Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder
Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Lead Actress, Best Editing, Best Cinematography
Story: A ballet dancer gets the coveted lead role in Swan Lake, but in her drive to perfect the role, she slowly loses her mind obsessively trying to be more like the evil "Black Swan".
Review: I've been a big fan of Aronofsky's previous work. Two of his films (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream) have previously made my top 10 lists. However, I couldn't help but be disappointed by this latest feature. There's no doubting that Natalie Portman gives a stunning performance in the lead role. It's a bold, forceful portrayal that you knew she'd always be capable of if given the right material. Unfortunately, the film doesn't capture either the persistent craziness of Requiem for a Dream, not does it have the strong emotional pull that was there in The Wrestler. It seems to be aiming for both, failing to fully achieve either. Now my review seems a little negative, but I definitely recommend the film. It's a visually impressive movie that ultimately does capture the obsessive drive of an artist, just not a powerfully as I had hoped or expected.
Oscar Outlook: Natalie Portman is the frontrunner for Lead Actress and I expect her to win on Oscar night, although there is a small possibility that Annette Bening could pull off an upset. Black Swan has no chance in any of the other categories.
Trivia: Darren Aronofsky was previously slated to direct The Fighter. He eventually dropped out due to other commitments (including Black Swan). The Fighter went on to be a fellow Best Picture nominee and also nabbed a nomination for the director who replaced Aronofsky, David O Russell.
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