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Pi

2009-11-24T11:57:45-05:00

Darren Aronofsky scripted and made his directorial debut with this experimental feature with mathematical plot threads hinting at science-fictional elements. In NYC's Chinatown, recluse math genius Max (Sean Gullette) believes "everything can be understood in terms of numbers," and he looks for a pattern in the system as he suffers headaches, plays Go with former teacher Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), and fools around with an advanced computer system he's built in his apartment. Both a Wall Street company and a Hasidic sect take an interest in his work, but he's distracted by blackout attacks, hallucinations, and paranoid delusions. Filmed in 16mm black-and-white, the Kafkaesque film features music by Clint Mansell (of the UK's Pop Will Eat Itself band). Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival where Aronofsky won the drama directing award. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Pi

2009-11-24T02:13:47-05:00

Pi

2009-11-22T13:01:15-05:00

The Saddest Music in the World

2009-11-20T18:54:11-05:00

Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin directs The Saddest Music in the World, reworked from an original screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in Winnipeg during the Great Depression, the film involves a contest announced by the legless and glamorous Lady Port-Huntly (Isabella Rossellini) to find the saddest music in the world. She's hoping the contest will result in increased sales of her company's brand of beer. American theatrical producer Chester Kent (Mark McKinney) shows up to win the contest with his kooky show-business idea, while brother Roderick Kent (Ross McMillan) returns from the war. Maria de Medeiros plays Narcissa, a sleep walker romantically linked to both brothers. Their father, the alcoholic doctor Fyodor Kent (David Fox), is tortured by his role in Lady Port-Huntly's leg amputation, so he makes her a new glass pair filled with beer. The Saddest Music in the World was shown at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

The Saddest Music in the World

2009-11-20T09:32:33-05:00

Pi

2009-11-19T04:07:32-05:00

The Saddest Music in the World

2009-11-18T17:32:17-05:00

Pi

2009-11-17T10:52:57-05:00

The Best of the Web 1 Shorts

2009-11-16T15:31:41-05:00

Forget network squinting to see a tiny window on the computer screen and say goodbye to over-pixilated streaming video, because in this winning collection of the best short films and animations on the web viewers are afforded the opportunity to discover the filmmakers of tomorrow, today. With no restrictions to hold them back, and an entire television screen on which to play, these nine digital video masterpieces will have less web-savvy viewers making the leap to broadband in no time flat. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The Second Coming of Suzanne

2009-11-15T21:49:53-05:00

Based on a song by Leonard Cohen, this peculiar experimental film set in late-'60s San Francisco was executive-produced by game-show mogul Gene Barry, the director's father. It concerns Suzanne (Sondra Locke), who gets crucified in a film-within-a-film which receives much of the screen time. Suzanne is meant to be a Christ figure, and the story focuses on her use as a doomed symbol for the beliefs of Manson-like filmmaker Jared Martin. Richard Dreyfuss and Paul Sand are among the cast of this offbeat, grungy little film which deserves points for originality if nothing else. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Pi

2009-11-15T01:32:16-05:00

The Best of the Web 1 Shorts

2009-11-14T02:54:01-05:00

Last Days

2009-11-10T12:43:28-05:00

Filmmaker Gus Van Sant wrote and directed this meditation on stardom and its costs, inspired in part by the life and death of rock musician Kurt Cobain. Blake (Michael Pitt) is the leader of an influential alternative rock band who has unexpectedly won a large degree of fame and fortune. Depressed and unsure of what to do with himself or his success, Blake wanders about the run-down mansion he calls home and the visits the woods nearby. While a handful of friends live with Blake, he prefers to avoid them, as they often seem more interested in money or help with their music than in his friendship; meanwhile, Blake is also confronted by a handful of fans, his agent, and a gentleman who sells advertising space in a telephone directory and has no idea who Blake is. As Blake goes through the motions of his day, he tries to decide what he should do next, and what might finally free him from his ennui. Shot and edited in the same languid, low-key manner as his films Elephant and Gerry, Last Days also stars Lukas Haas, Asia Argento, Scott Green, Ricky Jay, and Harmony Korine. Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth also appears in the film, while her husband and bandmate Thurston Moore was a consultant for the musical score; both were friends of Kurt Cobain and toured in tandem with Nirvana on several occasions. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Pi

2009-11-02T18:02:57-05:00

The Saddest Music in the World

2009-10-31T14:55:13-05:00