I love The Fountain, and I pretty much interpreted the movie in the same way as the guy who did the video (give or take a few details).

I agree that it's a movie about coming to terms with death, and that death is not just a part of life. Life needs death to exist and vice-versa. We are all here, because stars died, and from their demise came the stuff that made our existence possible. And plants and animals die (or are killed) so that we can carry on living. And when we die, it doesn't really matter if we are buried or cremated. The stuff we are made of, the basic components of it, return to where it came from. To where it always belonged. We we're just borrowing it.

I think the tree in the spaceship is in fact the tree Tom planted over his wife's grave. And in his inability to accept her death and his eventual own, he grew attached to the tree because in a way it was the only thing he had left that was a part of his long gone wife. Her body nourished the tree, and in that sense became a part of it. But even trees don't live forever, and after 500 years the tree is dying, and once again he can't accept it. That's why he shouted at his memories of her to leave him alone. He just couldn't take it anymore. Living forever and never being able to let go, is not an easy way to live.

His death in the end, renewed the tree, making it bloom once again. Also I don't agree that he's not rational (as the video puts it). I think that's precisely the problem with Tom. He's completely rational, and ceasing to be and never again seeing his loved ones, scares him more than anything else.

I'm an atheist, and therefore I consider myself a rational person, but this movie really gave me a much needed boost to come to terms with death. Not just mine but of everyone I know. It will be terrible (as it is) when it happens, but not accepting it is denying the universe, and denying reality.

Stars die too. What chances did we ever had?

Tags for this video have been changed from '1989, School Assembly, Swallow your pride, Ill be your friend, we can carry on' to 'Morgan Freeman, 1989, Swallow your pride, Ill be your friend, we can carry on' - edited by calvados

My name came from a 'teen nickname "Smiley" which quickly transmorgrified from "Schmiwy" to "Schmawy" and it stuck, so it's not my birth name but feels like my name nonetheless. Like a lot of people here, this is my first real interaction on the web, and I feel a lot like Kreegrath and Alien_concept that the idea of talking about myself feels unnatural, since I don't do it in real life so why do it here?

Sooo...

I was born in the UK, emigrated to New England in 1973. I'm pretty much a textbook definition of 'Yankee', but my parents were somewhat private people, so my upbringing was in a sense very British. I have always had a deep love of the United States, but have always felt somewhat at odds with it. There is a contingent of citizens here that cannot defend their consciousness from the media. For more information on that topic contact Choggie. Or Quantummushroom for that matter.

My interests lie in anything creative. I spend time doing oil paintings, trying to write songs, designing and building small wooden boats, restoring old 19^thC. houses, and working full time as an industrial designer. Creativity has by definition to me meant "maximizing expression within constraints". That's why I like the Sift so much, because the meat of the project is inherently someone else's work and otherwise grounds for bannination. So I express myself with what I can, and it's proven to be rewarding and fun. I mean, every artist restricts themselves with media, subject matter, style, ect., right?

This is a VERY special place on the internet If you hadn't noticed, and I have sworn to defend it by tooth and nail. If you do anything to jeopardize The Sift you can expect me, and ten others like me, to come after you. We will defend this bastion of decencey on the internet to our last keystroke. I have real relationships with the people here. I cannot abide by those who would say something in thread that they would not say in 'meatspace' or 'in real life'. I maintain that this isn't virtual at all. That's why this place is different. But I don't have to tell that to anyone here.

I'm a bit older than many, and younger than some on The Sift. I've been here from day one, counting lurking. The only other place that felt like this was MeFi. We've got DagMaggot to thank for that cultural infustion, I think. I get very upset when valued members start to feel this is no place for them, and will do whatever I can to make sure they don't leave. I have been harassing senior members lately when they start to feel disenfranchised by The Sift. We owe so much to their efforts, and as much as I feel we can carry the torch of decency for them, I get pretty broken up when they leave.

In conclusion, I have 2 ¹/₂ main principles that guide me in everything I do. The first is Love, the second is Hard Work. What one won't fix the other will, and if you use both look out! The third lesser principle is 'shoot for art', but it's far less important.

In the interest of full disclosure let it be known that I drink, smoke, own and shoot guns, ride motorcyles, climb mountains and sail seas, sew, use a straight razor, think being gay is awesome if you're into it, like paying taxes, and vote.

And I love you all.