Pi - 8 stars out of 10

Pi - 8 stars out of 10

"Pi" is one of the most  stange and mystifying stories out there.  Amidst its paranoia and madness, there is a stroke of genius in Darren Aronofsky's screenplay.  It is basically everything that "The Number 23" aspired to be.  Filled with quick cuts and a main character with a social disorder, "Pi" is filled with uneasiness that transports the viewer into the world of Max Cohen, the super-genius that sees pi as the organizational pattern for everything in nature.  The characters are written extremely well, particularly the characters of Lenny and Marcy Dawson.  When their motives are revealed later in the movie, it's an awesome shock.  Sean Gullette IS this movie, driving every aspect of the plot and giving a convincing performance that might even sell you on his pi theory.  I also adored Mark Margolis' performance as Sol, bringing us back to reality amidst the hallucinations.  More than anything, the shock of the penultimate scene is simply awesome and makes this a movie that you must see.  It'll blow your mind.