First of all, thank you Yoda Family! ^_^
Oh absolutely. The ballet sequences, especially that one, were amazingly shot with the camera constantly encircling Portman---too focused in on herself, on getting everything right---in an unsteady, claustrophobically close way as if she is about to topple over any minute. Only when she transforms into the Black Swan---which if you browse the storyline seems to be concept unique to this film (???)---does the camera cease its motion and finally embrace the audience and her freedom against it, not as before, as a blur or even a blackness, but the stunning shot you chose.
The thing about Vincent Cassel's character was that he too displayed the dualism of the Black/White Swan, which simply must be Aronofsky's interpretation. Even though the mother most accurately fits the role of the villain Rothbart, Leroy is in one shot depicted precisely as Rothbart and he is somewhat villainous in the film as well. Of course, he is also the price which must be fought over by the two swans.
So... I guess the whole movie's about dualism, which almost defeats my main criticism that the film alternates too lazily between dark and light by using classic shock tactics instead of trying for a more gradual "whole world is unraveling" technique that Pi and Requiem utilize and succeed amazingly at. I think Pi is the film's closest relative, though I read on wiki that Aronofsky considers it more as a companion to The Wrestler due to the performance art parallels. Nevertheless, The Wrester is not at all a subjective film that questions reality in any way. All I mean is that, formally, the film is trying to subjectively convey a mind unraveling from reality, and---due to the fact that Nina has to return to work everyday and function believably---can't spiral more and more out of control in a "smooth", linear manner. Instead it has to rely on wham-bam type shocks which, conveniently, END EVERY SINGLE SCENE.
Absolutely. One of the best things I've seen on screen in a long time.
7.5/10
*The image above is from my favorite scene of the whole film.
Most of the film is metaphorically thick with instances of Swan Lake bleeding through her work and real life.
So... I guess the whole movie's about dualism, which almost defeats my main criticism that the film alternates too lazily between dark and light by using classic shock tactics instead of trying for a more gradual "whole world is unraveling" technique that Pi and Requiem utilize and succeed amazingly at. I think Pi is the film's closest relative, though I read on wiki that Aronofsky considers it more as a companion to The Wrestler due to the performance art parallels. Nevertheless, The Wrester is not at all a subjective film that questions reality in any way. All I mean is that, formally, the film is trying to subjectively convey a mind unraveling from reality, and---due to the fact that Nina has to return to work everyday and function believably---can't spiral more and more out of control in a "smooth", linear manner. Instead it has to rely on wham-bam type shocks which, conveniently, END EVERY SINGLE SCENE.
The final performance is absolutely beautiful and blew away any expectations I had conceived from the slow build up.
7.5/10
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Last edited by planet news; 12-19-10 at 08:34 PM.