Black Swan

So far, the first two films I have reviewed have been, in a word, awesome. Literally, I was in total awe of this movie. It had many of the things I love the very most in films: hauntingly beautiful scenes, exquisite acting, and a beautiful story with respectful homage to previous pieces of cinema. But, just like 127 Hours, I can't in good conscious recommend this film to everyone. Drug use, language, and heavy issues such as anorexia and bulimia are just little sprinkles on this rated R film. Masturbation and a rather amped lesbian sex-scene are the things that take the cake in this movie. Obviously, this is not the film you watch with your grandmother, or even your mother.

But this movie is beautiful. You don't have to be a lover or appreciator of ballet to enjoy this film, though it is exceptionally gorgeous. Darren Aronofsky did a magnificent job with this film. One of the things that catches you off guard from the very beginning of the movie is the emphasis that Aronofsky puts on sound, especially during the dance sequences. Every step is amplified. This is unexpected since one would normally assume that all of our attention would be directed to the strictly visual. This is, after all, a ballet film, where all of the language is conveyed through the choreography. But we are grabbed by the ears and made to listen, and we find ourselves pleasantly surprised. One of the most beautiful things about this movie are the camera techniques that were used during the dancing sequences. It was more than just the classic, if not slightly cliché turning shot whenever the dancer did a pirouette. There was a fluidity and aeriness that made us feeling like we were dancing. Aronofsky tends to use a lot of shots where we are following behind the footsteps of the main character, allowing us to feel very much a part of the story, without being weighed down with the feeling of it actually happening to us. Like a reporter, we're in on the action, but don't have to pick up a gun and start fighting. Which was something of a comfort during some of the more suspenseful and disturbing scenes.

Which brings me to my next point: Natalie Portman. She was sublime. I cannot get over how much I loved her in this film. Many critics are comparing her to her character, Nina. Saying that she, too, is making the transformation to a sweet young girl to a fierce, strong, and more than capable woman. She did a phenomenal job playing the scared and timid Nina. Do you know how hard it is to play a scared and shy person convincingly? Natalie Portman did just that. There were definite moments when I felt that it was "Nina being played by Natalie Portman," and not "Natalie Portman portraying Nina." To me, that's the sign of a great actor. And they could not have casted a better person to play the sexual femme fatale of Lily than the dark beauty that is Mila Kunis. she was sexy, scary, dangerous, and irresistible, like a pet panther. Also, I feel that more credit needs to be given Winona Ryder, who plays an uncannily parallel role to her real life. It's a small part, but I thought it was perfect for her and she executed it beautifully. I also love the fact that these three women look similar enough to each other without there being a weak link in the acting (which is an important detail throughout the movie). Though Vincent Cassel has a crucial role as the ballet director, Thomas, it would almost be fair to say that this is an all-female cast without the bitter and coppery taste that pro-feminist films tend to leave in your mouth.

And finally, the story of Black Swan. Now, I'm a sucker for anything classic, especially stories. Anything that has withstood the test of time, I'll tend to like it. And I love seeing a beautiful retelling of a classic story. But nothing enrages me more than when it is poorly executed. It's like an ultimate insult to the original. Swan Lake is a story and ballet that I particularly like. So I was both curious and a little nervous to see where Aronofsky was going to take it. But he pulled it off. He kept the true and original tragic beauty of the story of Swan Lake  in his film while still give it a new, fresh, and unique scent. There is also a clear homage to perhaps the most famous ballet film, The Red Shoes. A film I, personally, enjoy very much. What's more, there was also a very Hitchcock feel, especially with parallel darkness of the mise-en-scene to the darkness of the story. It's nice to see filmmakers give credit to where it's due without copy-catting the masters' work.

Just as Thomas says in Black Swan, this is a classic story that has been worked to death, but it been given a fresh, bold, and modern new life. This film has that beautiful and nearly impossible to fabricate feeling of being both old and timeless while still being new, exciting, and breathtakingly beautiful. Like inheriting your grandmother's diamond ring.