L'albero della vita - The Fountain

...and here I shall attempt to review what will one day be a classic in the hopefully near future. The Fountain is many things. It's a touching film. It's not long, though, clocking in at around 80 or 90 minutes, but it does manage to pack in enough emotion to out-do every single lame, candy-assed Hollywood romance ever created, or almost. More movies should cut down their running times like this; because there is not a wasted moment in The Fountain from start to finish, despite the movie still moving at an gregariously slow pace. You won't find any blitzed, seizure-inducing cut-and-paste editing scenes here, and there are no epic explosions and battle scenes either. What you will find, though, is an entire treasure trove of realistic passion and jaw-dropping emotion, and that's the strong point of this movie. Nothing here feels contrived or derivative or fake at all - this is a story of a woman with a lot of love in her heart and a passion for life in general, and a man who would do anything to preserve the same love for all eternity. That's the Fountain.

The Fountain is a simple movie. While at first it's repertoire of lazily abstract images and slow plot construction may seem intimidating and might even turn off the average moviegoer, a deeper voyage into The Fountain's layers reveals something not hard to comprehend at all. I mean, honestly, this film is a love story at it's core, there are no mind-bending plot twists and secret meanings. It's just a passionate, intricately woven romance about how far a man would go to let his love live on forever. If you're looking for super slick plot twists and drama, then look elsewhere, because The Fountain is not your typical modern flick at all. As I said, average moviegoers probably won't be able to get into this one. It's just too abstract and weird, and I won't blame anyone for disliking it on the basis of it's obvious inaccessibility. But regardless, the shimmering majesty of this movie is evident to those who are willing to try and find it. It's clear after the film sinks in - The Fountain is a straightforward and simple film disguised by multiple layers of artistic refinement and glorious imagery. Oh, it's not all clear cut for you, there is one other sticky point for some people - the fact that The Fountain takes place in three different time-spans all at once, weaving them together into a rich, complex tapestry of master-class storytelling. Yet somehow, despite the winding complexity of it all, The Fountain remains a pretty basic story once you get your head around it's eccentricities. Simplicity and complexity go hand in hand here to create a plethora of beauty and sorrow, a perfect oxymoron.

There's a very deep, broad contrast between the beautiful simplicity of the film's plot line and the absolutely jaw-dropping grandeur of the special effects and graphics utilized here. The directing here is through the roof, and the cinematography on display here is probably amongst the five or six best from any movie I've ever seen, if not the very top of the goddamn list. Just watch the last few minutes of the movie, and you'll understand. One of the things I really love about The Fountain is that it's beautiful and touching without trying to be anything it isn't. It's an honest film, and it does everything it wants to do effortlessly and flawlessly, with graceful, sweeping movements that etch a stunning caricature of rich, luscious aesthetics into an otherwise simple story. Marvelous.

I was lucky enough to see a screening of The Fountain a few days before the official release date.

The music was hauntingly beautiful.

The use of micro-photography made the visual effects gorgeous. Still-shot images of this movie should be framed and hung wherever there are large groups of people present.

I was engrossed in the story. It's complex, yet basic at its core. I literally felt the tragedy of the situation. And despite connecting with that tragedy emotionally, I couldn't help but sit in awe as the credits began rolling. I felt neither depressed nor hopeful as the experience ended . I just felt spent, moved , and incredibly eager to engage in discussion.

I have a newfound respect for the talent of both Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. If I see either of them on the street I will feel compelled to offer a handshake.

I am convinced Darren Aronofsky is going to be regarded as one of the elite directors of our time before his career comes to an end.

Overall, this movie is layered in intriguing elements. I've heard it described as a poem, and I agree entirely. It's like a timeless poem in that it deserves to be revisited, both in viewings and in conversation.

Fantastic in every sense. This film is indeed poetry, and a beautiful testament to love and the cycle of life, and the impermanence of death. Wow. The script is tight, and the non-linear presentation works very well. The scene compositions were exquisite. The score enhanced without being overbearing, which is so often the case in contemporary film.

The acting is absolutely superb, but then it's got Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. I can't imagine Brad Pitt doing any sort of justice to this film. Darren Aronofsky lucked out in the long run by getting someone who has the range to portray the vast emotions required for Tomas/Tommy/Tom. Weisz has the depth for regal intrigue and spirited grace. Their chemistry makes their stories even more entrancing.

This film does require a thinking brain to be appreciated.

Tomas searches Mayan country, seeking the legendary tree of eternal life that offers him the chance to free his captive queen. A medical researcher pushes the bounds of professional ethics as he attempts to extract a natural cure for his dying wife. A traveller in deep space attempts to make it to a dying star wrapped within a nebula in order to spend eternity with his destined love.

The Fountain got mixed reviews when it came out for a short cinema run in the UK. Perhaps understandably because, although he is hailed by some, he is dismissed by others. So far my experiences have seen me fall into the middle ground as Pi didn't totally win me over the way it did others but I did find Requiem for a Dream to be as impressive as I had heard. So I came to the Fountain unsure of what I would find and not sure if I would like it or if I would struggle with how impenetrable the ploy summaries and comments did make it sound. At first glance it does seem this way because the link between the three stories (and the nature of at least two of the them) does make it seem like a concept to be cracked and pieced together. I do think coming at it like this will only lead to frustration. It is my belief that the modern section is real and that the other two exist within the book – this explanation helped me as it allowed me to focus on the emotion and themes within these sections rather than trying figure out the exact narrative reason for a bald man inside a spaceship that looks like a bubble.

By doing this I was left with a film that I found interesting from start to finish, with the theme of movement from life to death and perhaps rebirth being one that was explored visually as much as it was in the material. To say it like this does run the risk of making it sound corny but rather, with this approach, it does work really well, layering ideas and themes to awesome effect. The central relationship holds the film together and, although some have criticised the other two threads as weaker, I personally saw them as being as much of the main thread as the main scenes were themselves. I was surprised by how touched I was at points and found myself watching a sci-fi with an intense human story running throughout it (or vice versa – I'm not sure).

Some have said that Aronofsky's style as director is a bit cold and distant from his subjects. Technically I agree with that, which is why the performances are all the more important here. While the camera may not be about the heart, the performances must be and accordingly we get a pair of tremendous performances from the two stars. Jackman dominates the film. It must have been difficult to find his character in the midst of so many effects and concepts but he does it and, while you can see a lot of effort is being put in technically in some scenes, he never loses the focus on what he is trying to do. Weisz has less time and less of the material but she does almost as well – really connecting with Jackman and making her acceptance of transition seem convincing – something I saw as key in the delivery. Burstyn has a small role, while famous faces such as Thomas, Margolis, Curtis and Suplee provide solid turns even if their time is limited.

Although he is cold as a director there is no doubting that Aronofsky is a skilled director with a great creative force. His control of the theme across the film sees Libatique producing a wonderful control of light that I cannot even begin to comprehend how he created what he wanted and managed to capture it on film. The space sequences will catch the eye most but I was just as impressed with the use of light in the present-day scenes as the use of distant light, being just out of the light etc was an excellent visual extension of the theme.

As I expected, on the surface of it this is not an easy film to crack and, although not inaccessible, it is understandable why it didn't rip in a massive mainstream audience. However at its core it is a simple and touching tale, that is cleverly expanded thematically across the bookend threads. While the director and talented crew seem to focus on the technical delivery of the themes, they are matched with a masterful turn from Jackman – meaning that the emotion is right there the whole time, holding us in a story that is inventive and technically impressive as much as it is human.

'The Fountain' is one fascinating film. I don't think there's enough words to describe what it's like. After watching the film, I've read several different interpretations and can only conclude that don't make a decision on what you've read, simply watch the film. It's a unique movie-watching experience.

Aronofsky took me by complete surprise. I loved his 'Requiem for a Dream' but I did not expect him to come up with something so different. Man, is that a big difference, not only in content but also in technique and pretty much everything. All I knew beforehand was that the film was a science fiction and that it starred Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (actors whom I like). After watching it, I can safely say that 'The Fountain' is much more than just a science fiction flick.

I won't mention much of the plot as I do not want to ruin the experience by giving any spoilers. I would love to discuss the film with people who have already seen it. Aronofsky uses of symbolism, colour, and spectacular visuals to tell a story of life, death, love and rebirth. The visuals are simply breathtaking and the special effects are phenomenal. The use of different camera angles is particularly excellent as it gives the viewer (well at least me) the feel of the moving time and space. He cleverly uses lighting and colour to distinguish between the atmosphere of the different times as he does with the zoomlens. And, of course the soundtrack which is very underused but beautifully noticeable.

Hugh Jackman is terrific in a multidimensional character and Rachel Weisz is phenomenal. She's particularly outstanding as she plays her part with a subtle intensity. Ellen Burstyn has a smaller role but she is splendid to watch.

It's really difficult to describe what the experience is like in just a few words. I haven't yet understood every single aspect of 'The Fountain' and am going to be rewatching it, but it does stay in mind long after the end credits have rolled. It's a complex theme but the basis is simple. It won't be liked by many as so many of it is left to interpretation with a lot of questions but for me it's fascinating and is all a movie-watching experience should be.