Becoming the Black Swan

{via DETHJUNKIE*}

Saturday – Worked way too hard all day, took a “nap” and crashed until 10pm. Gnawing hunger pangs woke me up.  Got takeout and had just about 10 minutes to either do nothing with my night or catch a movie.  Mmeeeeeeellllllloow weekend but I’m so dead from the holidays that I can’t. Party. Anymore. Must repeat mantra.  So tagged along to the movies with friends and it turned out to be an impromptu lovely double date.

Black swan is a trip.  Darren Aronofsky wrote a great script and it’s so intense at times that I can’t look. Some scenes hurt to watch and that’s what I love about his films. When it ends, it feels like the first steps off of a rollercoaster ride – I’m giddy but maybe feel like crying while smoking a cigarette – it’s so satisfying that I want to go ’round again. Just the same way I felt the first time I’d watched Requiem for  a Dream, actually.

The shots are disorienting, as if you’re in the mind of Natalie Portman’s character as she spirals down the toilet of obsession and you feel like you’re going insane with her. It’s kind of relateable in a scary way.  I know I’ve had that crazed feeling — needing to be the best at something.  Everyone has lost control at some point, right? Hopefully not to this extreme.  Also, the dancing is very beautiful but at the same time very, very real. Ballet is not glamorized and it’s not “warm and fuzzy”. Some of my favorite shots were the ones where she was breaking in her shoes, tearing them apart and sewing them back together.

Bonus!  I’m always excited about animated clips in film.  Black Swan has a *very small* animation sequence which I managed to find.  Alert! it’s not really a spoiler, but just thought I’d mention to beware so it doesnt’ give anything away if you haven’t seen the film.

By the way, I do not claim to own any part of this video, just sharing!

After seeing a brilliant movie like this, there is nothing to do but watch cartoons all night. I need to relax and let my brain unmelt.

~Joy