Movies for February

Here are our movies for February. Vote now in the poll on the right-hand side of your screen.

Pi -- In my opinion, the finest film Darren Aronofsky ever did. I'm a big fan of number theory, even though I'm terrible at math itself, and it's possible esoteric implications. I loved the section in the book Contact that discusses pi (thank you, Carl Sagan), and I love the Chudnovsky brothers. So, what's not to love about Aronofsky's conspiracy theory-fueled story of one man's attempt to figure out the world in numbers?

6ixtynin9 -- This is a great Thai film (original translation of the title: Funny Story 6 9). Released in 1999, it tells the story of Tum, who loses her job in the financial district during a depression in the Asian economy. She finds herself broke and jobless. Then she finds a box of money in front her apartment and things really start to change for her. Especially when the people who left the money decide they want it back. A darkly hilarious number play that rises into an interesting mystery film.

Stroszek -- A film by Werner Herzog. Written in four days, specifically for German actor Bruno S., this Herzog masterpiece tells the story of Bruno, an alcoholic Berliner, recently released from prison, who joins an elderly friend and a prostitute in their dream to leave Germany and seek a better life in America . . . in Wisconsin to be exact. This film is extraordinary in its ability to keep viewers from predicting what will happen next. Herzog used non-actors for most of the lesser roles in the film. If all of this doesn't sell you, the film was shot in Ed Gein's hometown.

The Fountain -- For someone who is absolutely crazy about esoteric, hermetic, and other random bits of world and spiritual knowledge, this Aronofsky flick was like mind candy. Aside from being beautifully shot, The Fountain contains three narratives (one in the past, one in the present, and one in the future) that orbit around the themes of thanatophobia, the fountain of youth, death, rebirth, and the central soul of mankind and possible deification of such. A true pet project of Aronofsky's, and definitely worth seeing for film fans and seekers of spiritual food.

Lost Highway -- What list of this magnitude would be complete without David Lynch? For this month, we offer up Lost Highway, a film noir treat coupled with surreal themes that we, the obfuscated illusory humans face on a daily (or at least weekly) basis. With an Angelo Badalamenti score, direction by David Lynch, and a role by Robert Loggia, how can you say no? Really, how can you? If you don't vote for this film, I want at least a 500 word essay explaining why.