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 The Fountain 

What grade would you give this film?
A 47%  47%  [ 14 ]
B 13%  13%  [ 4 ]
C 23%  23%  [ 7 ]
D 13%  13%  [ 4 ]
F 3%  3%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 30

 The Fountain 
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The Fountain

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The Fountain is a 2006 American romantic drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. The film comprises three storylines where Jackman and Weisz play different sets of characters: a modern-day scientist and his cancer-stricken wife, a conquistador and his queen, and a space traveler in the future who hallucinates his lost love. The storylines—interwoven with use of match cuts and recurring visual motifs—reflect the themes of love and mortality.

Aronofsky originally planned to direct The Fountain on a $70 million budget with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the lead roles, but Pitt's withdrawal and cost overruns led Warner Bros. to shut down production. The director rewrote the script to be sparser, and was able to resurrect the film with a $35 million budget with Jackman and Weisz in the lead roles. Production mainly took place on a sound stage in Montreal, and the director used macro photography to create key visual effects for The Fountain at a low cost.

The film was released theatrically in the United States and Canada on November 22, 2006. It grossed $10,144,010 in the United States and Canada and $5,761,344 in other territories for a worldwide total of $15,978,422. Critics' reaction to the film was divided; the consensus was that the film was visually strong but lacked focus in its ambition.


Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:24 am
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The visual effects and acting were outstanding. But it wasn't edited together very well, like half the movie was probably on the cutting floor which didn't make the movie flow too well. But at the same time, it felt more like a two and a half hour movie rather than a 96-minute movie.

The subject matter was very profound, but the film didn't do it enough justice in terms of editing/putting the whole movie together. It felt like potentially something truly ambitious great was imagined and conceived, but it merely came across as "good" in its final form as the movie. A low B.


Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:23 pm
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The Director's Cut DVD will be very interesting.

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Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:27 pm
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I agree that it seemed like a ton was cut out and there is potential for a fantastic extended edition somewhere down the line...

However...I definitely disagree that it was cut/edited to a fault. Everything that did make it in fit well, and I think it raced by; actually felt shorter than the 90 minutes or so to me. It's a highly engaging and moving love story. Rachel Weisz's character (and acting) were so damn gorgeous. Even at Izzi's worst, there's so much depth and joy and I love her. :o And the rest of the cast is strong too. The ending is perfect, wraps everything up nice and neat and tight. Genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed it.


Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:28 pm
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Moving, touching, a bit odd, but ultimately well-made storytelling. Weisz, again, delivers an amazing performance and Hugh Jackman delivered possibly a career-best performance for his role. Surreal, and simply engaging to watch. Superb entertainment and in my top 5 for year. A


Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:42 am
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holy fuckin shit


don't wanna hype this up to the point that peoples' expectations aren't met...


but, for me... this movie is absolutely amazing. one of the best movies I've ever seen, and I can confidently say that after 1 viewing. totally completely blew my mind and wrenched my soul..... this is the good stuff. Which also leads me to confidently predict this movie will be completely shunned.... but who cares?


if it means anything to attach a letter grade to this movie..... A+

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Thu Nov 23, 2006 4:09 am
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I am not surprised with Levy's D grade hehe.


Thu Nov 23, 2006 5:25 am
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Greatness that might be perfectness with an extended cut? I'm sooo there.... Friday, that is.


Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:49 am
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Steve wrote:
holy fuckin shit


don't wanna hype this up to the point that peoples' expectations aren't met...


but, for me... this movie is absolutely amazing. one of the best movies I've ever seen, and I can confidently say that after 1 viewing. totally completely blew my mind and wrenched my soul..... this is the good stuff. Which also leads me to confidently predict this movie will be completely shunned.... but who cares?


if it means anything to attach a letter grade to this movie..... A+


:biggrin:


Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:37 am
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alex young wrote:
I am not surprised with Levy's D grade hehe.


why's that?


Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:40 pm
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One of the most dissapointing movies of the year for me, and at the same time, it was... alright. I liked the themes but I think I might have liked the film more if it had done away with the zen bubble nonsense. I thought it would be layered and repeat itself in an insightful, artistic way. Instead, it just got repetitive after awhile. I actually didn't think either of the actors were so great... I get that they're symbols, but that's all they felt like to me, two dimensional symbols, not actual people. The only thing more frustrating then not loving a movie you want to is seeing why you could love it but not being able to connect with it. C+


Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:00 am
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Darren Aronofsky's New Age meditation on death and life, science and spirituality is fabulous. A beautiful, involving, and thought-provoking effort by one of our generation's more inspired directors. A and one of the year's best films!

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Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:57 am
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It strikes me that there are a of interpretations to this film, I was reading over on IMDB just a few of them. It is even deeper then I originally thought.

This definately will achieve cult status that much is certain.


Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:48 pm
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I'm not sure what to think of the film but I did find it fascinating to watch and very interesting to pay attention to. I agree on the visuals and acting being very strong. The cross storylines worked well even if they tree in space one was hard for me to comprehend. This seems like the type of film one could do a paper on for a film class or philosophy class. It'd be interesting to read some more in depth opinions on the film from others.

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Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:46 pm
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It will probably make my top 10 of the year.

The movie works on two levels...

1. Is the basic story, which I thought was easy enough to follow. And I thought it was deeply romantic. I didn't enjoy Weisz in this as much as I did Jackman. This is his best role to date and one of the better male performances this year. On a basic philosophical level this is the same territory as covered in numerous Holy Grail movies, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, etc. That the search for endless life pushes one farther away from the things that make life worth living, and part of that life is the acceptance of death.

2. The second level is all of the philosophical points. I thought it interesting how the film worked with Mayan religious motifs, and chronologically moved to Catholic, scientific and (excuse my ignorance of Eastern religions) Buddhist motifs.

My friend and I had an interesting debate in the car. We both agreed that the film really took place in 2500, and that Tom was going to the nebula in order to "find his wife" in the place where dead souls go to be reborn, of course taking the tree of life in order to somehow revive her. His memories of 2000 dominate the film, with his wife's book obviously filling in the backstory of the conquistador.

We mostly disagreed on whether or not the tree in the bubble was the actual tree of life from Guatemala or the one he buries at her grave at the end of the movie, but ultimately decided that it's basically both. The tree is life, the tree is his life and his wife's, and his regression into his past and "changing" his past was just a visualization of his enlightenment.

Obviously huge references to Nirvana at the end as well. Although someone with more knowledge in this subject can feel free to well... enlighten me.

The only part that I felt the movie kind of went overboard on was the final conquistador scene, where Tom appears as "Buddha" to the Mayan and then turns into mulch. The acting and staging of this scene is what I have a problem with, not necessarily the concept. It was just too brash of a message at that point of the film.


Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:09 pm
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This is The New World for 2006. An utterly gorgeous film, light on story, but completely dedicated to a particular vision and spirit. There is an aura that this movie gives off that is entrancing and frankly mindblowing, and despite some initial frustration and my continued puzzlement at some of the story elements and how certain elements relate to one another, I was entranced. Beautiful.

A-


Fri Nov 24, 2006 11:07 pm
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Awful. Never have I been so bored and disappointed from a movie. I was really looking forward to this and it was so completely dull that I had to fight to stay awake. Also, aside from the decent special effects, it looked like a cheap movie as there weren't many sets/locations which gave it the feel of a small movie when it should have been going more for the epic feel.

Grade - F


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:00 am
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Ok...major spoilers herein.

I don't think the film occured in 2500. In fact I'm 99% certain it did not.

Rather, the film was set in 2006. The 1500 storyline was Izzy's story which was in some ways parallel to their lives. But it was just her story. The 2500 storyline was also not "real", instead it was basically Tommy's learning essentially to let go of Izzy and his realization that life ends in death.

It's hard to explain, I was reading on another message board another more thorough examination of the film and I'll post that in a few...


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:05 am
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BennyBlanco wrote:
This is The New World for 2006. An utterly gorgeous film, light on story, but completely dedicated to a particular vision and spirit. There is an aura that this movie gives off that is entrancing and frankly mindblowing, and despite some initial frustration and my continued puzzlement at some of the story elements and how certain elements relate to one another, I was entranced. Beautiful.

A-


I thought quite a bit about The New World while watching The Fountain.


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:26 am
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loyalfromlondon wrote:
BennyBlanco wrote:
This is The New World for 2006. An utterly gorgeous film, light on story, but completely dedicated to a particular vision and spirit. There is an aura that this movie gives off that is entrancing and frankly mindblowing, and despite some initial frustration and my continued puzzlement at some of the story elements and how certain elements relate to one another, I was entranced. Beautiful.

A-


I thought quite a bit about The New World while watching The Fountain.


You saw it? What did you think...


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:32 am
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RogueONE wrote:
loyalfromlondon wrote:
BennyBlanco wrote:
This is The New World for 2006. An utterly gorgeous film, light on story, but completely dedicated to a particular vision and spirit. There is an aura that this movie gives off that is entrancing and frankly mindblowing, and despite some initial frustration and my continued puzzlement at some of the story elements and how certain elements relate to one another, I was entranced. Beautiful.

A-


I thought quite a bit about The New World while watching The Fountain.


You saw it? What did you think...


Flawed masterpiece (but really what masterpieces aren't flawed).

I cried and laughed and thought long and hard over issues of metaphysics and mortality. It's the perfect film for me.

A-


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:36 am
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From IMDB...

Quote:
The 16th Century bits were just the book. She based the book on their lives - the search for a cure. "Spain" and her peril are the peril of Izzy and her tumor/death. Why would the tree of life save Spain? I realize, the Church was suppressing it to keep their power, but still....what was the Queen gonna do? Ship the sap across the atlantic and let everyone in europe drink it?

So: the final chapter had yet to be written. But: it doesn't end as Izzy had envisioned - with her death. Tommy knows there's a chance to save her. So he keeps himself alive until 2500 AD, and uses a spherical ship to take her to Nebula (she's the tree). This part is not fictional, or part of the book, but rather the logical extension of his research's findings w/ Donovan.

Finally, once he realizes he can die and she can die and everyone can die in happiness, and that the Fountain/Tree of Life is a cyclical "circle of life" he writes the final chapter, in which the Tomas defeats the guardian of the tree, drinks the sap, and becomes one with the Earth.

She (the tree) dies, but appears to him as a ghost, both as her true self (izzy) and her methaphorical self (queen isabella). They can be together forever in death (kinda like Solaris).

About that last part of the book: my only thought as to why the Guardian (in the book) would treat the Conquistador as the First Father is because he holds the special dagger. I mean, why would Tomas turn into a glowing yoga-man *in a fictional/allegorical book*?

I think this i just the nexus of the 3 stories and where logical interpretation comes undone. I still like it though. Too bad my friends won't see it.

What's this i hear about Tommy inhaling after the credits? he's reborn? more of the "Circle of Life" Aronofsky mentioned over at AICN.

The whole "circle of life" epiphany seems like kind of a simple one, i was expecting something more. I mean, yeah, it's ok to die, to not be afraid of death (which is what Izzy was trying to tell him in the hospital). And, as tommy learns, you come to welcome death if you push it away long enough.


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:39 am
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So in "The Fountain Club" who do we have...

1. Rogue
2. Loyal
3. BennyBlanco
4. Andaroo
5. Gunslinger
6. Steve

Will Dolce join...?


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:41 am
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RogueONE wrote:
The 16th Century bits were just the book.

I agree with this. Although I must say, in a movie where everything is staged, the separation between what is "real" and not seems vague. All the timelines are played with to some degree.

Quote:
She based the book on their lives - the search for a cure.

Kind of, but I think is almost a dedication to him. With the invading force/inquisitor representing the tumor. But it's not really too much about that, it's mostly about him "getting over it".

Quote:
"Spain" and her peril are the peril of Izzy and her tumor/death. Why would the tree of life save Spain? I realize, the Church was suppressing it to keep their power, but still....what was the Queen gonna do? Ship the sap across the atlantic and let everyone in europe drink it?

This is actually partially a true story. The Spanish did come to the United States looking for treasures, including the Fountain of Youth.

Quote:
So: the final chapter had yet to be written. But: it doesn't end as Izzy had envisioned - with her death. Tommy knows there's a chance to save her. So he keeps himself alive until 2500 AD, and uses a spherical ship to take her to Nebula (she's the tree). This part is not fictional, or part of the book, but rather the logical extension of his research's findings w/ Donovan.

Okay so this is saying something I agree with, that the 2500 AD story is the extension of the real history, and the "present" is 2500 with him having flash-backs the entire time. This is how I interperet this I guess. Not that this really matters, even in the story (which is kind of the point, I think).

Quote:
About that last part of the book: my only thought as to why the Guardian (in the book) would treat the Conquistador as the First Father is because he holds the special dagger. I mean, why would Tomas turn into a glowing yoga-man *in a fictional/allegorical book*?

Because the Buddha figure is "all men", the Guardian sees Enlightenment in him. That's what he recognizes as the First Father.

IMO at least.

The thing that puzzled my friend was the ability for Future!Tom to "change" his past in a way... but not completely. I felt it was more of a symbol of his further Enlightenment and his "oneness" with his wife. When he put the ring on at the end, he still had the tattoo over his hand.

BTW the tattoo sequence is one of the best sequences of this year IMO.


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:48 am
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I don't see the 2500 sequence as being real, rather I see it as an extension of his understanding I guess...his acceptance as life as a part of death I think.

I'm still digesting, a second viewing will be required shortly.


Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:55 am
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