Pi

What a ride of a movie.

I first saw Pi at the Fantasporto Festival when I was 8 back in the 90s and it left a lasting impact on me. Up to that point, I had seen black-and-white classics on TCM every night on Cable TV, rented a few indie films like Dead Man or Clerks from Blockbuster, and remembered catching up on period pieces such as The Elephant Man that really spoke to me, but none had the raw style and push-pull energy of Pi. Its stark black-and-white cinematography composed of high-contrast exposure, deep shadows, and stark lighting ratios, the sped-up and shaky cam footage, the translucent dissolved image overlays, the intense close-ups and mid-shots, all of it mirrored the obsessive mind of the protagonist, much like I felt at the time behind the computer. The rave-techno soundtrack amplified the tension, while the script’s focus on math, computers, and technology felt cerebral and haunting and stimulated my high-intense and paced mind, wanting to know and learn more and more. Its short runtime packed a punch, and watching it, I most definitely felt like the character. I was always (and am) driven to push curiosity and problem-solving to the maximum, not only in math but in technology and I resonated with the main character. It was made cheaply (as I learned later) yet brilliantly, and it showed to me that a smart, stylish, and clever movie can be as formative as it was for me, not only story-telling but also technically (film making).

the seek of knowledge and comprehension is a beautiful and painful seek. this movie is a masterpiece that develops in a very simple way. but don't get me wrong, the movie itself is very complex and can lead you towards a mind expansion experience if watched in the right conditions. if you know what i mean.

More likely to reasonate with scientific and mathematical minds, even though its core concept is fairly straight forward: people obsessed with explaining the world by only using numbers, patterns and scientific rationale are likely to turn paranoid and crazy.
Structurally, it’s not too dissimilar from _Requiem for a Dream_, though this is generally a lot more bold and abstract (they even used similar shots when people start to go crazy).
I absolutely love the filmmaking, editing and especially the music in this, very strong ‘90s vibes coming through. The black and white also adds a lot of atmosphere.
The only problem is that the acting can be a bit overdone at times, but it’s very memorable and well done besides that.

8.5/10

Disturbing and obsessive story about mathematical patterns. Very creative and complexed film where we follow the journey of a man into the madness of numbers.

An interesting point of the film is the connection made between science and religion and many hidden symbolisms contained in it.

Filmed in black and white with shaky camera work, that in this case works perfectly well, because it helped to provide the disturbing and paranoid atmosphere that was necessary for the film.
The acting was great and the soundtrack was also.

Overall, Pi it's bizarre but yet a very unique and great sci-fi thriller.

It is a film of Mathematics.

Fascinating use of mathematics as a macguffin for what is essentially a character study on obsessions and paranoia. While the acting and sound effects occasionally veer into camp territory, the harsh lighting, neurotic camerawork, and black-and-white photography give the film an artsy and captivating feel. As with most of Aronofsky’s late works, where it lacks in spontaneity, it makes up for in visual impact and atmosphere. Despite the obvious comparisons to older classics like “Eraserhead” or “Tetsuo,” the camerawork and soundtrack manage to give Aronofsky’s debut a youthful and restless energy.

Pi is super weird but kinda cool if you're into chaotic, brain melting stuff. It's intense, super low budget, and the black and white style adds to the paranoia. The story gets a bit too abstract though, and not everyone’s gonna vibe with it. 6/10.

The man’s mental health declined so bad he started thinking in Hebrew

After a week of watching this movie, I still don’t understand what the director was trying to say. One of the most strange movies I’ve ever seen, but not at the level of David Lynch.