The Fountain (2006)

Hugh Jackman spends a big chunk of The Fountain bald, cross-legged and floating through space in a bubble with a dying tree, and Darren Aronofsky wants you to take it completely seriously. Surprisingly, a lot of the time you will. The present-day story is the one that lands: Jackman as a scientist so desperate to save his wife that he keeps missing the time he has left with her. Rachel Weisz plays Izzi with a soft, peaceful glow that makes his panic hurt more. The conquistador story is the weak link, all torches and stiff speeches, like a sillier movie that wandered in. At times it feels more like a puzzle box than a story. The space scenes were made by filming tiny chemical reactions up close, and they still look unreal. It made $16.5 million worldwide on a reported $35M. A 6.2 because the feeling is huge and the meaning stays locked in the bubble. $24.72 says you hug a tree on your next walk and look around first to make sure nobody saw.

What works: Jackman’s raw grief in the present-day story, Weisz’s warmth and those homemade cosmic effects.

What doesn’t: The conquistador storyline is stiff and silly, and the cryptic structure keeps the audience at arm’s length.

Who it’s for: Patient viewers who like big, strange movies about love and loss and don’t need every answer spelled out.