Black Swan
The best way that I was able to describe this film was: a beautiful confusing film.
Natalie Portman stars as the lead, Nina, alongside Mila Kunis, who plays Lily. Other notables in the film were Winona Ryder, as Beth, and Vincent Cassel as Thomas.
The basic plot of the film revolves around Nina, a dancer who still lives with her overprotective mother, in New York. Nina's mother used to be a dancer herself, but now devotes her time to Nina and her dancing. The film begins with a New York ballet company beginning a new season, trying new things, and hoping to find the right new dancer. The company decides to put on a production of the horribly overdone Swan Lake. Except, this year they search for a new lead, a young new dancer to fill the shoes of Beth, who is retiring. Yet, it appears that she is not retiring completely by her choice, as she destroys her dressing room in a fit of anger. Nina competes for the role of the Swan Queen, having the difficult task of dancing as both the pure and innocent White Swan and also the sultry and seductive Black Swan. She competes against many dancers, including Lily, and leaves the auditions thinking she has failed. In her audition, Thomas even tells her she is perfect for the White Swan, yet he does not see the Black Swan's nature inside of her, like he sees it in Lily. Yet, after a conversation with Thomas, Nina surprisingly shows him her Black Swan side. Nina gets the lead as the Swan Queen.
From this point, the movie takes off, and becomes a beautiful confusing film. Don't get me wrong though, that's not a bad thing. Things get strange, weird, sexual, freaky, and confusing (not stuff you'd want to watch with your parents). Yet, it is all for the sake of Nina becoming a better dancer, and filling the role of the Black Swan perfectly. She has the White Swan down, yet she cannot let herself go, get into the music, lose herself, and become the Black Swan like Thomas wants her to, and like Lily does. The rest of the film regards Nina's challenges in attempting to perfect her role, her strange relationship with Thomas, her overbearing mother, and her fears that her understudy, Lily, seeks to take her role as the Swan Queen. Through a strange series of events, that as a viewer you cannot tell what is real or not, you begin to see Nina take on the role. Yet, she becomes someone she is not, as well. She was such a beautiful and pure woman, a perfect person to play the White Swan. Now she is often angry, has strange rashes, hallucinates, steals, and is paranoid about the intentions of Lily. Nina may actually be turning into the Black Swan, just like Thomas wants.
Overall, it was a fantastic movie. I would say it was one of the best that I've seen this year. While it was a bit slow to start, did not pull me in like I thought it would, when it finally did grab me...I was hooked and couldn't look away. The ending, it all comes together, the confusion clears, and you see something beautiful and emotional.
Portman's face throughout the film does not change very much...and that bothers me A LOT. Yet, I have to admit that her acting was fantastic and I think she is definitely in the running for an Oscar win. Mila Kunis was a huge surprise in this film as well. While she usually plays the funny/laid back girl, she brought those attractive bits of her typical roles to this new role. While I hated her ugly stereotypical slutty ghetto 7th-grade girl streaky hair, I loved her acting. I think she was the best in the film for many reasons. She played Lily, yet played a whole 'nother person as well. Sadly, that last sentence might make no sense unless you see the film. So go see it. I will honestly say that I think the acting of Kunis should win her an Oscar...but sadly, I'm not sure she will actually win. My love, Winona Ryder, who I still find more attractive than many Hollywood actresses, even at 39, also brought so much to the table with her role.
Her character was not a main one, yet a vital one, and a very complex role to play, which she did quite well. Cassel was great in his slightly unnerving role as well, and so was Nina's mother, Barbara Hershey. Many awards will be given to this group of actors and actresses for their roles in this film.
Besides just acting though, the cinematography, editing, music, and choreography, were all fantastic. It sucks you in, gives you goosebumps down your spine, and makes your jaw drop at how amazing it all looks. Creating a film revolving around dance is incredibly hard, you can't just take a Busby Berkeley approach anymore, so they took a sort of The Red Shoes approach in showing Nina's obsession and envelopment in dancing. Black Swan was able to bring those creative elements together, make it work in their own unique way, suck in the viewer, and create a fantastic film. A fantastic film. A must-see. Now stop reading and go see it.
(With the only major deduction coming from the fact that I was confused during much of the movie. Yet, in hindsight, that kind of made the movie what it is.)
If you don't agree with my review, would like to add anything else, comment, or see older posts, please go to www.tylerconta.blogspot.com
__________________________________________________________________
Natalie Portman stars as the lead, Nina, alongside Mila Kunis, who plays Lily. Other notables in the film were Winona Ryder, as Beth, and Vincent Cassel as Thomas.
The basic plot of the film revolves around Nina, a dancer who still lives with her overprotective mother, in New York. Nina's mother used to be a dancer herself, but now devotes her time to Nina and her dancing. The film begins with a New York ballet company beginning a new season, trying new things, and hoping to find the right new dancer. The company decides to put on a production of the horribly overdone Swan Lake. Except, this year they search for a new lead, a young new dancer to fill the shoes of Beth, who is retiring. Yet, it appears that she is not retiring completely by her choice, as she destroys her dressing room in a fit of anger. Nina competes for the role of the Swan Queen, having the difficult task of dancing as both the pure and innocent White Swan and also the sultry and seductive Black Swan. She competes against many dancers, including Lily, and leaves the auditions thinking she has failed. In her audition, Thomas even tells her she is perfect for the White Swan, yet he does not see the Black Swan's nature inside of her, like he sees it in Lily. Yet, after a conversation with Thomas, Nina surprisingly shows him her Black Swan side. Nina gets the lead as the Swan Queen.
From this point, the movie takes off, and becomes a beautiful confusing film. Don't get me wrong though, that's not a bad thing. Things get strange, weird, sexual, freaky, and confusing (not stuff you'd want to watch with your parents). Yet, it is all for the sake of Nina becoming a better dancer, and filling the role of the Black Swan perfectly. She has the White Swan down, yet she cannot let herself go, get into the music, lose herself, and become the Black Swan like Thomas wants her to, and like Lily does. The rest of the film regards Nina's challenges in attempting to perfect her role, her strange relationship with Thomas, her overbearing mother, and her fears that her understudy, Lily, seeks to take her role as the Swan Queen. Through a strange series of events, that as a viewer you cannot tell what is real or not, you begin to see Nina take on the role. Yet, she becomes someone she is not, as well. She was such a beautiful and pure woman, a perfect person to play the White Swan. Now she is often angry, has strange rashes, hallucinates, steals, and is paranoid about the intentions of Lily. Nina may actually be turning into the Black Swan, just like Thomas wants.
Overall, it was a fantastic movie. I would say it was one of the best that I've seen this year. While it was a bit slow to start, did not pull me in like I thought it would, when it finally did grab me...I was hooked and couldn't look away. The ending, it all comes together, the confusion clears, and you see something beautiful and emotional.
Portman's face throughout the film does not change very much...and that bothers me A LOT. Yet, I have to admit that her acting was fantastic and I think she is definitely in the running for an Oscar win. Mila Kunis was a huge surprise in this film as well. While she usually plays the funny/laid back girl, she brought those attractive bits of her typical roles to this new role. While I hated her ugly stereotypical slutty ghetto 7th-grade girl streaky hair, I loved her acting. I think she was the best in the film for many reasons. She played Lily, yet played a whole 'nother person as well. Sadly, that last sentence might make no sense unless you see the film. So go see it. I will honestly say that I think the acting of Kunis should win her an Oscar...but sadly, I'm not sure she will actually win. My love, Winona Ryder, who I still find more attractive than many Hollywood actresses, even at 39, also brought so much to the table with her role.
Her character was not a main one, yet a vital one, and a very complex role to play, which she did quite well. Cassel was great in his slightly unnerving role as well, and so was Nina's mother, Barbara Hershey. Many awards will be given to this group of actors and actresses for their roles in this film.
Besides just acting though, the cinematography, editing, music, and choreography, were all fantastic. It sucks you in, gives you goosebumps down your spine, and makes your jaw drop at how amazing it all looks. Creating a film revolving around dance is incredibly hard, you can't just take a Busby Berkeley approach anymore, so they took a sort of The Red Shoes approach in showing Nina's obsession and envelopment in dancing. Black Swan was able to bring those creative elements together, make it work in their own unique way, suck in the viewer, and create a fantastic film. A fantastic film. A must-see. Now stop reading and go see it.
Black Swan gets 9 out of 10 stars from me.
(With the only major deduction coming from the fact that I was confused during much of the movie. Yet, in hindsight, that kind of made the movie what it is.)
If you don't agree with my review, would like to add anything else, comment, or see older posts, please go to www.tylerconta.blogspot.com
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