Rating: 
Summary: Amazing, and unlike anything you have ever seen
Review: I recently purchased Requiem for a Dream on DVD and was blown away... all the originality and style of Pi (Darren Aronofsky's freshman effort) had been super-evolved to a state of near perfection. This movie is simply beautiful to watch... incredibly striking and original camera effects.. wonderful split screens and amazing cuts. This movie packs a visual knock out.Beyond the sheer delight of how it is presented, the story is very complex and compelling... the 4 characters in which this movie centers on are all very well developed, each of their fates unfolding before you like some wicked nightmare. Ellen Burstyn portrays her character (Sarah Goldfarb) with particular skill... her fall into the depths of addiction is an amazingly interesting spiral. Do not watch this movie and expect some uplifting message or moral resolution to all the depravity. Requiem for a Dream presents you with all the horrors that humanity is capable of, and then walks away, leaving you to deal with it on your own. It is extremely dark and jaded, but it is in that honesty that the movie becomes so powerful. This is an incredible movie, and I don't think *any* DVD collection is complete without it.
Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking, Sensory and Soul Journey
Review: This is by far one of the best movies I have seen in years. The reality of our lives, our addictions to love, life, pills, alcohol, and the turmoil of every day existence and our search for love and happiness -- is so realistically and beautifully represented in this film. It will challenge your beliefs, grip your soul, and force you to look within and compare youself to the characters in the film. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a superbly filmed masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Mind Warping and Thought Provoking
Review: Some reviews I have read about "Requiem" stated that the film had nothing to say, did not add to the dialogue about drugs or drug films, and served merely as a cautionary tale about how drugs are bad. I completely disagree with these ideas. I felt that the heart of this film is very socially concious. It examines a culture where drug addicts are put in prision while drugs are handed out like candy on Halloween to solve even the smallest problems. This film seemed less about the evils of addiction then about the evils of our cultures hypocritical attitude towards drugs and drug addicts. More thought provoking than, say, Trainspotting, but not for the weak of heart or mind.
Rating:
Summary: An incredible movie
Review: Requiem was the first DVD I ever bought without seeing the film first. After watching it over and over, I can say that I'm incredibly happy that I did. The cast is absolutely dead on. It was an experience just to watch each character through out the three acts. Especially Ellen Burstyn, who was so robbed at the Oscars. Burstyn conveyed so much range and emotion as Sara Goldfarb that it was like she was possesed. I was also surprised by Marlon Wayans who played a somewhat serious role and showed he could be a great actor one day. (But Scary Movie 2 has gotta come first, ya know) Of course Darren Aronofsky's direction is incredible and he paces the movie perfectly. The DVD has plenty of extras to feed your need, and the commentary is insightful but I kept wanting to turn it off so I could hear the sweet music. Overall, Requiem... is the total package.
Rating: 
Summary: Tragically flawed (the movie, not the characters)
Review: In the unlikely event you actually read through the 200 preceding reviews to get to this one, I won't waste too much more of your time. Darren Aronofsky's 'Requiem for a Dream' is an ambitious modern tragedy that ultimately falls victim to its director's misplaced sadism. In attempting to create a shockingly accurate portrait of the highs and lows of drug abuse, Aronofsky fails to allow his characters any sense of humanity -- they are, to the end, the sum of their addictions. While the film contains excellent performances all around, and cinematography that shows Aronofsky has grown considerably since 'Pi', neither can save it from descending nearly into self-parody by the end. In sharp contrast with 'Trainspotting', one of the few other contemporary films to portray drug addiction with any degree of honesty, 'Requiem' offers its characters no hope or quarter; it merely trudges them through a gauntlet of horrors from which they can never escape. Whether the four protagonists get what they deserve in the end is mostly irrelevant, as you won't care much about them by then. (Aronofsky's depiction of a mental hospital is particularly reprehensible -- believe it or not, they have improved considerably since 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', though Aronofsky doesn't seem to have noticed.) If you do bother to see 'Requiem for a Dream' -- and you may as well, I suppose, if only to see what all the fuss is about -- make sure you see the unrated version, not the patronizing "edited version." (Why major rental chains and department stores want to offer a film like this is puzzling in itself, but they should at least have enough respect for their customers to give them what they came for.)
Rating: 
Summary: Sensationally Over The Top But Thoroughly Mesmerizing
Review: Note: This review is about the edited version. I still have yet to see the directors cut. It probably isn't fair to call a drug movie over the top since we can expect drug movies to be tragedies with a number extreme scenarios. This movie doesn't really differ all that much from those drug scare films they show high school kids except this time its done with fantastic visuals and absolutely mesmerizing music. This scare film is too slick and stylish to be laughed at. It might even be an exploitation film that is too slick to be scoffed at. Personally, I love movies that put an emphasis on visuals and music but usually these films suffer from a lack of substance in plot and character. Requiem fares a lot better than most movies of this type but it still could have been better. The characters seem t have potential in arousing our interest in their relationships and psychological development but before we can really get to know anyone intimately the movie becomes nightmarish climax as everyone descends into hell at the same time and we are left with no epiologue or resolution. If the movie hadn't spellbinded me so much with its style I might have felt more sad. This is an awe inspiring car wreck of the worst kind. Ellen Burstyn is an absolute work of art in this movie. To think she lost the Oscar to Julia Roberts is just a reminder of how stupid the Academy Awards can really be. Comparing Ellen to Julia in this context is like comparing an operatic performance to a high school play. All in all I recommend this film for people who want to see a movie pack a punch with a lot of style.
Rating:
Summary: intricate paradox of addiction and delusion...
Review: i had heard from the mouths of family and friends this film left you enthralled yet devastated. and as i watched, unable to turn my attention to an irrelevant distraction, as this movie was so poignant... wanting to turn your glance, but you couldn't. The one song played throughout the whole movie... the song was perfect. The actors were wonderful (mr. wayans... what a surprise!) fulling delving into the skin of their characters. You see how in the beginning, only bits and pieces are delirious, when the addiction increases, so does the hallucinations of the movie. It's all a trance... nothing is real or unreal. Of course, in all of the drug movies they portray the worst-case scenarios... yet, this was exquisitely well done, certainly not glorifying drugs... i highly recommend to those who would watch with an open mind, and a not-yet broken heart...
Rating:
Summary: good but depressing
Review: The movie is a great film. It is well disected brillianlty composed and it is alltogether a great piece of movie. However it was definatly an example of a director trying really really hard to be noticed, and the movie goes a bit too far in trying to be brilliant rather than just entartaining. Also it was one of the biggest downers I have rescebtly seen. Bottom line... Great movie, but I didn't like it.
Rating:
Summary: This Movie Will Get in Your Head
Review: This is the best movie that I usually tell people not to see. The reason is that it is so intense. Contrary to most films about drug addiction, this movie utilizes tremendous direction to create a creepy, uncomfortable atmosphere. After you see this film you won't want to take a tylenol, or drink anything with caffene in it--it's that scary. The performances all around are rock solid, but the major attraction is definately the direction. An oft repeated montage that is meant to simulate a high is beyond discrption and the black spot on Jared Leto's arm leave nothing unsaid. Check it out, unless you ever want to sleep again.
Rating:
Summary: Julia Who?
Review: Requiem is one of the best films I've seen this year. It's also the most disturbing. I simply can't get it out of my head. Though there's not much difference between the video edit (done by larger video outlets in an attempt to water down the movie experience) and the original theatrical release, I would suggest seeing the latter to get an understanding of why the MPAA refused to rate the film. It's not for the faint hearted. I was surprised by the performances of Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans and Jennifer Connely. This has to be a career-best for all three. Who knew Marlon Wayons could act...for real? However, Ellen Burstyn's performance was the definite stand-out. How in the world did she lose the Academy Award to Julia Roberts? I've seen both movies, and Burstyn's performance, by far, outshined that of Roberts. The only conclusion I can make is that the Academy is rigged! I cannot put into words how I feel about this movie, but I will say that it's not for everyone. Those who like summer blockbuter-type films will probably not enjoy Requiem, as nothing blows up and the main couple doesn't walk into the sunset. However, if you love cutting-edge cinema that evokes every emotion humanly possible, this one will work.
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