Requiem of a pi dream

Advantages: Thought provoking, Educational, Absorbing and Original.
Disadvantages: The special features have more potential, could do with improvement.

...Produced by: Eric Watson Directed by: Darren Aronofsky Stars: Sean Gullette as Max Cohen Released: 1998 Run time: 84 mins Certificate: 15 note** shot in black and white reverse film I only purchased this film in January and it has become a favourite DVD in my collection. It was recommended to me by a lecturer and I am pleased to say it met with my expectations. DVD: The Pi symbol takes centre stage on the cover of the DVD underlined with the words 'faith in chaos' they say don't judge a book by its cover but with this DVD you can. Special features Include: Deleted scenes Music Video Behind the scenes montage Trailer Directors and actors commentary (liked this) Cast and crew Biog Background: This film is concerned with analysing the relationship between numbers and nature. This offshoots into Max Cohen...

pjw2006 02.08.2006 (13.08.2006) · Read review
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Review of Pi (DVD)

Pi +Parker = Hilarious.

Advantages: Imaginative,funny and captivating.
Disadvantages: none

...and India; the latter country became the place where he found his inspiration for this novel. He has been making a living by writing since the age of twenty-seven, publishing a book of short stories and going on to become a critically acclaimed author with his novel ?Self? ?Life of Pi? is his third novel and the winner of The Man Booker Prize 2002. He lives in Montreal where he continues his writing, I for one hope to see a new novel as soon as possible. Introduction Under the title of ?Author?s Note? Martel weaves true life with a touch of fantasy to explain the background of this novel, using it as if he was hunting down the story for himself by means of talking to Pi, the hero of the story. Various notes throughout the story keep this fantasy alive and are a work of art in themselves. What attracted me to this novel? The back...

Elffriend 04.10.2004 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

The Life of Pi: when allegory is a flop

Advantages: adventure, page-turner, interesting plot
Disadvantages: politically correct, slow, boring at times, annoying narrator, weak and meaningless ending

...The Life of Pi is a famous novel that has sold more than a million copies worldwide and won the Booker Prize in 2002. It is the type of book that, as per the colleague who kindly lent her copy to me, put it: ?either you love it or hate it?. The novel is about a 16 years old Indian boy who is stranded with a tiger in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, following the sinking of the ship where he and the tiger were travelling on. I liked the idea of the story and I imagined the story would start straight away with the boy and the tiger in the lifeboat. Instead, I had to wait 117 pages before reaching the point when the boy is stranded with the tiger? in my opinion, way too long. I must say that, already after a few pages, I didn?t like the main character. He likes to pontificate about too many things, especially...

Lelo 12.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

The Wonderfully Colourful Life of Pi

Advantages: Very well-written, funny, unputdownable
Disadvantages: As with every book, it has to finish at some point

...LIfe of Pi is a story about a teenage boy living in India in the 1970s; nothing is particularly staid about Pi: his name is short for Piscine (as in the French word for 'swimming pool), his father runs a zoo, and Pi decides that there is room in his heart for Hinduism, Christianity and Islam (at one point he thanks Lord Krishna for bringing Jesus into his life)! However, Pi's father decides to relocate to Canada, and on the journey (which he has to share with many of the zoo inhabitants) across the ocean to the new continent, Pi's ship is wrecked and he finds himself stuck on a lifeboat with a hyena, an orang-utan, a zebra with a broken leg and a large Bengal tiger. What ensues is Pi's attempt to survive in this highly unusual situation, which he does for far longer than would be expected I found this book very readable and felt quite...

Tetisheri1975 05.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

The Double Life Of The Life Of Pi

Advantages: A great story, endless interpretive possibilities
Disadvantages: Slow to get going

...Writing about religion can be a tricky business. If you're too controversial, you're pretty much guaranteed to upset an awful lot of people (although it never did Dan Brown any harm). Go too far the other way, and it can all seem a bit dogmatic, alienating a large proportion of your potential readership. However, strike the right balance, and you could just end up with a story that challenges and provokes its readers as much as it entertains them - this is almost certainly what Yann Martel has achieved here. Of course, Life of Pi isn't necessarily a religious story at all; the subject is approached within the text, but if you choose not to find such meaning in the subtext, the only reference to the topic exists as a side-point in the character development, and need not impinge on your reading at all. Approach from the opposite...

Puggers 21.04.2005 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

LIFE of Pi - To Infinity and Beyond!

Advantages: An amazing story
Disadvantages: Starts a little slow

...When I came across THE LIFE of Pi by YANN MARTELL in the resident's lounge of an hotel in Spain, something stirred and I immediately grabbed it with both hands, furtively slinking off with it. Naturally, I left the book I'd just finished reading in its place (what do you think I am, some sort of filcher?) So I swapped books...and I'm so very glad I did. The basic premise of the book is the story of a young, 16-year-old Indian boy, Piscine Molitor Patel, who survives a shipwreck only to find himself sharing a lifeboat with a badly-injured zebra, a hyena, an orang-utan and a 450-pound Bengal tiger called Richard Parker (don't ask). Not so ridiculous as it first sounds. You see, Pi's father is, or rather was, zookeeper at Pondicherry Zoo. The family have decided to up sticks and emigrate to Canada, and many of the animals...

proxam 26.06.2004 (06.02.2005) · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

I LOVE PI

Advantages: A Book that you won't be able to put down.
Disadvantages: Not one thing.

...Each year the BOOKER PRIZE is awarded to for the best full length Novel written in English by a Citizen of the Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland. This year a Canadian won this prize. Yann Marel's book called LIFE OF PI won the first prize that was awarded on October 22, 2002. I watch the award Ceremonies that were broadcast from the British Museum in London. I had just finished reading this book, (it took me a Month to read it because of my blinf eye), but in the old days when I had the use of both eyes I could have read it in a day).I'd like to tell you about it. It was Published this year and it has 320 pages. I know that this is a Novel but I am not so sure because Yann Martel wrote his book after a trip to India. In India he met a very old Man who asked him if he wanted to hear a story that would change his belief in G...

MRS.CANADA 25.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel

the number is everything

Advantages: great film, good commentary
Disadvantages: none

...Made on a tiny $60,000 budget this film went on to become quite succesful on the independent circuit, grabbed Darren Aronofsky the best director prize at Sundance and later helped him come to the attention of Warner Brothers via a startling second film called Requiem For A Dream. Max Cohen (Sean Gullette) is a brilliant mathematician who is one the brink of the most important discovery in his life. He is close to cracking the numerical code that controls the stock market. It is something many people want including a global company and a Kaballah sect. Can Max crack the code, survive the chaos around him and struggle through intense headaches? This my friends is Pi. For fans of independent film and those who seek something different then check this out because it offers something that is rare in films these days and thats...

utero 10.09.2001 · Read review
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Review of Pi (DVD)

Err...Pardon

Advantages: Different
Disadvantages: Different

...Apologies in advance but this is a review of the film itself NOT the DVD. When Pi was released it caused something of a stir in the film world. A low budget (make that VERY low) movie from a bunch of unknown film makers that used an unknown cast and dealt with mathematics. Well I don't know about you but I'm sold already. Just tell when and where it's on and I'll make sure that I'm not within 40 billion miles of it. Come on, low budget films (outside of the 60's) are mind numbingly awful, and who in their right mind wants to watch a film about maths? Whatever was passing through most people's minds I simply don't know but in the fantasy land between my two ears, I kept picturing something along the lines of Eraserhead crossed with an Open University lecture - Thank you and good night. Locked away in his tiny apartment, 'genius' Max...

TheNeil 11.04.2002 · Read review
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Review of Pi (DVD)

Life of Pi - One of the most surprising reads!

Advantages: Superb ending, gripping storyline.
Disadvantages: Slow beginning can be tedious.

...This is an absolutely gripping story of survival against the odds. with a bit of added philosophy and metaphor thrown in for good measure! THE STORY The story begins by describing the childhood of the main character, Pi Patel (named after a swimming pool!) and the circumstances that led to him finding himself stranded at sea with a tiger. Pi's father owned a zoo in India, and the first part of the book describes the interesting characters in his life, both human and animal, and his experiences of living life in a zoo. It also describes the influences in his life that led to his passion for religion, and how his afinity with Islam, Hinduism and Christianity impacted upon his life. The second part of the book begins with a move for Pi's family from India to Canada, due to changing circumstances in India. The zoo is sold...

glward_1213 14.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Life of Pi - Yann Martel