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"Aronofky's Swan Dive"
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Black Swan (2010 film)
A 2010 psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky. The film stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as ballet dancers in a New York City production of Swan Lake. The production requires … see full wiki
Tags:
Movies, Drama Movies, Drama, Thriller Movies, Psychological Thriller, 2011 Oscar Nominee, see all
Director:
Darren Aronofsky
Genre:
Thriller
Release Date:
December 1st, 2010
MPAA Rating:
R
24 reviews about Black Swan (2010 film)
Showing 1-24 of 24
Last time Darren Aronofsky impressed me this much was with the film “The Wrestler”; it was a cinematic experience that was filled with a methodical approach, careful calculation, character-driven dualism and compelling drama. Yes, admittedly I was excited to see his latest film “Black Swan” and it wasn’t anything I expected it to be and yet it became so much more. This film is tense, taut, filled with dramatic and horrific logic that will stay with you after the end … more
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Darren Aronofsky has achieved the impossible: he's made ballet cool. Seriously, get rid of the Best Film award and introduce the Made Something Cool That Was Hitherto Completely Uncool award, and then kick Guy Ritchie squarely in the unspeakables for making Sherlock Holmes. First, he threw out all that ballet shoe shit and went straight for the jugular, combining Heath Ledger's Joker with Tyler Durden from Fight Club to give us "holy crap it's Natalie Portman": … more
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I don't admit to being a big Darren Aronosfky fan. I enjoyed Pi and Requiem for a Dream, but he never became a director that I thought was worth putting on my radar. He makes intriguing films to be certain, but Black Swan was the first time I saw one of his films and felt blown away by it. Like I'd just sat through something magical, simple and yet very complex at the same time. It has its moments where it goes overboard, scenes that go to extremes that, for the most … more
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review by CRSwanson.
January 31, 2011
Ballet is an interesting activity. When done right, it can be mesmerizing and impressive as hell. The physical demands placed on the dancers are enormous (I recall reading a book that described ballet dancers as all being “half-crazed with hunger”), and I can only imagine how heavy the psychological burden must be, especially if you’re not the most stable person in the world to begin with. That’s situation in which a young dancer (Natalie Portman), finds herself in Black … more
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Compliments (42)
It’s no theatrical tricks but it certainly set the mood for the entire film. It’s seldom at first scene that I have an idea how to start a review, much less right at the very beginning of the show. Granted, I’ve read a couple of reviews here and there on this movie but I have managed to steer clear of knowing exactly what the movie entails. I know I don’t feel comfortable starting this movie, even though it has tempted me since I got hold of the dvd copy. I managed to steer … more
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Compliments (40)
I got this movie on DVD, which was good because even after you watch it, you need to go back and look at certain scenes again to try to determine if they were real or imagined. Portman is a profession ballet dancer vying for the starring role in a new version of Swan Lake in Lincoln Center. Portman is pushed forward by her domineering mother, who herself was a ballerina and keeps reminding Portman that she needed to retire at 28 to raise Portman. Age is a continuing factor … more
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**** out of **** "Black Swan" is a paragon of psychological filmmaking; a wild melodrama, which was simply made for the sake of its own unique existence. The project was ambitious, and in some ways, I couldn't have seen it working. A film like this being this good just doesn't seem impossible, but then again, go ahead and try telling director Darren Aronofksy what's "impossible". I don't think that the man believes in the word. He's been making films for over … more
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When i first saw the commericals for this movie it looked good, but then again its about ballet dancers....booooring right? WRONG! I was shocked and amazed at how much i liked this movie. It was enthralling, sexy, and at some points outright creepy. The movie starts off with Nina, a dancer in the new york ballet who is looking for her break into stardom after being out of the spotlight for several years with the company. When her boss announces that their current star will be retiring and he will … more
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review by rmurray847.
December 19, 2010
BLACK SWAN is the story of a ballerina driven to insanity by her drive to succeed and to be perfect. It's also one of the more purely fascinating movies of 2010. Natalie Portman gives the performance of her career as Nina, the dancer. Nina has been with the professional ballet company headed by Thomas (Vincent Cassel) for a number of years, and she's hoping this will be the year she gets a lead role. He's reviving SWAN LAKE, and needs a new White Swan/Black Swan. Nina is a technically proficient … more
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review by Stephanie_Smith19.
March 16, 2011
Black Swan is a wonderful movie, although it is definitely not for everyone. I know I am also late jumping on this bandwagon, seeing as the Oscars are over, but I had to state my claim and wait for my mum's permission to watch it. But waiting was definitely worth it, because Black Swan is a terrific movie. Wonderfully acted, wonderfully directed, and wonderfully intense, if you were expecting an ordinary movie about ordinary ballerinas, then this isn't the movie for you. Instead, its … more
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review by yuliab.
March 13, 2011
Arnofsky's latest is a pretentious work, with little content. His sophistry stops at camera work, and the only real value of the film lays with Natalie Portman's acting - and the makeup artists.
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BLACK SWAN Written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin Directed by Darren Aronofsky Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder Thomas Leroy: Perfection is not just about control. It is also about letting go. From my understanding, to be a true ballerina, one must always strive for perfection. Your toes, your torso, your lines must be just so. … more
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The beginning of the movie, is the movie. It tells the whole story of what is to come the rest of the way. Unlike the movie it takes place while our main character is asleep so we know that this isn't happening, the rest of the way the audience can never be sure what in the movie is real and what is not. From there we dip in and out of the mind of Darren Aronofsky as he places Natalie Portman in prime position to win an Oscar. SYNOPSIS Portman … more
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Compliments (84)
Billed a “psychological thriller,” Black Swan is a satisfying cinematic voyage that skillfully weaves its story about artistic ambition and perfection combined with the quest for human identity challenged by treachery. Natalie Portman plays an aspiring young ballerina, Nina Sayers, who is nurtured and controlled by her jealous mother (Barbara Hershey). Her iron rod director, Leroy (Vincent Cassel) challenges her to “let go” her inhibitions and become the “Black Swan,” … more
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Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” ingeniously merges the spectacle of dance with the base emotions of melodrama, two schools of theatricality that, if done right, are equally demanding. The result is a lurid, daring, and mesmerizing psychological thriller, one that’s founded on the idea that the pursuit of perfection is not a matter of time or effort but of sanity. The line between reality and fantasy is at times easily distinguishable, but at other times is blurred to the … more
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review by virharding.
December 31, 2010
Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina with a New York City ballet company. She lives in an apartment with her former-ballerina mother (Barbara Hershey) who smothers her and treats her like a child and clearly resents her success. Nina wears a lot of pink and has a room full of stuffed animals and a little ballerina-topped music box that Mommy plays for her before she goes to sleep each night. As the film begins, aging prima ballerina Beth (Winona Ryder) has … more
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Thats a nasty scar on her back. The mom wants her to leave it alone so that it will be safe and sound. No one will get hurt that way, but you aren't gonna know what your made of if you don't show that wound. You could get hurt doing that though, but-if you like staying a face in the crowd just keep it covered and leave it alone like your mom told you. As the movie goes on, that scar grows and spreads, almost like a disease..... We've all … more
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review by KonaCat.
May 06, 2011
Nina (Natalie Portman) is a troubled, young ballerina who lives her life in an endless and hopeless pursuit of perfection. When the company's lecherous director gives her the star role of the Swan Queen, he expects her to put out and be more like the sensuous Black Swan character and less like the demure White Swan. Her deeply conflicted psyche creates a world of illusion, chaos, and terror as she gives in to her dark side. … more
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Quick Tip by TheJohn.
April 29, 2011
Dainty little ballet dancer dives head first into a frightening world where theirs hard choices to be made and even harder consequences, all in the name of being the best. Stunning to say the least
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This is not just a drama but also a horror. This is not just a horror but also a film noir. This is also an erotic monument to perfection. It's a clash of desire and obsession. This is easily one of the best movies in the last couple of years. Living inside her own beautiful but terrifying world, this young ballerina named Nina (Natalie Portman), tries to find perfection by portraying the duplicitous swan queen in the play "Swan Lake". Perfection though, cannot … more
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Wow...what a mind bleep this movie was! I took @woopak_the_thrill's word after reading his review of Black Swan and caught a matinee of this flick tonight. This was everything that he said and more...I was on the edge of my seat, totally drawn into the psychosis of the movie and I literally felt the building of anxiety along with the main character. Natalie Portman....just....wow! She's AH-MAZING and plays this role extremely well. And I do mean EXTREMELY well. Mila Kunis seems to be getting … more
Comments (17)
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Quick Tip by lyssachttr.
December 30, 2010
I lost track of how many times I had to remind myself to stop holding my breath during this film. It's simply exceptional, period.
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Quick Tip by mtedds.
January 10, 2011
Surprisingly dark, and intense psychological thriller, kind of a shutter island meets American psycho based around ballet.. Would suggest!
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I really cannot wait for this film. Like all of Aronofsky's films so far, I'm sure that this one will be just as creative, powerful, visually stunning, and well-acted. The idea of Aronofsky setting a psychological thriller around a ballet sounds intriguing. And hey, I'll watch anything with Natalie Portman. UPDATE: Now, after all the months and months of waiting, I've finally seen Black Swan. Unsurprisingly (when one considers my … more
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