Pi

π or Pi (1998) is a crazy mind-bending thrill ride! It was filmed entirely in black and white with a grainy high contrast look giving it a timeless (and slightly manic) feel. Maximilian (Max) Cohen is a genius mathematician searching for a pattern in the stock market. If he can determine the pattern he can predict its next move. He is an eccentric, smart, and troubled man that also suffers from intense headaches putting him into a dream-like state. The only friend to pull him away from his computer (Euclid) is his old professor Sol (Mark Margolis). The two play Go together often and discuss number theory even though Sol tries to get him to step away from his work before he goes crazy. The idea he works from is that if you look at our galaxy, shells, liquids, and so many more things a common pattern appears. The golden ratio is seen in all these items; if we come from and are made up of this pattern and it is all around us, it is reasonable to think anything we create would also have this pattern (such as the stock market).

When artists think too highly of themselves, they put out a product that is inaccessible. When artists don't have honest people around them, they produce self-absorbed material. This movie is an awful communication of both of those problems. Actors did the best they could, but they couldn't save this script nor concept.

Aranfonsky's finest. Low budget, black and white, no celebrities, gritty NYC and internal psychodrama about the fine lines between genius, inspiration, passion, and insanity. I will always want to watch this movie again.