A gorgeous horror movie

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2010)

If this movie looks attractive, it is. But don't go into it with a weak stomach. Darren Aronofsky weaves a subtle epic with Black Swan: the story of a fiercely dedicated ballerina and the trials and tribulations she endures while preparing for the role of the Swan Queen in her troupe's performance of Swan Lake.
Black Swan is horrifically terrifying, romantically evil, violently sexy and masterfully nuanced. The entire cast of characters are flawless, but Natalie Portman stands out in one of the best performances I've ever seen. But much of what makes Black Swan reverberate within me are the workings of director Darren Aronofsky.
There are so many positive things I could say here it's hard to narrow it down. The camera work is great. The closeups are effective, the steadicam shots are tantalizing and the dancing scenes are exquisite. The audience moves and breathes with Portman as the camera weaves and sways with her: graceful and misleadingly innocent amidst the true horror story of mental collapse.
The pace drives the film. At times it is slow to mislead the viewer and build the tension, and other times it feels like the film is an out of control car careening toward something we know is there but don't want to see, only to stop short and abruptly and fall back on the delicacy of its innate beauty.
Every scene is a marvel, every motion of Natalie Portman's face, every shimmer of her eyes builds upon her character and moves her psyche forward to insanity as the film goes on. But speaking of good acting, let's not forget about Mila Kunis, who is perfectly devious in her aptly named character of "Lily/ black swan." I would say Black Swan is a must see, but it isn't for everyone. That being said I still give it probably a 9/10. I've never seen a gorgeous horror movie before.
"perfect"