I finally saw Black Swan. I don't really know what to say. I didn't hate it, but it didn't really work. So many of the tropes he used seemed really tired to me. All he seemed to add was the horror techniques, and those were the least successful part for me. However, I thought the acting was all great (and I say that as a person who can't stand Natalie Portman because her voice is like nails on chalkboard to me) and her costumes were very pretty. So yay Rodarte!

Sue - I just saw it too. Left me kind of cranky. I love Natalie Portman and thought she did a great job, as well as Kunis, Cassel, Hershey. But... I don't know. Cranky. At the end I was like, really? That's it?

The swan makeup was pretty badass, though.

Portman's character seemed to be so lacking in self-awareness and agency that I just didn't really care that much about her cracking up. She was already well on the road to crazy town, what was left was a short trip. It would have been a more interesting movie if she was a more complete charcter, not a series of neurosis and ticks.

Also, Vincent Cassel needs to call me.

I actually really liked Black Swan, but I don't think there are too many of us here who did! I can't quite articulate what exactly I enjoyed so much about it, other than that I've always liked Natalie Portman and I tend to love anything about theater/dance, no matter how twisted.

I'm hoping that my love of the Tchaikovsky's music will blind me to the flaws in the film, much like it did for The Concert.

Also, Vincent Cassel needs to call me.

I'm sure any day now he'll get tired of Monica Bellucci.

I'm sure any day now he'll get tired of Monica Bellucci.

IMDB tells me they primarily live in seperate cities. (ETA: As if.)

I liked Black Swan a lot. But I thought it was primarily an exercise of a sort -- Nina's story is told as broadly and symbolically as the story of the ballet. I also thought it was reaching for a bigger metaphor than simply the perfect ideal of the athlete/artist, but about what women do to women, and what we do to ourselves in general, which maybe didn't completely work.

But I loved the performances and the feel of it, although I'm a sucker for a ballet/dance movie, too.

IMDB tells me they primarily live in seperate cities.

That's sad if true, they had another baby not that long ago.

That's sad if true, they had another baby not that long ago.

I think it was so they don't be come bored w. each other, not that they're separated. I don't know how that works as parents.

His bio says it's for "professional reasons", hers says it's "to avoid routine."