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annundrielToday was a good start to the new year. Better than the start to 2010 anyway.
Went to town with my mom and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sdorhc_ratiug. We saw Black Swan which was...
Well.
It wasn't bad, but it could have been so much better. Visually it was beautiful and interesting, but the balance of the story wasn't right. I wish it had been a little more subtle with some of the issues. Like the whole issue with Nina's sexuality. I got that she needed release and was failing to find it after the first couple of times, thanks. Felt some of that went a little long.
Or, I don't know...maybe it would have sat more easily with me if it had been done in a different way? It didn't make me uncomfortable, that's not the issue here. I just wish it had been handled...less heavily. It was kind of in your face.
Which was maybe the point. But, seriously, after a while I was like, "OKAY, I GET IT."
Of course, I kinda went into it with the assumption that Nina was crazy. And the idea that possibly we were going to get one of those A Beautiful Mind moments and find out Lily was in Nina's head the whole time. That didn't happen, but it was close.
Speaking of Lily, Mila Kunis was awesome. I've always liked her, and this just reinforced that.
I did really like the imagery and symbolism. The use of mirrors was fantastic. I also loved the way swans kept showing up in various places. Behind Nina's head in the bathtub, the one black swan in her bedroom. Mom also pointed out afterward that even though it takes place in New York, you never would have realized it most of the time since everything was kept really tight; the sets, the camera work. You are right there in Natalie Portman's space the whole time.
So well-constructed, but the story for me ultimately didn't hit enough interesting or new or high notes. I guess. I mean, I didn't hate it, but I also wouldn't necessarily recommend it? It was interesting, and not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
Short answer? I found it kind of meh. Which is sad.
Last Tuesday, though, I saw True Grit with my parents and LOVED IT. Mattie Ross is my new hero. And the girl who plays her, Hailee Steinfeld, is amazing. She's up there sharing the screen with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, and all I wanted to do was watch her.
True Grit I definitely would recommend.
Anyway. So we did Black Swan and then we went to a late lunch at a place called McGlinns. I had their Greek Pesto wood-fire pizza. It was SO GOOD. The place wassdrohc_ratiug's recommendation, and it was an excellent one. Then we did some shopping and came home. It was a very, very good day.
Now I'm home with my electric blanket (it's like 7F outside), catching up with writing, and listening to the Tron: Legacy OST (which is AWESOME). Good times, good times.
Went to town with my mom and
sdorhc_ratiug. We saw Black Swan which was...Well.
It wasn't bad, but it could have been so much better. Visually it was beautiful and interesting, but the balance of the story wasn't right. I wish it had been a little more subtle with some of the issues. Like the whole issue with Nina's sexuality. I got that she needed release and was failing to find it after the first couple of times, thanks. Felt some of that went a little long.
Or, I don't know...maybe it would have sat more easily with me if it had been done in a different way? It didn't make me uncomfortable, that's not the issue here. I just wish it had been handled...less heavily. It was kind of in your face.
Which was maybe the point. But, seriously, after a while I was like, "OKAY, I GET IT."
Of course, I kinda went into it with the assumption that Nina was crazy. And the idea that possibly we were going to get one of those A Beautiful Mind moments and find out Lily was in Nina's head the whole time. That didn't happen, but it was close.
Speaking of Lily, Mila Kunis was awesome. I've always liked her, and this just reinforced that.
I did really like the imagery and symbolism. The use of mirrors was fantastic. I also loved the way swans kept showing up in various places. Behind Nina's head in the bathtub, the one black swan in her bedroom. Mom also pointed out afterward that even though it takes place in New York, you never would have realized it most of the time since everything was kept really tight; the sets, the camera work. You are right there in Natalie Portman's space the whole time.
So well-constructed, but the story for me ultimately didn't hit enough interesting or new or high notes. I guess. I mean, I didn't hate it, but I also wouldn't necessarily recommend it? It was interesting, and not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
Short answer? I found it kind of meh. Which is sad.
Last Tuesday, though, I saw True Grit with my parents and LOVED IT. Mattie Ross is my new hero. And the girl who plays her, Hailee Steinfeld, is amazing. She's up there sharing the screen with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, and all I wanted to do was watch her.
True Grit I definitely would recommend.
Anyway. So we did Black Swan and then we went to a late lunch at a place called McGlinns. I had their Greek Pesto wood-fire pizza. It was SO GOOD. The place was
sdrohc_ratiug's recommendation, and it was an excellent one. Then we did some shopping and came home. It was a very, very good day.Now I'm home with my electric blanket (it's like 7F outside), catching up with writing, and listening to the Tron: Legacy OST (which is AWESOME). Good times, good times.
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-02 06:55 pm (UTC)I've been wanting to see that one.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-03 07:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-02 07:54 pm (UTC)I go back and forth on wanting to see "Black Swan." Part of me is like, "Ooh, mind fuckery," but part of me is like, "Great, another 'woman driven crazy by the madonna/whore complex.'" Plus then I sat back and thought about the plot of "Swan Lake," and the Black Swan isn't a villain, really. I mean, she is, but she's the evil wizard's catspaw, and we never get to find out if she's acting of her own free will or if she's being controlled by Von Rothbart or what. Making the movie so that it's the Black Swan who's bad lets the evil wizard off the hook.
Not that any of this really matters or anything, but I don't know, it just bugs me for some reason.
Stay warm! We had one day of crazy warm weather and rain and then it promptly dropped to like 10 F.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-03 07:54 am (UTC)Thank you so much for mentioning the madonna/whore complex. And the whole thing about letting Von Rothbart off the hook. That's actually helped me pin-point what I find problematic with the film, which is to say it's commentary on female sexuality. The character needs a sexual awakening, she has it, bad shit happens. So the sexual female becomes something of an evil, scary, menacing figure. Which is just...ugh. Plus, by making Von Rothbart a non-figure, they've taken all the blame away from any of the men and laid it on the woman. Or women.
I was discussing this with my mom today and she mentioned she was really disappointed to hear the whole "frigid little bitch" again. She said she hadn't heard that since the 70s and thought people were past it. Sadly I feel I've heard it in teen movies, so we're not, but the point remains. We should be farther along than this.
Anyway, yeah. These are my problems with the film. It's beautiful. At times quite disturbing. At times very interesting and very good. But overall it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Or at least a disappointing one. :/
"Wednesday Addams Hires a Hit Man". LOL! It sort of is, isn't it? Wednesday would probably have handled herself in much the same way (and inspired the same terror in grown men). I'd definitely say check it out if you get the opportunity.