The Fountain

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I remember after seeing Requiem For A Dream in 2001 being absolutely fucking jazzed on whatever Darren Aronofsky had planned next. Upon hearing that he was going to be filming a big-budget movie with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the leads I was interested but kinda concerned that the project would collapse under the weight of everything involved.

 

Thank God it did. Pitt and Aronofsky were at odds with each other regarding production issues and Pitt closed up shop and went off to film Troy. Production was shut down and the script was shelved for 2 1/2 years until Darren managed to revive it with a budget that was half of what the original was and Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (whom he's married to) in the central roles of Thomas and Izzie.

 

When I find a movie I really, really fucking like I try not to go overboard with the typical sayings of "Best ever" and so forth. Having said that, this is one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking movies I've ever seen. If you truly believe in movies having the power to make your heart "heavy" then this one unquestionably made me feel that way.

 

The story takes place in three different time periods. Spain in the time of the Mayan tribes and Christianity invading, the 20th century and hundreds of years after that in the future. The plot is fairly basic while at the same time appearing amazingly complex: It's about a man who will do whatever it takes to save the one he loves from dying. In Spain it is the search for the tree of life, in our time it is about a medical cure for death. The movie cuts between all three periods at random so you never get used to seeing things a certain way.

 

The directing is different from RFAD and Pi. I wouldn't use the phrase "mainstream" as there as still signature Afonofsky stylings but the movie as a whole feels more accessible then his previous work. There are some very interesting effects choices here too, especially during the scenes in space where the surrounding environment is actually micro-photographic shots of chemical reactions on slides under a microscope, which Aronofsky picked because he felt it looked more organic then cg effects.

 

It was released to fairly lukewarm reviews from critics and a poor showing at the box office, neither of which I could give two shits about. This was the most overlooked, underappreciated movie of 2006 and when I look at the five actors who got nominated at the Oscars it's a crime that Hugh Jackman wasn't a part of that group.

 

If you like good movies that challenge your level of thinking, rent this. If not, hey, there's always Pirates 3.

 

For those who have seen this, a query or two. First off, Thomas the Conquistador dies, right? I know that Dr. Creo and Tom the Space Cowboy are the same person due to the ring tattoo but I wasn't sure if we're to think that when The Conquistador got swallowed up by the tree that he was reborn as somebody else. The scene at the end where Conquistador Tom turns into Space Tom/First Father was a bit of a mindfuck. Are we to believe that he went back in time and changed the course of history so he'd realize that he needs to plant the seeds at Izzie's grave? At the beginning scene when he enters the temple I got the impression that he was "killed" by the Mayan leader but at the end it looks like we're meant to be watching another scene entirely. Ravenbomb, some help please.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Ever seen Hou Hsiao's Three Times? It's basically a rip off of that.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

I straight hated this movie. Dippy new age bullshit trying in vain to say something Deep and Insightful. Yuck.

[Guest Fiscusalicious]

For those who have seen this, a query or two. First off, Thomas the Conquistador dies, right? I know that Dr. Creo and Tom the Space Cowboy are the same person due to the ring tattoo but I wasn't sure if we're to think that when The Conquistador got swallowed up by the tree that he was reborn as somebody else. The scene at the end where Conquistador Tom turns into Space Tom/First Father was a bit of a mindfuck. Are we to believe that he went back in time and changed the course of history so he'd realize that he needs to plant the seeds at Izzie's grave? At the beginning scene when he enters the temple I got the impression that he was "killed" by the Mayan leader but at the end it looks like we're meant to be watching another scene entirely. Ravenbomb, some help please.

 

Conquistador Thomas was a character from Izzy's book. When the future Tom goes back and changes the ending (ie. Thomas is not killed by the Mayan), he is finishing Izzy's story. "Finish it" Thomas doesn't actually exist. Because the story now has an ending, Tommy can finally die in peace. He has finished the story.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I straight hated this movie. Dippy new age bullshit trying in vain to say something Deep and Insightful. Yuck.

 

It wasn't trying. It accomplished that feat. I just don't think you were listening.

 

What is difficult to grasp about a man who loves a woman trying to save her at the end of her life? In Spain the queen was in danger. In our time Izzie was dying at a quick rate. In space it was the tree. Not hard a'tall.

[Ravenbomb 0]

I loved it. It was definately a top 5 for the year for me.

 

Man, Hugh Jackman had a pretty good year between this and The Prestige. Totally makes up for X-men 3

[cabbageboy 0]

For some reason watching The Fountain made me want to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey. I guess it was the ultra weird stuff with Hugh Jackman

floating around in a bubble in outer space.

 

Truth be told, I don't even know how to rate this movie. Visually it was quite stunning but at some point I got puzzled by what the hell was happening.

 

Ironic comparing it to Pirates 3, considering that film's labyrinth plotline isn't the easiest thing to follow either. Not to mention a teased POTC 4 at the end that would cover some of the same ground as The Fountain!

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

It wasn't trying. It accomplished that feat. I just don't think you were listening.

 

What is difficult to grasp about a man who loves a woman trying to save her at the end of her life? In Spain the queen was in danger. In our time Izzie was dying at a quick rate. In space it was the tree. Not hard a'tall.

 

I was "listening" and I fully grasped everything you touched on in the spoiler. The problem was I simply didn't care. This was mainly due to the fact that the characters in the film barely resembled actual human beings, and as such it was hard to get deeply invested in a story about their eternal and undying love. The film is so concerned with making these grand statements about love and death that it totally misses the "human" element that makes those things matter.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I just watched this and I think I'm with Byron. There were wonderful, individual moments (the bathtub scene, the ring tattoo), but overall it was a bit too fabricated to scoop me up in its tale of great love and sorrow. I also found its conclusion unsatisfying; I read it as an interpretation of different ways these figures deal with the death of a loved one, and found all of them pretty shallow.

 

It was also kind of a goofy film, as an aside. This was particularly a problem when Hugh Jackman was flying around in the lotus position looking like a combination of the guy from Live and Dhalsim after you win a fight in Street Fighter II.

[NoCalMike 0]

Well it is in my que on netflix...so I will see it soon enough.......and I will comment on what I think.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Picked it up from the library, I think I'll watch it tomorrow

[Craig Th 0]

I started to watch The Foutain, but once I heard that Rachel Weisz character's name is Izzy, I had to turn it off (The girl who recently dumped me).

 

I'll have to wait a few more weeks before I can watch it.