Black Swan

I've had Black Swan on my Netflix Queue for a while now, and when I came home last night I just happened to be on HBO.  Being that my life is pretty boring right now, and my only real responsibilities involve searching for work, I devoted a little over two hours to watching the movie.  This movie received excellent reviews, and Natalie Portman's performance even earned her an Oscar.  Darren Aronofsky, the film's director, is renowned in the film industry for his unique and gripping films such as Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Wrestler.  I wasn't a fan of Pi or Requiem, but I thought The Wrestler was excellent.  There's no doubt that Aronofsky has much skill as a director, and I'll likely check out more of his movies in the future even though I did not favor some of his past works.

Back to the film of focus, Black Swan had excellent character development, setting, and scene writing.  The fascinating aspect of this film is the fact that nearly every character in the film can represent the antagonist, and Aronofsky leaves it up to you to choose who the real bad guy or girl is.  The main character also goes through an intense inner struggle filled with paranoid delusions and nightmares.  These delusions make it difficult for you to know what's real and what's an illusion, and Aronofsky does a great job at actually making some of the crazy delusions into a reality.  I was highly entertained throughout the film which combined a number of different emotions with a well planned dramatic plot.  The sexuality of the characters also added to the complex lives of the members of one elite New York Ballet company (at least it seemed like New York).  I don't always agree with the critics, but in the case I believe that the film was worth all of the hype.  If you enjoy artsy dramas with plenty of emotions and betrayal, or if you enjoy movies where you have to struggle and think about what's really happening, I highly recommend this movie.  Also, if you have a serious crush on Mila Kunis or Natalie Portman (Girls and guys) you must watch the one love scene.  It is wonderful.  Go see Black Swan if you haven't yet, and you won't be disappointed.