45. Darren Aronofsky
DARREN ARONOFSKYREQUIEM FOR A DREAM, BLACK SWAN, THE WRESTLER, THE FOUNTAIN, PI
Darren Aronofsky has pulled off a rare feat. He started his career with Pi and Requiem for a Dream, two polarizing, deliberately off-putting films that tear open the psyches not just of his characters, but quite often of his audience (the best description of Requiem I ever heard was that it is like “sandpaper to the soul”). In the years since, he hasn’t let up, and has reaped tremendous rewards, both financial and creative, doing so. Despite tackling different genres and aesthetics, The Fountain, The Wrestler, and Black Swan are all films very much of a piece. They are united by Aronofsky’s singular vision of death, and the fierce dedication he draws from his lead actors, all of whom give more than we thought them capable of.See the full list HERE.