Black Swan

[j_garcia]

Instead of Tron, this also opened this weekend and since everyone else was seeing Tron, we went to see this. Definitely the right choice. There were maybe only 20 people in the theater which is always a plus. Nominated for 12 critics choice awards (the most ever) and 4 Golden Globes, this is another stunner from Aronofsky IMHO. The story revolves around a ballerina who has been in her company for many years hoping to become the lead dancer and when the company prepares to do a new version of Swan Lake, the top spot as the Swan Queen is open and all the girls want it obviously.

As with all of Aronofsky's films, it is very character driven, and those characters fully display their "flaws", and that is what I feel makes his movies so interesting. The acting is excellent on all fronts and the story has sort of a Kubrick feel to it, and in fact, my friend said it reminded him of Eyes Wide Shut (which I didn't care for). At times it has the intensity of a horror film while still drawing you into the troubled worlds of the characters. I was impressed with the dancing as well - Natalie and Mila must have either had former training or they spent a lot of time practicing for this, because they looked great. Of course there is also "the scene" between the two of them that takes it to a whole new level...

There's a lot to digest in this one. We were still talking about it hours later, and that is definitely a sign of a good movie to me. There's no doubt in my mind why this one has so many nominations for best picture, best actress and best director. Like Aronofsky's other films as well as Winter's Bone, this one isn't for everyone. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for film fans.

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks for your thoughts, I've been hearing a lot of chatter about this one. I've seen every Aronofsky full length feature so far, but I have to admit that I thought that Requiem was a complete POS, and so I always have trepidation before watching one of his movies since then. I do look forward to watching this BD, as it sounds like he has outdone himself from what I am hearing, and I'll just keep my expectations in check, per usual.

 

[j_garcia]

I consider him to be unique and intelligent, but not a god among directors (yet?) I personally liked Requiem, but more for the layering and parallels that he used, not the stories themselves, and that one was a genuinely messed up movie. My brother was going through probably the toughest part of his alcoholism when Requiem came out and he had me watch it with him, so it had an even more profound point for me. You have to have seen that one when it came out too - because so many other films since then borrowed elements from it sort of like when The Matrix came out with BulletTime. I liked The Wrestler for what it was, but not as much as the critics did - it was pretty straight forward story-wise for him. I feel The Fountain and this one are the more fleshed out works from him. The Fountain gets pretty weird; but the story ends up making sense in the end. This one is more linear but has some nice twists.

I think where he succeeds is creating characters that you can really believe and feel their problems, whether or not you understand them. He knows how to push the audiences buttons I think his best work is still ahead of him.

 

[jostenmeat]

Your story about your brother would make it all the more intense, no doubt. . .

The point you bring up about borrowed elements, you see, that was sorta my problem with the movie. I felt it was just telling a story that's been told already, but not with any more insight to the darkness or hopelessness that lie with humans. In a nutshell, I thought it was over sensationalized, with perhaps the only real unique element being the camera tricks or effects with this kind of story.

One of the most depressing, if not most period, I have seen is Long Day's Journey Into Night, a play by Eugene O'Neill. It is autobiographical, and the playwright did take his own life in Boston I believe it was.

No special effects, no special camera work, black n white, just four actors, set in a home, and so entirely effective. One viewing could probably be enough for a lifetime. I was in a good point in my life at the time I viewed it, quite happy, it was also a beautiful day, but at the end of the viewing I was pretty bummed!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056196/

 

[jliedeka]

I've been looking forward to seeing Black Swan. I didn't realize that it was in theaters until I saw your post. I will definitely have to get out and see this. I'm also looking forward to seeing True Grit which has been getting a lot of positive reviews.

Jim

 

[rnatalli]

Saw Black Swan Sunday and loved it!

 

[Rickster71]

The story revolves around a ballerina who has been in her company for many years hoping to become the lead dancer and when the company prepares to do a new version of Swan Lake, the top spot as the Swan Queen is open and all the girls want it obviously.

This reminds me of when Alex was passed over for the lead role in his Jazz / Tap ensemble. He claims to not miss the dancing as much as wearing all the outfits.

 

[j_garcia]

This reminds me of when Alex was passed over for the lead role in his Jazz / Tap ensemble. He claims to not miss the dancing as much as wearing all the outfits.

This is a tough one, because I am not sure Alex would like this movie after his comments about Winter's Bone, however I think he may pass out and not get to see the rest after it gets to the girl on girl scene...

 

[skizzerflake]

Loved this one. This is a streak, three great movies in a row. First The Fighter, then the new True Grit, and this week The Black Swan. Again, we have Darren Aronofsky making a tale about descent into obsession and madness. Madness isn't something people think about much in this century, we mainly talk about mental illness and medication, but madness is much more interesting.

I always thought that ballerinas have to be mad and this movie proves it. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are both excellent in all their bony, anorexic glory. As a one time grad student in clinical psych, I appreciate all the little indications of Nina's advancing madness, the tiny changes in pictures in peripheral vision, mistaken perceptions, and the general feeling that something is going very wrong, but it's not clear why.