Oh Darren Aronofsky, Why Does The Acedemy Hate You So?

Darren Aronofsky is (in my opinion) one of the most talented, unique and gifted directors of our time. He started his career with a few short films, but nothing of any notoriety. He broke out into feature films in 1998 with a picture simply called Pi (which he also wrote). Pi is about (according to IMDb): A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature. While this sounds vaguely like Jim Carrey's Number 23, it greatly differs on 2 things. First, Pi was shot all in black and white, while still maintaining the patented Aronofsky-esque documentary style. Second, and most importantly, it was a good movie. Either way, this no-name film earned 15 different award nominations, 8 of which were wins. Most notable of them, a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize and a Directing Award win for at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
It wasn't until 2 years later that Darren Aronofsky finally gained the attention of movie-goers. In 2000 the film Requiem For A Dream, haunted us about a chillingly and brutally realistic look at the world of hardcore drugs (and other addictions) and the lengths people would go to obtain them. This picture immediately took the world by storm as it had all the honesty of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, but added even more brutal in-your-face scenes, and far superior acting (sorry Ewan and Cillian). As of today, Requiem still sits at #61 on IMDb's Top 250 OF ALL TIME.
While the film starred a stunning cast including the surprisingly good singer/songwriter/actor Jared Leto, a stunning if not intense performance by Jennifer Connelly, and a very non-stereotypical Marlon Wayans, it was the re-emergence of The Exorcist's Ellen Burstyn that had the critics and the Academy buzzing. Though she never walked away with the big hardware, Burstyn still had both an Academy Award AND a Golden Globe nomination for best acting. While she never left the camera, Aronofsky made Ellen Burstyn an elite name once again! I dare you to watch this movie and NOT get depressed. This is he movie that you need to show your kids of you want them to NOT do drugs.
After the spotlight had burned a hole in Darren Aronofsky for a while, he quietly slipped back in the shadows again throwing in a small writing and producing role in the film Below. It wasn't until 2006 that Aronofsky emerged, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, a big budget, an even bigger cast...and a subsequent flop. 2006's The Fountain starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz had good intentions, but unfortunately its cinematography and scrambled plot left most viewers wondering what just happened and that lead to dislike. While it maintained a beautiful plot of true love throughout time, the bizarre and random visuals and questionable editing made the movie fall to pieces. While I don't totally fault Aronofsky as a writer/screenplay writer/director for this, I think he had too much in his head to do in too little of time. The score got a lot of attention earning Clint Mansell many a nomination (including a Golden Globe nomination) and even a few wins for his work.
That being said, Aronofsky wasn't done yet. It was a mere 2 years later that he shot back in the spotlight with the incredible tale of Randy 'The Ram' Robinson in The Wrestler. The Wrestler tells us the tragic story of one man whose passion for the ring and the roar of the crowd just might be his undoing. And wouldn't you know it, The Wrestler lands on IMDb's TOP 250 at #182.
Darren Aronofsky took a dying and burnt out career of Mickey Rourke that only showed a spark of talent in Frank Miller's Sin City, and catapulted him so far into the spotlight it surprised even him. This film took the critics by storm, nominating Micky Rourke for an Oscar (a loss that still has controversy to this day), and earning him the Golden Globe win. Marisa Tomei, while no stranger to the Academy's spotlight, having won Best Supporting Actress in 1999's My Cousin Vinny, was also nominated for the same award in the form of both An Oscar and a Golden Globe, however losing out the Oscar to Penelope Cruz's role Vicky Christina Barcelona and the Golden Globe to Kate Winslet's role in The Reader (which even I will admit was very good). For good measure, Bruce Springsteen's original song (aptly titled The Wrestler), also took home a Golden Globe trophy. Meanwhile, while the actors (and songwriters) get their turn in the spotlight, the man behind it all (Darren Aronofsky) is nowhere to be found on the Nomination sheet for any major accolade. Weird.
No matter, yet again another 2 years later (2010) we see the punch that Darren Aronofsky can pack one more time in the classic, timeless, messed up, and often tragic tale of The Black Swan.
The struggle of one girl who emerges from the shadows (in which she has spent many years), to finally earn the right to play lead in her company's production of Swan Lake. Along the way, pressure from her peers, her mother, her coach, AND herself lead to the sweet innocent Natalie Portman finally SNAPPING.
And the acting? While we all know the credit given (and very much earned) to Natalie Portman (taking home all the hardware in the form of a Golden Globe, an Oscar, and many, many others), there was also a very strong supporting cast including a creepy yet amazing Mila Kunis (who was nominated for the Golden Globe), a powerful performance by Barbara Hershey, a direct and intense Vincent Cassel, and an often-intimidating yet equally strong Winona Ryder. In fact, this flick had so much critic praise it actually ended up with 5 Academy Award nominations, including (finally) a Best Directing nomination to the man who made it all possible. A man who brought this cast together. A man who pushes his actors to be their best, then pushes them a little more, usually earning them some form of accolade. A man named Darren Aronofsky. BUT! Did he win? No! Why? EXACTLY! While I get King's Speech was an incredible movie...it really was, it deserved the Best Picture win and the Best Actor Win! But did the directing of Tom Hooper really make it THAT great? In my opinion, NO. Did Black Swan make #108 on IMDb's TOP 250? Yup. That's 3 now. What of the King's Speech? Oh it's on the TOP 250...but #121. The people have spoken!
So here we are, in the last 13 years, Darren Aronofsky had been in the spotlight numerous times. His tragedies are those of legend. His style recognized by everyone in the film industry. He even trademarked the "hip cam" where the actor would wear a camera mounted to their hip to give the viewer an feeling they are right there with the actors. But, if you look on his mantle, there is an empty space where an Academy Award (or two or three) SHOULD be sitting. So, I ask, WHY to the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences. WHY DO YOU SHUN DARREN ARONOFSKY SO? What else can he do to get your attention?

As it stands today, his next project will turn all the heads that are left to turn. He is to be making a movie simply titled Noah. And no, the title is not cryptic. It really is the story of Noah and his big boat. But with Aronofsky's brain behind this supposedly big budget flick, I am truly excited and curious about its end result. Which...unfortunately...will not be for another 3 years. In the mean time I count down the days.

GOOD LUCK DARREN ARONOFSKY! You WILL bring home the golden statuette if its the last thing you do!