Movie Review: BLACK SWAN

photo © 2010 John Steven Fernandez | more info (via: Wylio)**Black Swan was my 100th movie seen in theaters this year - not counting ones I saw on DVD or saw twice in theaters! That's a personal bucket list goal of mine!**

Director Darren Aronofsky's last movie, The Wrestler, was a critical hit that I just didn't care for. I felt it was a knock-off of Rocky Balboa and while I didn't hate it, I didn't get all the fuss. His newest film, Black Swan, is also a critical hit. I was cautiously looking forward to it, but worried maybe Darren and I just didn't see eye to eye when it came to how a movie should be made. Well I can happily report that in my mind anyways he has fully redeemed himself with this excellent new thriller.

Black Swan is not a ballet flick, it's a movie about ballet dancers. Natalie Portman gives the performance of her life as Nina Sayers, a dedicated performer who is addicted to her craft. When this dedication turns into obsession, her world blends with an almost schizophrenic and/or parallel dream universe that is fascinating, and at times hard, to watch. Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder also give riveting supporting performances, some of which will surely earn award recognition.

I never have been to a ballet, nor do I care to. But the one thing I never stopped to think about is how hard these dancers work. How obsessed they get with being the best is just like sports, writing, or any other field. I have to ask myself "what for - it's just prancing around on stage?" but I guess that's another essay for another time. This is a movie that almost is a parable for addiction or the workaholic nature many of us have. There is so much symbolism in this movie I'm sure it will be studied in film classes for years to come. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will see it again before it leaves theaters. I would give Black Swan a 9 out of 10.

Family Take: Absolutely not! This movie is a hard R that has sexual content, violence, and swearing. It also is extremely intense and downright scary at times.

If You Like Black Swan Try: One of the things I liked most about Black Swan is that it was different from most movies that I've seen. It's hard to pick one like it, but I would suggest Identity with John Cusack as a man who is dealing with his own set of problems as he just tries to do his job.