I saw a lot of movies over winter break but wasn’t really in the mindset to analyze them. Whatever.
Black Swan is pretty amazing, but it is to be watched as a horror movie. The previews and the other movies by director Derren Aronofsky I’ve seen hinted that this film would be a quietly disturbing psychological thriller via jab at an industry. But it’s louder than a portrayal of the dangers of competition in ballet companies–closer to Suspiria than to Dying to be Thin in tone. There are some cheesy effects, but mostly really terrifying ones. It’s obviously smart for a horror movie–all the characters are round and interesting while repulsive—but it follows that satisfyingly basic structure of traveling through a haunted house towards a final performance.
Side note: Make sure you don’t watch this while sitting in front of a crowd of college girls who are not watching it as a horror movie, and instead cringing loudly at everything even subtly homosexual.
-Natasha Stagg
(TBC)