PI

GENRE:  Drama/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller
MADE:  1998
CAST:  Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman
DIRECTOR:  Darren Aronofsky
WRITER:  Darren Aronofsky, Sean Gullette, Eric Watson

PLOT:  An eccentric and paranoid math scientist tries to find the key to unlock the universal patterns found in nature.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  Primer, Eraserhead, The Machinist

SCORE:

BLACK SWAN

GENRE:  Drama/ Mystery/ Psychological Thriller
MADE:  2010
CAST:  Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
DIRECTOR:  Darren Aronofsky
WRITER:  Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin

PLOT:  Nina Sayers has just gotten the lead role in the Swan Lake Ballet, the swan princess, her one obstacle is to achieve dance of the Black Swan.  As Nina is pressured to be perfect for both the white and black swan and becomes more and more like the black swan she begins to lose her mind.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  American Pyscho, The Fountain, Pi

SCORE:

THE FOUNTAIN

GENRE:  Drama/ Romance/ Sci-Fi
MADE:  2006
CAST:  Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Sean Patrick Thomas
DIRECTOR:  Darren Aronofsky
WRITER:  Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel

PLOT:  The story takes place over a thousand years with the common subjects of love, death and spirituality.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Pan's Labyrinth, 2046

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

GENRE:  Drama
MADE:  2000
CAST:  Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans
DIRECTOR:  Darren Aronofsky
WRITER:  Hubert Selby Jr., Hubert Selby Jr., Darren Aronofsky

PLOT:  A story about drugs, the reasons some turn to them, how far it could go and how far some are willing to go.

PARALLEL UNIVERSE:  Trainspotting, Traffic, Basketball Diaries

SCORE:

NOTE:  If you don't like watching scenes of people being high or getting high (and yes, that includes using needles) then do not watch this film.  It is a great film, one of the best  drug-subject films I have ever seen but I would never watch it again- yes, it is that hard to watch.  If you've watched "Trainspotting" and you felt Trainspotting was uncomfortable to watch then this will be undeniably more so.  An awesome film however with great acting, great story and great soundtrack.