Black Swan

Aronofsky's declaration of love for The Red Shoes. A psycho (not psychological!) update of Swan Lake for the 21st century in art-mainstream trappings with the now traditionally weeping Natalie who also happens to play her own self wonderfully. I expected more of a balletic backstage full of sharp elbows, intrigue, and obsession, and fewer would-be horror elements that Aronofsky didn't quite master yet (um, mirrors… like seriously Darren?). Still, it works, and it escalates magnificently. (02/18/2011)

You can stone me, but Aronofsky is repeating himself for the third time and it's getting old. Although he once again emphasizes the physicality and the decay of the soul and body, the film lacks any sort of more prominent moment that I haven't seen from him before. The lacerated fingers do hurt, but what I saw here was more so pseudo-art, where he gracefully tiptoes around but doesn't get to the core even once. The metamorphoses at the end amused me unintentionally rather than making me feel any kind of gradation or even catharsis. However, I can understand the standing ovation the film receives. (12/26/2010)

An unsettling journey through the ballet stage with an atmosphere that takes your breath away in every shot. Aronofsky came up with his version of mental darkness and I can't stop staring. Mainly thanks to the mesmerizing camera and brilliant Natalie, it is one of those experiences that must be removed from your head almost forcibly due to their suggestiveness. It is difficult to say in one sentence why Black Swan is so amazing. I just know and feel that it truly is. (12/21/2010)

Perfection, obsession, paranoia, beauty. The faltering mind of a young ballerina is a very unreliable guide through this non-traditional drama. Ballet in itself seems like something so entrancing, so perfect that violating the privacy of preparations for something so sacred, could well be called blasphemy. But that is just how Aronofsky shows the reality, the rivalry, the carefully prepared choreography and especially the devotion to the story depicted in the piece. Natalie Portman gives one of her best performances and her Nina is just as delicate as the spinning ballerina in her music box. Their devotion, their thirst for perfection and absolute commitment to their character go hand in hand. If this does not get that supreme award this year, it will be a disgrace for the whole Academy. On the other side of the spectrum, Mila Kunis is the exact opposite of the White Swan, playful, passionate, fallible, yet so much more beautiful with her dark self, showing through her every smile. Music-wise, it’s a masterpiece. The combination of classic variations on Tchaikovsky and Mansell’s dark electronic minimalism form a surprisingly compact unit. The close-ups, even during most of the ballet scenes, add to the intimacy of the piece, creating an emotional rollercoaster that’s hard for the viewer to recover from. Amazing and, especially, original. It was perfect. (02/15/2011)

Yeah, it’s alright. In the end, I hope it helps real ballet because the over-hyped fans will go see what the girls who are mutilating themselves actually like about it. Otherwise, it's a solo Portman film, no question about it, and it’s more disappointingly inconsistent genre-wise. A few of the special effects are very bad. The mom seems to be right out of Carrie, which didn't have to be the case. Winona, on the other hand, was a delight, but she always is. Cassel is nothing special. In the end, it’s a well-aimed advertisement for ballet, which names like Aronofsky and Portman helped bring to the people. (02/12/2011)