Black Swan, the most puzzling movie I've watched this year so far.

Rating: 8/10 (25 June 2011)

I am going to attempt to make this short (and I hope, sweet) to help you make up your mind whether to watch this movie. Or if you are like me and only read reviews after watching a movie, just putting in my tuppence worth. Not sure what that is in other currencies. Not even sure what it is in decimal coinage.
At time of writing there are over 800 reviews, so it's unlikely that anyone is going to want to trawl through all the other reviews! I know I didn't.
So read mine instead, it is much less complicated than the other 800 odd reviews!
To the movie:
TIGHT BUNS: There are are a lot of TIGHT BUNS in this movie. Now I personally like to think that the plethora of shots of TIGHT BUNS represents the suppressed sexuality of some of the characters. Others, with less time on their hands to dwell on such matters, may just think that the TIGHT BUNS are to keep a dancer's hair out of our face. Now I am not sure if our American cousins know what a bun is, but it is the type of 'up-do' we see the dancers hair in.
CAMERA ANGLES: If like me, you are a media studies student/film-maker or indeed, a nerd,you might be interested in the use of different camera angles. There are plenty of shots from behind the lead character, showing you the protagonists perspective. Lots of different camera angles, combined with the use of lots of mirrors added to the whose crazy ambiance of the movie. Personally, it gave me lots of ideas for my next project. (Not saying I'd use the same ones, just gave me ideas).
NATALIE PORTMAN: She has certainly done her homework on this one. I'm thinking she should have maybe ate her homework too! She clearly didn't eat for quite some time. She is SO skinny and looks like a ballet dancer, all cheeks and rib-cage. A perfect choice for the lead. Did she deserve an Oscar? Looks like a pretty intense project to be involved in. I know she done a fair bit of the dancing herself, although just how much is hotly debated. However, not by me and not here.
DRUGS: There are scenes of drug-taking in this, but if they're buying E that only lasts 4 hours they are getting ripped off big-time.
THROWING UP: Multiple shots of Nina throwing up, no explanation given. Guess we are to assume that all ballet dancers are anorexic.
EARRING FIDDLING: There are a lot of scenes in which Natalie and other characters in the movie fiddle about with their earrings. I've no idea what this signifies or it may be something akin to the aforementioned TIGHT BUNS.
MAKE-UP AND COSTUME: Two points here. The make-up and costuming in the movie and indeed the general 'feel' of the movie is quite sumptuous. However, do ballet dancers do all their own make-up and costuming? Seems unlikely. How do they get the back of the corset type things tied on their own. Just a thought.
CGI: Some nice CGI effects to show the extent of Nina's mental breakdown are really quite cool.
PLOT: First thought when movie ended was, "there was a plot?" Of course there is a plot, but it is dense and probably best not to think about it or you too will end up obsessed and crazy. In essence, you too will have a breakdown like Nina.
This movie was confusing, creepy, sexy, crazy, wild and the ballet details fascinating. It is a closed world to us outside it. Was Nina crazy from the outset? Was Lily (Mila Kunis) her rival in the movie, even real? I have read all kinds of theories about this movie, but really you can put your own interpretation on almost every aspect of this film or even the whole movie, if you so wish.
Was this a review? Not in the traditional sense, more my musings, also why try and compete with over 800 reviews? If you like your movies to leave you thinking, watch Black Swan. It was (almost) perfect. Yes, you should watch it and make up your own mind. Oh and yes, that is paraphrased from the last line of Black Swan.