Black Swan Review
I watched Black Swan last night and while I cannot say I liked it, I can say it was powerful, moving and beautiful. I spent most of the film feeling like I was watching aliens instead of human beings because the scenarios are so impossible for me to relate to or comprehend. I cannot imagine destroying my body the way dancers do, though watching them dance is amazing. These people turn themselves inside out for their art, and I can only admire the drive with awe.
Now for the film itself.
I have to agree with Natalie Portman that the masturbation scene was unsettling. The lesbian love scene between Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman pushed the envelope right into Soft Porn in my opinion. I think we could have gotten the point a lot sooner, but that might just be because I watched the film with my PARENTS which made the entire experience...uncomfortable is far too weak a word. Or it might be that I don't enjoy oversexualized movies. All the sex in this story had a point, to be sure, but...I suppose this is just a matter of taste.
But the most cringe-worthy aspect of this film is Natalie Portman's character's constant PICKING at herself. Picking at her skin. Scratching and bleeding, and cutting, filing, and peeling, and gnawing and just....YUCK. It was WONDERFUL. Any film that can provoke that sort of total repulsion is an awesome thing. There's a scene where she picks at her cuticle until she pulls the skin off her finger and seriously--I can watch SAW and not shiver the way that I did at that scene.
The dancing was miraculous. Watching the total breakdown of sanity was like riding a roller coaster. Nina was the Ultimate Unreliable Narrator. I had no idea what was going on half the time. Every time you thought--'Oh. That's what's going on', the entire plot would do an about face. By the end, you have no idea if you should trust anything you're seeing. You'll say things like "Yeah. That's not happening right now" but it is. You'll believe things are happening, and they aren't. You'll feel just as crazy as she is--And she is MADDER than a Hatter. It's an impressive bit of storytelling.
So...I'll say I'm glad I watched it, but I would never watch it again. It's a one shot deal for me. Do I recommend it? Sure. It's an experience that I think is worth having, but not one I'd want to repeat.
Make sense? Maybe not. But there are a few films that I feel this way about--Blood Diamond comes to mind immediately.
Anyone want to share their opinions?
Now for the film itself.
I have to agree with Natalie Portman that the masturbation scene was unsettling. The lesbian love scene between Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman pushed the envelope right into Soft Porn in my opinion. I think we could have gotten the point a lot sooner, but that might just be because I watched the film with my PARENTS which made the entire experience...uncomfortable is far too weak a word. Or it might be that I don't enjoy oversexualized movies. All the sex in this story had a point, to be sure, but...I suppose this is just a matter of taste.
But the most cringe-worthy aspect of this film is Natalie Portman's character's constant PICKING at herself. Picking at her skin. Scratching and bleeding, and cutting, filing, and peeling, and gnawing and just....YUCK. It was WONDERFUL. Any film that can provoke that sort of total repulsion is an awesome thing. There's a scene where she picks at her cuticle until she pulls the skin off her finger and seriously--I can watch SAW and not shiver the way that I did at that scene.
The dancing was miraculous. Watching the total breakdown of sanity was like riding a roller coaster. Nina was the Ultimate Unreliable Narrator. I had no idea what was going on half the time. Every time you thought--'Oh. That's what's going on', the entire plot would do an about face. By the end, you have no idea if you should trust anything you're seeing. You'll say things like "Yeah. That's not happening right now" but it is. You'll believe things are happening, and they aren't. You'll feel just as crazy as she is--And she is MADDER than a Hatter. It's an impressive bit of storytelling.
So...I'll say I'm glad I watched it, but I would never watch it again. It's a one shot deal for me. Do I recommend it? Sure. It's an experience that I think is worth having, but not one I'd want to repeat.
Make sense? Maybe not. But there are a few films that I feel this way about--Blood Diamond comes to mind immediately.
Anyone want to share their opinions?