Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky sailed into Hollywood on his own unique terms. His first film, the artsy sci-fi thriller Pi, was shot for a mere $60,000. It went on to win the Director’s Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival and was snapped up for $1 million by Artisan Entertainment. His second feature, the coal-dark drug drama Requiem for a Dream, ended up on numerous Top Ten lists in 2000 and nominated for an Academy Award.

How will you spend this holiday season? Will your days between Thanksgiving and Christmas be spent welcoming an ongoing tide of out-of-town relatives? Or will you seek escape in the quiet confines of your local movie theater? If it’s going to be the latter, you’re in good stead. You’ll have rock stars, politicians, dragons, Nazis, spies, soldiers, smugglers, serial killers and at least one Messiah to keep you company.