The Black Swan

What can be said about Darren Aronofsky and his film resume? I think the film Pi was way over my head, maybe it was because I didn’t understand math or the meaning of life, but I didn’t dig it. Requiem for a Dream was a classic film about drug abuse, the acting and cinematography in that film is very hard to out do, including it’s score. Then came The Fountain, one of the worst films ever made. That is a film I loathe so much I will not discuss it further, besides giving you the warning to avoid it. Then he hit us with The Wrestler, a great coming of age tale of a down and out wrestler, then at last he hits us with the The Black Swan. I caught this film at the Saint Louis Film Festival, it eventually sold out but it was obvious it wasn’t the must see film of the Festival, that movie was apparently Casino Jack. The Black Swan takes you on a journey of a psychological melt down without really telling you which reality is which? And it is all centered on ballet and jealousy. Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, a young ballet dancer hoping to move up in the ranks of the company. She lives at home with an over caring mother played by Barbara Hershey. This dynamic of the film comes off creepy and cold, like it doesn’t belong, which is what most of the films it’s self feels like. The director of the company is played by Vincent Cassel who has just axed Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder) the most beloved/hated ballet dancer at the company until she is replaced by Portman. As this storyline emerges so does another one, a new dancer with better talent and hotter looks comes along, Lily, played by Mila Kunis. The rivalry begins between the two women and then the film just continues to melt down over the next hundred and three minutes. The only thing good this film has going for it is Natalie Portman’s performance, Darren Aronofsky is good at getting actors to give one hundred percent, but why do it with such horrible material. I guess the films ending was supposed to bring the whole crazy mess to some kind of formed conclusion, but most of the people that walked out of the theater didn’t realize what they had just seen. At least that is what I got from the chatter from the crowd leaving. I understood but still had to scratch my head and ask questions? Sadly it wasn’t questions about the film, but instead it was the beefed up security FOX STUDIOS had there. They warned us to not record the film with our phone or we would be kicked out. I understood that, but then after watching the film I thought something more. It was most likely do to the fact that the studio didn’t want this horrible mess and buzz of the film getting out there before its release date. That’s just my thinking; I’m crazy like that I guess?

THE JUDGEMENT CALL: Unless you are on LSD or a heavy dose of Mushrooms, I don’t see how you could enjoy this movie. Unless you’re a single guy who doesn’t get laid, then you will enjoy the lesbian sex and female masturbation. Yet as an audience member all I can say is avoid this film at all cost! Besides the fact that this film has already been made, its called Jacobs Latter, its was way more of a trip, and much better.