"Black Swan" Review

Here is the Synopsis: BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

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This film absolutely kept me in a trace the entire time.   Director Darren Aronofsky has told yet another tale of the price we pay for what we love.   He's done it before with "The Wrestler" and even within "Requiem for a Dream" the price of ones desire to have what one wants is put to the limit.  "Black Swan" showcases Natalie Protman's true talents.  She has exercised her abilities many times before, but here we are able to follow her transformation closely.  

There is absolute perfect casting having Mila Kunis opposite the prima ballerina Portman.  They are such stark contrasts yet they physically resemble each other in such a way you get lost in who is who at times.  Absolutely brilliant. 

Guaranteed to be nominated time and time again over the course of the Awards season, Expect Portman and possibly Aronofsky to walk away with a few trophies in hand. 

Beautifully Acted.  Absolutely insane storyline.  Amazing moments of direction. 

See this film if you want to witness true cinema storytelling.

2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

"Boardwalk Empire"

"Dexter"

"The Good Wife"

"Mad Men"

"The Closer"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

"30 Rock"

"The Office"

"Glee"

"Modern Family"

"Hot in Cleveland"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"

Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"

Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Hugh Laurie, "House"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"

Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"

Glenn Close, "Damages"

Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Steve Carell, "The Office"

Chris Colfer, "Glee"

Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"

Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"

Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"

Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Edie Falco "Nurse Jackie"

Jane Lynch, "Glee"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

John Goodman, "You Don't Know Jack"

Al Pacino, "You Don't Know Jack"

Dennis Quaid, "You Don't Know Jack"

Edgar Ramirez, "Carlos"

Patrick Stewart, "MacBeth"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Claire Danes, "Temple Grandin"

Catherine O'Hara, "Temple Grandin"

Julia Ormond, "Temple Grandin"

Winona Ryder, "When Love Is Not Enough"

Susan Sarandon, "You Don't Know Jack"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

"Black Swan"

"The Fighter"

"The Kids Are Alright"

"The King's Speech"

"The Social Network"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"

Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"

James Franco, "127 Hours"

Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"

Robert Duvall, "Get Low"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Benning, "The Kids Are Alright"

Nicole Kidman, "The Rabbit Hole"

Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"

Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"

Hilary Swank, "Conviction"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale, "The Fighter"

Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are Alright"

John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"

Jeremy Renner, "The Town"

Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams, "The Fighter"

Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"

Mila Kunis, "Black Swan"

Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"

Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

Holiday Films Worth Watching: LOVE ACTUALLY

It's that time of year.  My second favorite next to the month of October, of course.

Here is my first choice for a Holiday Film Worth Watching.

LOVE ACTUALLY

Starring: Bill Nighy, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linny, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightly, Alan Rickman, Rodrigo Santoro, Colin Firth and many more!

Directed by: Richard Curtis

Written by: Richard Curtis

 via IMDb.com : Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

Pick this one up and enjoy with your loved ones!

Watch the Trailer!

BURLESQUE review

It takes a legend to make a star.  The Burlesque tagline on the poster tells you what the film wants to be, though I think the tagline is more an obvious play on who the two of these women are at this point in their life.  


The Good: 
 Cher is great in this role.  She owns the role of Tess, a struggling and aging club owner who possibly never got her 'shot' at fame but has managed to create an amazing place for people to develop their talents and perform!   

 Christina Aguilera does a great job in the role of the overwhelmed and wide eyed would be star.  She's surprisingly great with her first real acting role since "The Micky Mouse Club".  Most of the time she just appears on tv as herself.

 The Music is pretty terrific.  Though mostly new music, there are a few standards in there that are great to hear.  Cher has a terrific solo tune called "Last of Me".  It's really a throwback to Cher of the 80's.  It's a strong ballad and it really is intense.

 Aguilera has many songs, of course, no one can deny her talent.  Her vocals are amazing.  Loved the pop songs with the dance numbers.  Very must a music video feel but still captured the intensity in a live performance.  
 
 Stanley Tucci, Kristin Bell, Cam Gigandet and Julianne Hough are all good in their roles.
 Great Cameo's from James Brolin, Dianna Agron (TV's GLEE) and Alan Cumming.




The Bad:
The plot.  It's been done, time and time again.  Small town girl seeks big city dreams, doesn't get what she wants at first and then ends up the star.  Kind of lame but you can look past it because you're blinded by the glitz and glamor of the performances.

 I honestly can't stress the storyline enough.  I know this film was a reason to have a few terrific people get together to do a musical, but I wish they would have just made an attempt to do some original things in the film with the story.

 The minute the would be boyfriend (Cam Gigandet) tells Ali (Aguilera) that he isn't gay but he's engaged, you know exactly where this story is going.  Then she leaves his apt. in a hell of a rain storm, in LA, come on now, it barely rains in LA.  Then he picks her up from the sidewalk and carries her back to his apartment, tells her to stay for a while and they become roommates and eventually a couple with a bit of trouble.  Predictable. 




 That's truly the issues with the film, the predictability of the entire film.  Though that's not going to be a surprise or deter any of the people seeing this film.  It's really for the fans.


Overall.  If you're a Cher or Christina Aguilera fan, you will love this film.  If you enjoy Musicals, you'll enjoy this film.
This is not a think piece, it's just a fun night at the theatre.  Enjoy it.  They don't come around all that often.

Audition with help from Paula Abdul

 

Paula Abdul has stepped into the world of Internet Castings!  With her new joint venture AuditionBooth.com  is supposed to be a quick and easy way to show your talents to the leading casting directors in the world.  

 Paula gives tips on how not to audition through a few videos in her blog section.  She has years of experience in this business, so any help she can offer is a good thing.

 

 I'm always skeptical of things like this, but you never know, maybe it will work out for some actors out there.  I wish them luck on their hunt for the next job and I hope AuditionBooth.com will give them an opportunity they wouldn't normally have gotten in small town America.