Black Swan, 2010
Everyone is talking about Black Swan and therefore it is only natural for me to want to get in on some action, yea that's right. Anywho moving away from unrelated inappropriateness - Black Swan. What a hell of a movie that was. Like whoa. I know I'm incredibly articulate today.
Black Swan as most of you have figured out is about ballet but clearly from the trailers it's not just your typical dance movie. Couldn't be further from the truth, Nina (Natalie Portman) is a rising ballet star who works for a New York ballet company and has been chosen for the part of the Swan Queen for the company's production of Swan Lake. I have to say I have never seen proper ballet in my life but I think everyone is aware of Swan Lake. To be honest it wasn't until this movie I found out the actual story behind it, the story is about girl who turns into a swan and falls in love with a prince. The prince falls for another swan, broken hearted the swan kills herself. That was the dump down version. Nina is determined to prove to the director and company owner Thomas that she can not only dance but play the part of Swan Queen. Nina is clearly talented but is she able to embody both the White and Black Swan? For Nina the White Swan is pretty much her in real life - delicate, innocent and introverted but beautiful. But can she really be the Black Swan? Can she be the carefree, sexy, seductive evil sister? *Cue the dramatic music*
In all seriousness Black Swan is intense; actually I don't think I have seen anything more intense than Black Swan. It's one of those movies when you feel constantly like you're holding your breath not only out of anticipation of what's going to happen but just out of fear of the intensity. Constantly having close-up of everyone menacing faces was enough to bring shivers down your back. It's strange because Black Swan was a frightful experience despite it not being a horror movie nor a horror/thriller either.
I wouldn't call it scary like The Ring scary. Yes it did have the elements of horror and it’s definitely a psychological thriller but for me it was like going on a rollercoaster. It was a scary (not like a horror movie), exhausting and exhilarating sensation. It’s interesting to see that most of the intensity was built by actions rather than dialogue. For me whenever I think back to other intense movies I felt that constant dialogue drove the intensity. But Black Swan wasn't like that it didn't actually have loads of dialogue but it did have lots happen in it. This wasn't necessarily from the words being spoken. The tension between the characters and tension within Nina was enough to carry it.
This is of course to due to the fantastic cast, everyone in the film was wonderful. But much credit goes to Portman. As the lead she brought every little emotion that could be displayed without the use of much dialogue and convey with such subtlety and precision. She was just amazing but I have say I really enjoyed the character of Erica Sayer - Nina's mother. Barbara Hershey as Erica was pretty amazing. Although I wasn't sure if I thought she was good for Nina or if she herself was one of the people that lead to Nina’s problems. Other honourable mentions would be Mila Kunis as Lily the "villian".
As fantastic as this movie was there some parts was just a little unnecessary. A lot a movies do this I never understood why. There are some scenes that could have been edited out and would have made little to no difference in the film. The scene when she was on the train with the old man was oddly placed and redundant. Also another scene which was anticlimactic and oddly placed was the scene when one of the minor characters randomly said hey. Also the constant close-up although highly affective made me feel really uncomfortable but I suppose that was the point.
Black Swan was an intense, wild adventure into the world of ballet; a look into the dark side of ballet. Black Swan is one not to miss, definitely deserving 8.45 out of 10.
Link to the Trailer
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Leads - Natalie Portman & Mila Kunis
Here are some cool other international posters of Black Swan in addition to the one on top which is also an international poster that isnt seen in the US and Australia.
This is of course to due to the fantastic cast, everyone in the film was wonderful. But much credit goes to Portman. As the lead she brought every little emotion that could be displayed without the use of much dialogue and convey with such subtlety and precision. She was just amazing but I have say I really enjoyed the character of Erica Sayer - Nina's mother. Barbara Hershey as Erica was pretty amazing. Although I wasn't sure if I thought she was good for Nina or if she herself was one of the people that lead to Nina’s problems. Other honourable mentions would be Mila Kunis as Lily the "villian".
As fantastic as this movie was there some parts was just a little unnecessary. A lot a movies do this I never understood why. There are some scenes that could have been edited out and would have made little to no difference in the film. The scene when she was on the train with the old man was oddly placed and redundant. Also another scene which was anticlimactic and oddly placed was the scene when one of the minor characters randomly said hey. Also the constant close-up although highly affective made me feel really uncomfortable but I suppose that was the point.
Black Swan was an intense, wild adventure into the world of ballet; a look into the dark side of ballet. Black Swan is one not to miss, definitely deserving 8.45 out of 10.
Link to the Trailer
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Leads - Natalie Portman & Mila Kunis
Here are some cool other international posters of Black Swan in addition to the one on top which is also an international poster that isnt seen in the US and Australia.
