“Black Swan” 5/5
Darren Aronofsky has not made a bad movie. Let me rephrase that: he has not made a movie that has not blown me away in some fashion. Okay, so “The Wrestler” was a bit of pandering to the industry (not that it was bad, just not up to his usual standard), but that’s understandable after how much “The Fountain” bombed at the box office.
His strength is in finding these grand ideas and moments in seemingly small stories, and he does it with all his skill and artistry in full display. Everything from the cinematography to the performances to the sound design is top-notch. In this case, it’s nothing less than the complete psychological breakdown of a precocious ballet dancer during the lead up to and performance of Swan Lake. It’s also a giant metaphor for the Hollywood system and the steep price artists pay to achieve perfection. I really can’t express enough how much I loved this movie. It’s one of those rare pieces that creeps into your subconscious and stays there. I watched it 4 days ago and it’s still with me.
On a side note, I’ve discovered the wonderfully epic music of Swan Lake. I’ve been listening to it constantly since Sunday.
