If I had to choose an heir to the throne of the bizarre David Lynch legacy, it would be Darren Aronofsky. Known for his dark and deeply psychological subject matter, Aronofsky is a self-made filmmaker, having risen to fame after his ultra-low budget debut feature Pi won him the Best Director award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. His follow-up film Requiem for a Dream earned similar acclaim, after which Aronofsky took a six year break from filmmaking. He returned in 2006 with The Fountain which, while visually gorgeous, earned mixed reviews. His next film, 2008’s The Wrestler was met with almost entirely positive reviews and helped to re-launch Mickey Rourke’s career as a leading man. In 2010, Aronofsky directed Black Swan – my favourite of his films – which both garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director and won Natalie Portman an Academy Award for Best Actress. Aronofsky has been attached to various superhero movies over the years, most notably The Wolverine and Batman: Year One, but sadly has not made either project. I’d love to see this guy’s take on a blockbuster! Darren Aronofsky turns 44 today.