Dream A Little Dream

It's been five years since I watched Requiem for a Dream, and only lately have I felt ready to watch it again. Last night, I was in such a funk that I figured it would be a perfect catharsis, and it was. Liz was as floored as I was the first time I saw it; for me, it had much less impact this time around, and I could take the opportunity to notice stylistic things I missed when I was so emotionally involved in the film. My problem with some of the "artistic crossover" that occurs in major Hollywood films (Gladiator being the most notable offender in my mind) is that they try to use techniques pioneered by people like Arranofsky in movies like Requiem, and they use those techniques arbitrarily or inconsistantly. Arranofsky did neither, and used non-traditional cinematography to visceraly enhance the movie. If you haven't seen Requiem for a Dream, I highly recommend it, but it is an intense trip. Be prepared.