With Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky has now directed the requisite number of films (five) that he can be mentioned peripherally among the likes of his most major influences—David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, Roman Polanski and (I could swear) the Beelzebub himself. Here is a look how I’d rank the Aronofsky canon, and why you might want to check out these darkly existential films.
1) Requiem For A Dream (2000) – Ellen Burstyn is phenomenal (she was nominated for an Oscar in this role as Sara Goldfarb) in this film that centers on addiction and spiraling delusion of four linked characters played by Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans. I’ve said it before: though it’s labeled a drama it’s actually one of the better horror films released in the last decade, and I remember Aronofsky himself saying it was a roller coaster ride that crashes into a brick wall — like that was most moviegoers' idea of fun! Burstyn’s palsied declaration, “I’m going to be on television,” with the refrigerator coming after her is indelible stuff. Each character ends up in the fetal position.
