem for a Dream - Director's Cut

Requiem for a Dream - Director's Cut

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Its amazing
Review: This movie is insane, it touches you on the inside, after watching it you feel like you are nothing, you probelms are childish and you dont belong on this earth...not great feelings, but i have never been touched to deeply by any movie i have ever seen, it seems so real, but at the same time you dont want to believe that these things can actually happen to people...If you think that there is a chance you will like this movie, BUY IT, you will never regret it, the movie it great.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brilliantly intelligent and artistically sound
Review: This movie was thoroughly enjoyable, well-paced, and artistically sound, laced with subtle, sardonic humor and perceptive social commentary amid the tragedies of its characters. Those few negative reviews which argue the movie is hollow at its core are inaccurate--the movie clearly shows the value of loving human relationships and how their loss causes and results from those things we use to numb ourselves--not only illegal drugs, but also tv, game shows, and food.

I recognized a number of people in this movie, some who have been mentally ill and others who have watched TV too much. I can't help but think I'm implicated in the movie in several ways, or have been in various parts of my life...

This movie is an absolute masterpiece which, unlike shallow, fast-food quality movies like "Traffic" and "Magnolia", actually powerfully shows meaningful, perceptive connections between drug culture and the larger culture with which it interacts and from which it springs.

True, the movie was at times shocking, but never gratuitously, in my opinion (unlike the vulgar, silly "Magnolia" or even the relentlessly hopeless, nasty and brutal "Amores Perros.") This movie, in little hints and clues, like the main character's desperate call to his girlfriend at the end, or the embrace between Ellen Burstyn and her friend, shows the value of love, something which our culture's materialism and intoxication often leaves behind...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Movie Everyone Should See Once
Review: At once compelling and repellent at the same time, Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem For A Dream" has been billed as one of the best films of 2000. Fusing MTV-inspired editing, stylised cinematography, a hip-hop score given added grace thanks to some strings and stirringly effective performances from the cast, director Aronofsky has made an unforgettable piece of cinema that deserves to be seen at least once by everyone.

Playing like an extremely demented Aphex Twin video (without the absurdist hilarity), Aronofsky makes his actors honourably play perversion-parade for his opus as they misplace their hope of escaping from their mundane lives into chemical charms, from heroin, to coke, to dieting pills. Aronofsky does the right thing in not plumping for the audience's sympathy too much and even in the finale switches from sly comedy to full blown horror with panache. That said, Aronofsky delivers the harrowing moments impeccably also, with the help of some fine editing from Jay Rabinowitz, Matthew Libatique's haunting cinematography and Clint Mansell's brilliant score. Carrying the film though, the actors play their parts just as well, especially Jared Leto and Ellen Burstyn, the former making full use of his big blue eyes to suggest a sweet hope that is tragically tempered by his aimless actions. Burstyn however makes the film hers, especially in the final moments when the audience is shown what she has finally been reduced to; no wonder she announced upon winning Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year that this was "the role of my career".

Film has been attacked for its easy moralising ("Drugs are bad, mmmkay?"), but in his descent into the lowest depths of pop culture hell, Aronofsky gives us a visually resplendent reminder of what the medium of cinema can achieve, if not one of the best school education films about drugs ever made.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best films I've seen all year
Review: Great cast and great style of direction. Ellen Burstyn is awesome and after seeing this movie, I would see another one with her in it. Jared Leto was hot and so were the rest of the cast. Sad and degrading in what drugs can do to your life. Great movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A very involving movie
Review: This film was filmed with maximum 'point of view' style. You are dragged into the story, almost interactively. The sound design effectively punctuates the story; fresh, loud & manipulative, yet judicious in frequency. Aronofsky pushes the limits of the experience well into the discomfort 'red' zone, yet there is still one foot firmly on the floor. Not only does the film have a great 'look', but also the DVD has great bonus materials besides commentaries and 'Making-Of' sections. The opening menu is the most creative I have seen to date! A lot of entertainment for the money.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Burstyn was robbed!
Review: Just when you thought the Academy Awards had redeemed themselves by passing over fluff by awarding Hilary Swank last year, they go and succomb to the Julia Roberts machine. Anyone who's seen "Requiem" knows that Julia Roberts did NOT deserve that Oscar. It was Ellen Burstyn's erratic, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching turn as Sara Goldfarb that was truly the best given by an actress last year. Burstyn truly exemplifies "acting" as opposed to "performing," which is exactly what Roberts does in "Brockovich." Years from now, it will be Burstyn's performance that will be remembered and admired vs. Roberts'. Ms. Burstyn, if you happen to be reading this, just know that the millions of people that have seen your work in this film know that you are the better actress. And, guaranteed, Julia Roberts knows this, too.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Raw... its purely raw
Review: So I went to see this movie not expecting much of anything at all. And I left the theater in awe- on the verge of seriously damaged, introspective and with much to think about. Not only was this film asthetically breathtaking, it was one that made you question a lot. It pains me to hear it passed off as "just another one of those 'drug movies'" because it was so much more than that. It was a commentary on The American Dream. The dream that has been glamorized in this society, was bashed and proven self-destructive and unrealistic in under three hours. Yes, addiction did play a major role in this film but so did the idea that life is giving rather than getting (to loosely borrow the phrase from Selby) And it was the characters obsession with recieval that led to their downfall. Asthetically- the movie was mesmerizing, haunting, addictive... the colors, the angles, the music- every frame a beautiful picture (in the begining anyways). Basically, it saturated me and invaded my thoughts (even still, months after the fact) And thus my need to purge my feelings on this amazing film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Traffic's got nothing on this...
Review: I thought it was absolutely brilliant, right from the actors chosen to play the addicts they were to the set design that was used in each scene... Funny thing is, I watched Traffic right after this and it was like, Why bother? Traffic was mindnumbing next to this and actually made me laugh when I saw the kid get taken to the hospital for overdosing on cocaine... um, yeah, right. Not bloody likely! I recommend it as a buy for anyone that appreciates and respects addiction for what it can truly do to the human psyche.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Movie that Remains in Your Subconscious
Review: I have read the majority of the reviews posted and to be honest, they are all right. The majority of the responses have been that this film is great. I have never done heroin or anything of the sort, but after watching this film I am completely reassured that I would never try it, even if my life depended on it. The main point that I take from a film is how destructive drugs and addiction period has on people. I don't care how often you see a crack addict or know of friend who does drugs, this film takes you on that emotional and mental journey that many of us have never traveled. Quite honestly I had no intent on watching this film , but hearing about the power that this film it intrigued me. I am parent and I pretty sure the question of drugs will be heard at some point in life, at that time if my children are of age, I am pretty sure that I will show this film to them. Maybe these distributing images will shine clearer than those images of total bliss associated with drug use. To get back to the film the acting was great. Ellen Brystn did an excellent job and to be honest as was stated in previous reviews, she was snubbed. She was declining so fast that if you get caught up in the other characters (as I did) you do not notice her fast descent. I felt the most pity for Jennifer Connelly. It seems that every woman with a drug addiction sucumbs to the behavior that she eventually begin to manifest. I just kept reflecting back to her character in the begin of the film and how different she became. The climax is definitely heart racing and those images are burned into your conscience. I could go on and on, but this film is definitely worth purchase or viewing period. But for me the story was just to much for my mind.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WOW
Review: This movie is unbelievable -- who would have thought I would care about these people. You do. You know someone like them or are one yourself.

The day after I saw this movie , I couldn't get the music or the images out of my head. They are not good images.

It is better to see this movie having no idea what to expect (as I did) because if you have heard hype or whatever you are kind of expecting it. I was not expecting it and don't know if I could sit through it again.

I loved the cineamatography (spell?) and thought the acting was incredible. BUT IT IS THE SADDEST MOVIE YOU WILL EVER SEE, DEPRESSING AND SAD. But I have to admit -- it did move me.


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