Requiem for a dream - or how to fry your brains in three simple steps

I don't have the slightest clue how to start this and I'm afraid that I'll end up ranting the whole time. Requiem for a dream is the kind of movie that leaves you a bitter taste when you're done watching it. One of the geniuses behind this masterpiece is Darren Aronofsky, the movie director and the same person that gave us Pi, another personal favorite. Why did I say another? Take a wild guess.

Now, I'm going to ask - not necessarily you - what's the difference between a speed junkie and someone addicted to food, TV, tabloids, you name it? What if there comes a moment when you can't distinguish what's real and what's an illusion because of your excessive hobby? I know it's a bit disturbing to picture someone massively hallucinating from reading too many pop magazines, but that was not the point. The point is that our sickened society hit a new milestone with its hypocrisy, becoming unable to make the difference between heroin addicts and TV potatoes. What's the connection with the present movie, you might wonder? Well, the main idea that Aronofsky (successfully) pictures is that there's no practical difference between ANY kind of addiction, be it crystal meth, junk food, or idiotic TV shows.

Take a normal teen, right? Like any teen, he experiments. In some cases, he can even make a passion out of these little escapades. First some hash, then a little bit of snow, some speed now and then and he ends up with his own thing in no time! Mix up a good pal to help with business and an adorable girl with similar ambitions as our guy and the result is perfect. Did I mention the over-protective maa'? But aiming too high isn't good for business, neither for personal health. Can I be less specific than this? No? Ok.To sum up the whole plot, this movie presents the lives of a junkie teen and his maa', starting from a point where things seem to be alright, if not fine, and ending up at a point where they are unrecognizable. Did I mention that the old's lady is a TV junkie?

I don't know much about filming techniques, but I guess the best people gathered and formed the best filming crew ever, for this movie. For example, take the simple 1-2-3 technique. Integrated like it is in this movie, it makes wonders and takes the immersion to a whole new level. And the whole movie is built like this, which surprisingly doesn't make it boring one second. Add a marvelous soundtrack (including Clint Mansell's godlike Requiem for a dream, made special for this movie I think) and you have an equally astounding, exceptional and haunting movie.

If you haven't figured it out yet, this is the kind of art that makes you think about certain things. Like a lot. If you don't decide to watch it after reading this - and my purpose wasn't to make you see it, really - at least consider this: would you rather end up with an infected arm or enchained to an asylum bed?

P.S.: If you don't think the excess of TV crappy shows can be a menace, try to picture yourself taking so-called diet pills to get slim enough in order to fit again in her 20-years-old red dress. To be part of a show. A TV show. AND THE FRIDGE FUCKING TRIES TO EAT YOU. Not kidding, watch and see.