Black Swan

Black Swan is a film about a ballet dancer who is set to be the star of swan lake. She is a perfect choice to play the sweet and innocent white swan, but has trouble with its alter ego, the black swan. A new dancer joins the company who is a natural black swan and soon the star of the show begins to lose her mind to the stress of the performance, her tough as nails director, and her control freak mother.

            Natalie Portman stars in her sure to win a Best Actress statue role as Nina Sayers, the young ballerina and star of the show. It's difficult to imagine this role being played by a different actress. Portman gives off a fragility, as well as a perfectionist, and someone who is on the edge of snapping and doesn't know what to do. All eyes are on her, and I'm sure this movie will give her career a large boost.
            She doesn't have the only excellent performance however: Vincent Cassel plays the ballet director and is magnificent. He really gives off the air of a perfect, slightly insane, but equally determined artist intent on getting the performance he wants. He is a treat to watch. You're never quite sure what exactly it is that he's thinking, but he's always entertaining.
             This movie is a wonder of excellent camerawork and direction. Darren Aronofsky did an incredible job and will hopefully win his deserved best director award. It's a visual and thematic masterpiece, the screenplay is evocative of the Bard himself (that's Shakespeare) and the psychological themes will keep you guessing. One reviewer wrote that this film is "A guilty pleasure because the transformative horror is patently ridiculous". Don't listen to her. She is wrong. You and I know that combining fantastical elements into a real world story is the best way to make film. She is one of those people that think movies should glide when they can soar. They think movies should trot when they should gallop. They think films should walk when they can dance. Movies were made for the fantastical and wonderful. This movie dances.

4/4 stars

Alex

P.S.
Lesbian Sex!