This trailer was taken from:
“BLACK SWAN”- Official HD trailer (Video). August 17, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs
“BLACK SWAN”- Official HD trailer (Video). August 17, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs
Black Swan
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Written By: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder
I don’t know where to begin writing about Black Swan; it’s an exhilarating, disturbing, gripping, terrifying and emotional rollercoaster ride that takes you on a journey of ambition, perfection, manipulation, lust, creativity and ballet. With stunning performances all around and an eerie visual ooze, Black Swan may well be one of, if not the best film of 2010.
Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a dedicated and fragile ballet dancer who just wants to be perfect. When sleazy and manipulative director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) gives her the role of The Swan Queen in his production of Swan Lake, she must bring out her dark side in order to claim the role of her lifetime from the clutches of sensual Lily (Mila Kunis)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) Black Swan is the most intense film I have seen not just this year but possibly of all time. The film is disturbing and gripping in equal measure, with its last 40 minutes being heart pounding in its sheer dramatic and terrifying intensity. From the very get go the film sets up a very dark tone that is unquestionably eerie. The film explores themes of ambition and how somebody’s strive for “perfection” can make them lose their soul while being seduced by the manipulative powers around you. The film is hard to put into one genre, its dramatic, even emotional at moments however there is no doubting its thriller and horror clothing. The film is genuinely terrifying at times and makes you want to put your hand over your eyes yet dying to know what happens next. As Nina gradually breaks down physically and psychologically we are slowly but surely sucked into a terrifying vision of a lost mind, body and soul.
The standout of the film is without a doubt the performance of Natalie Portman. If she does not win an Oscar for this film then they will have out done themselves in terms of shocking snubs. Natalie Portman is electric in this film and you can see how much effort she is put into portraying the character of Nina. She is able to pull off the soft, sweet side of the character as well as the corruptive, dominating and terrifying side. Portman gives the performance of her career and the year, you feel sympathy for the character, you feel hatred towards the character, you fear for the character and ultimately you cannot take your eyes off the character. While Portman undoubtedly dominates the film, the supporting cast is superb. Vincent Cassel gives one of the best supporting actor performances of the year as the seductive and manipulative director, who is prepared to push Nina to her very limits in order to get the performance he wants. Barbara Hershey is creepy yet also oddly sympathetic as Nina’s overly protective mother. While Winona Ryder in her brief appearances is able to say so much while doing so little.
The score by Clint Manssel aids the films tone, which varies from being beautiful and seductive to sheer terror. The direction from Aronofsky is superb as his camera sweeps around the ballet he is emphasizing the beauty and grace of the dancing, however the way his camera focuses in on their feet and the sound emphasizes the cracking bones, the visuals of the film are painting a picture of the horror underneath the glamour and beauty. The film explores three key relationships in Nina’s strive for perfection, each of them hitting different emotional and narrative keys that all build to perhaps the best ending of the year with a final line and scene that is the perfect way to end the film.
Overall Black Swan is a thrilling film, that literally had my jaw dropped and left me speechless as the credits started to roll, it is an experience that never has a dull moment and really gets under your skin. Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder all give great performances while Aronofsky directs the film perfectly. The film is an odd companion piece to The Wrestler (Aronofsky previous film) and is a film that explores so many thought provoking themes in such an exciting and terrifying way.
One Sentence Summary: Black Swans intensity is not for everyone, however for those who can stomach it Black Swan is an unforgettable, expertly made thrill ride.
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Written By: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder
I don’t know where to begin writing about Black Swan; it’s an exhilarating, disturbing, gripping, terrifying and emotional rollercoaster ride that takes you on a journey of ambition, perfection, manipulation, lust, creativity and ballet. With stunning performances all around and an eerie visual ooze, Black Swan may well be one of, if not the best film of 2010.
Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a dedicated and fragile ballet dancer who just wants to be perfect. When sleazy and manipulative director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) gives her the role of The Swan Queen in his production of Swan Lake, she must bring out her dark side in order to claim the role of her lifetime from the clutches of sensual Lily (Mila Kunis)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) Black Swan is the most intense film I have seen not just this year but possibly of all time. The film is disturbing and gripping in equal measure, with its last 40 minutes being heart pounding in its sheer dramatic and terrifying intensity. From the very get go the film sets up a very dark tone that is unquestionably eerie. The film explores themes of ambition and how somebody’s strive for “perfection” can make them lose their soul while being seduced by the manipulative powers around you. The film is hard to put into one genre, its dramatic, even emotional at moments however there is no doubting its thriller and horror clothing. The film is genuinely terrifying at times and makes you want to put your hand over your eyes yet dying to know what happens next. As Nina gradually breaks down physically and psychologically we are slowly but surely sucked into a terrifying vision of a lost mind, body and soul.
The standout of the film is without a doubt the performance of Natalie Portman. If she does not win an Oscar for this film then they will have out done themselves in terms of shocking snubs. Natalie Portman is electric in this film and you can see how much effort she is put into portraying the character of Nina. She is able to pull off the soft, sweet side of the character as well as the corruptive, dominating and terrifying side. Portman gives the performance of her career and the year, you feel sympathy for the character, you feel hatred towards the character, you fear for the character and ultimately you cannot take your eyes off the character. While Portman undoubtedly dominates the film, the supporting cast is superb. Vincent Cassel gives one of the best supporting actor performances of the year as the seductive and manipulative director, who is prepared to push Nina to her very limits in order to get the performance he wants. Barbara Hershey is creepy yet also oddly sympathetic as Nina’s overly protective mother. While Winona Ryder in her brief appearances is able to say so much while doing so little.
The score by Clint Manssel aids the films tone, which varies from being beautiful and seductive to sheer terror. The direction from Aronofsky is superb as his camera sweeps around the ballet he is emphasizing the beauty and grace of the dancing, however the way his camera focuses in on their feet and the sound emphasizes the cracking bones, the visuals of the film are painting a picture of the horror underneath the glamour and beauty. The film explores three key relationships in Nina’s strive for perfection, each of them hitting different emotional and narrative keys that all build to perhaps the best ending of the year with a final line and scene that is the perfect way to end the film.
Overall Black Swan is a thrilling film, that literally had my jaw dropped and left me speechless as the credits started to roll, it is an experience that never has a dull moment and really gets under your skin. Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder all give great performances while Aronofsky directs the film perfectly. The film is an odd companion piece to The Wrestler (Aronofsky previous film) and is a film that explores so many thought provoking themes in such an exciting and terrifying way.
One Sentence Summary: Black Swans intensity is not for everyone, however for those who can stomach it Black Swan is an unforgettable, expertly made thrill ride.
Rating: 9/10
