Am I crazy...or not!?

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2011)

"Black Swan" is one of the most effective movies dealing with issues of and about mental health I have seen. It is so effective because it does not directly deal with that subject matter, instead wrapping itself in a surreal and hypnotic environment, where its main character flounders between reality and paranoia, with the line between both blurry at best and none-existent at worst.
When watching this movie, one can cut the tension with a knife. It is as palpable as anything in the movie. It is also one of the reasons why I think the film is not a candidate for repeat viewings. Not for me at least, not anytime soon.
However, the movie is truly an excellent piece of cinema. Darren Aronofsky is once again brilliant, a fact which seems to have escaped the Academy this time around, just as it did with "The Wrestler".
Natalie Portman is supreme in the movie, and deserved every bit of the critical acclaim and success she has garnered, including the Oscar itself, she was that good. I am glad the got recognized for her work, unlike Mickey Rourke, who last year got completely railroaded from his Oscar, an award he definitely deserved, as his was an astounding performance, one that Aronofsky is very capable of getting out of his actors. I am glad on this occasion it worked for Natalie Portman.
Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Casell and Winona Ryder are all great in the movie and were a treat to see.
But ultimately this movie belongs to Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman, a creator and his muse.