Nina (Natalie Portman) is 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 obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. 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 (Mila 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 - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

 

 

Absolutely everybody is talking about this film being a big contender for Best Picture and Natalie Portman quite possibly winning Best Actress at the Academy Awards next year. The whole thing is meant to be astounding. I can't wait to see it (and I'm sure that's the first and only time I will ever say that about a film being billed as a 'Ballet Thriller'!).

 

Also, gorgeous/disturbing poster:

 

http://media.daemonsmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Black-Swan-Poster1-550x814.jpg

I'm desperate to see this, and just from the trailer alone, it reminds me a lot of Mulholland Drive. Plus, it currently has a 8.9 rating on IMDB, and a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (18 good, 2 bad). The artwork and the trailer for this have been stunning in their own right, I looned so much I had it in my sig for a while, although in the end you beat me to actually making a thread :lol:

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/image_index/hw800/45354.jpg

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/image_index/hw800/45353.jpg

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/image_index/hw800/45352.jpg

 

(My favourite :wub:)

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/image_index/hw800/45351.jpg

 

I doubt very much this will win Best Picture however, it's a horror/thriller and they are notoriously overlooked by the Academy (the first and last horror film that won was Silence Of The Lambs back in 1991) although Portman is getting a lot of buzz, so she might be worth placing a bet on.

Edited November 1, 201014 yr by Daniel II

I have read the reviews of the movie Black Swan and I found that Movie is thriller drama and i will definitely watch the movie.,

I'm glad Mila Kunis is getting more film roles but I'm not sure if I could take her seriously because everytime she speaks I alway think of Meg Griffin. She was good in the book of Eli.

Natalie Portman :wub: :wub:

Love the artwork/posters for this too!

I may have to give this a watch!

 

The new incredible international trailer, and according to it, Empire are calling the film a masterpiece. I really need to see this, like right now. Movie sites here I come.

Edited December 7, 201014 yr by Daniel II

My mum can't wait for it :lol: She's kind of obsessed with films about ballet and dancing in general.

some people might be interested that the DVD screener of this has leaked.

Really want to see this movie. The movie poster is so haunting that it caught my eye straight away.

I am eager to see Mila Kunis performance who is getting buzz as well. It will be nice to see the woman behind Meg Griffin in a different role.

The rip of the DVD screener isn't DVD quality so I'm going to wait for the cinematic release I think. It doesn't seem like the sort of thing that would be done full justice on a laptop screen anyway.

 

Thanks for the heads up though Chris.

i'm tempted to download and watch, it's probaly not my sort of film but I think I can appreciate the filmmaking of this, hearing lots of good things, and it's Aronofsky, looks like some of the drama of it is perfectly created and acted.

 

i'm loving the art of the posters aswell, much more interesting than your generic lead actor photo based posters, no doubt a choice possibly made to the recent popularity of the style of posters Olly Moss has been doing, was inevitable new movies would start to create posters in similarish style.

Just finished watching Black Swan. Really good movie. Everything I expected it to be. Natalie Portman plays a fantastic performance but not very oscar worthy though.

they say she'll get the Oscar for losing weight to play the ballerina...severe changes in actor's bodies or appearence seem to get the Oscars....

It's nothing to do with 'losing weight' to play the part. She was always slim. It's about how she spent 10 months in training to learn ballet to a high enough standard to be convincing in the role, and the dedication that shows.

 

Anyway if she wins it won't be because of that but it might (arguably) play some small part in the judges' decision.

Film of the year. I honestly cannot remember the last time I watched something so intense. Natalie was incredible (as was Winona, despite her small part). If she nabs the Oscar it will make up for the major f***ery that was Sandra Bullock winning.

Edited December 22, 201014 yr by ▲▲▲

+ THAT Kunia/Portman scene was certainly hot...

Film of the year. I honestly cannot remember the last time I watched something so intense. Natalie was incredible (as was Winona, despite her small part). If she nabs the Oscar it will make up for the major f***ery that was Sandra Bullock winning.

 

OI Sandra deserves it. Shes one of the best female actresses of all time. She is so nice and comforting to watch.

OI Sandra deserves it. Shes one of the best female actresses of all time. She is so nice and comforting to watch.

 

please tell me this is sarcasm.

OI Sandra deserves it. Shes one of the best female actresses of all time. She is so nice and comforting to watch.

 

The fact she beat Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan and Gabourey Sidibe with such a bland (nice/comforting to watch) performance is nothing other than an embarrassment. That film was fluff.

 

I'm sure she is a lovely person though - which seems to be the only reason why she won.

The reason she won was pretty much her achievement in being the only actress ever to take a film past $200m in the US with solely her name above the title, and because despite the film being arguably cack it was the type of role Oscar voters absolutely love - a strong woman at the centre of heart-warming tale of determination. Plus it was 'her time'.

 

But Gabourey didn't deserve to win anyway. I've not seen the other two films so I don't know.

 

And I think Natalie will win the Oscar. Her biggest competition seems to be Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right, but by all standards the audience don't seem as impressed with her as the critics are and I think they'll take that into account. Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone could feasibly get it but she's too 'new' I think, and maybe at a push Kidman for Rabbit Hole, but that film doesn't have as much momentum as Black Swan yet.