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Black Swan - quick review (1 Viewer)

Scott Calvert

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Originally Posted by Colin Jacobson


Thank you Colin. It amazes me that so many so called "cinephiles" have fallen for Aronofski's ridiculously pretentious schtick. Talk about emperor with no clothes.
 

Robert Crawford

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Originally Posted by Scott Calvert





Thank you Colin. It amazes me that so many so called "cinephiles" have fallen for Aronofski's ridiculously pretentious schtick. Talk about emperor with no clothes.


It's called subjective film appreciation.







Crawdaddy
 

Scott Calvert

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What gets me about Aronofski is that none of his films seem like they are made out of a genuine need to express an artistic point of view that is honestly about something. They are all born out of his idea of what he has seen in other films, or what he thinks will garner him serious attention as an artistic genius. When one is all about expressing second hand ideas, you better be damn good at it or you come across as a pretentious poseur. This a problem with some other filmmakers I could mention as well....
 

Patrick Sun

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If you really feel that way about "The Fountain", there is absolutely no common ground I would share with you on the topic of DA as a director/artist/writer. From my POV, your loss, my gain.
 

Chuck Mayer

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Scott Calvert said:
What gets me about Aronofski is that none of his films seem like they are made out of a genuine need to express an artistic point of view that is honestly about something. They are all born out of his idea of what he has seen in other films, or what he thinks will garner him serious attention as an artistic genius. When one is all about expressing second hand ideas, you better be damn good at it or you come across as a pretentious poseur. This a problem with some other filmmakers I could mention as well....
I'd be very interested in seeing what film or films DA stole ideas from for Requiem for a Dream or Pi. And I'd also be interested which other filmmakers you consider pretentious poseurs. It would help determine whether this would be a worthwhile conversation.
 

Scott Calvert

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Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer

What gets me about Aronofski is that none of his films seem like they are made out of a genuine need to express an artistic point of view that is honestly about something. They are all born out of his idea of what he has seen in other films, or what he thinks will garner him serious attention as an artistic genius. When one is all about expressing second hand ideas, you better be damn good at it or you come across as a pretentious poseur. This a problem with some other filmmakers I could mention as well....


I'd be very interested in seeing what film or films DA stole ideas from for Requiem for a Dream or Pi.

And I'd also be interested which other filmmakers you consider pretentious poseurs. It would help determine whether this would be a worthwhile conversation.[/QUOTE]


Requiem for a Dream was a mix of arty music video and Martin Scorsese. Pi, David Lynch.
 

MarkMel

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I finally watched this film this weekend. I purposely did not read any reviews and knew nothing of the film other than it was supposed to be a fantastic movie and Portman was supposed to be terrific.


I don't understand the hype? Were all the good reviews and positive talk a result of group think?


I have seen low budget thrillers with better plots and acting than Black Swan. She's coming unhinged, struggling with herself and the big thing is she scratches herself and doesn't notice - shocking. These are all items that have been used many times before in other movies with much better result. Nothing new with this film.


Portman with an Oscar win? For this? She had three variations of her face that consisted of her acting. Confused, about to cry and crying - which if you really think about it are all the same thing. Very similar to her performance in Brothers - she seems to be a one note actress.


Her performance also felt very unnatural to me almost as if she didn't fit the part. Contrast that with the performance of Kunis who gave a very natural and convincing performance. Should have been more of her in the movie.


I wonder how an actress such as Angelina Jolie would've done with this part when she was Portman's age? Probably would've been a much better movie.


I also feel that Hershey was under utilized. She seemed to be just stuck in there to give a little back story to Nina's behavior.


I will give props to the cinematography but that alone couldn't carry this film.
 

MarkMel

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No, didn't like it - lol. Just my opinion though, glad to see I wasn't totally crazy as there are others in this thread that felt the same.
 

Robert Crawford

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Originally Posted by MarkMel

No, didn't like it - lol. Just my opinion though, glad to see I wasn't totally crazy as there are others in this thread that felt the same.

I'm not a fan of the film and have zero desire to view it again unless I want to place myself in a depressed state of mind.








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Colin Jacobson

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Originally Posted by MarkMel


Portman with an Oscar win? For this? She had three variations of her face that consisted of her acting. Confused, about to cry and crying - which if you really think about it are all the same thing.

Great minds and all that - from my review:


Which leads me to the bizarre overpraising of Portman's performance. Except for about four minutes late in the film, Portman does little in the film other than cry, look like she's about to cry, or look like she just finished crying. Maybe this is the script's fault more than her own, but Nina is closer to the lead in a horror flick than a real character. I think Portman got the part because they couldn't find an actual deer in the headlights who had SAG membership.
 

TravisR

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You guys do realize that being on the verge of emotional collapse for 90 minutes of screen time isn't easy, right? The story doesn't offer a wide range for Portman to play but it's still an extremely skilled performance.
 

MarkMel

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If taken as the one performance. But she's had similar performances in other movies. Which leads me to think she's a one trick pony, or deer, in headlights - lol.


So I don't think it was that hard for her, to her that's 'acting'.


I think Portman got the part because they couldn't find an actual deer in the headlights who had SAG membership.
 

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