While I can only give my opinion on the aforementioned question I posed, I can lay out some facts about this little giant that will hopefully help you form your own, but first, here’s what we’re working with.

King George VI (Colin Firth) was not always a king. In fact, when the film opens, he is merely the Duke of York. His father King George V (Michael Gambon) is on his way out, and its clear his brother Edward (Guy Pearce) is next in line for the throne. As we all know, behind most great men is a great woman. Unfortunately, behind Edward is a twice divorced, money-grubbing, attention-seeking, and from the implications in the film, whore of a woman. This causes King Edward VIII’s reign over pre World War II England to be short and not very sweet.

With Edward’s departure and his lack of a child, guess who’s next in line? If you’re actually thinking about the answer than maybe you really should see this film — and possibly plan a trip to your local library. Known to his family as Bertie, King George VI is now “Your Royal Highness,” but there’s one problem. While he may not have always been the King, he has always suffered from a crippling stutter. Considering most of the King’s job entails reassuring the public through the newly invented radio, this becomes an ever higher hurdle in his path. With the help of failed actor, exceptional family man and exquisite speech coach Lionel Logue (Geoffery Rush), the King finally accomplishes what we all take for granted and delivers his first of many wartime speeches.

Working off of what I said before, behind every great film, is a great director. Maybe I should say behind every pretty good film, is a really good director, but that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue with any elegance. Tom Hooper may not yet be a great director, but he certainly displayed some of his talent in The King’s Speech. The beauty of the directing here is that almost every scene takes place in a long, tall room filled with a lot of empty space. That sounds boring written down but it’s honestly not on screen. There’s only a few scenes that take place outdoors, and when it does, it’s not quite a breath of fresh air, it only leaves us wanting to go back inside.

Remember when I said I was going to give you my opinion on whether or not Colin Firth is going to win the Oscar? Well this is it. Yes. He definitely, maybe, probably most likely will. Even with Ryan Gosling’s endearing yet heartbreaking performance in Blue Valentine, its hard to imagine Firth not winning. He was so convincing, when I see him on television I now expect him to stutter. He took a little while to bloom, but Mr. Firth did just that in a very big way.

Shedding her gothic attire and second-hand stink acquired from Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter is very delightful and enjoyable to watch. Even though Firth is the headline performance here, my favorite performance was Geoffery Rush’s Lionel Logue. He is smart, funny, confident, caring and honorable. Another late bloomer in his own right, Rush should be considered a very strong consideration for supporting actor.

The King’s Speech is not the best film of the year, or even in our top ten. What it does have is sound directing and writing and great acting. Sometimes it’s not about the film as much as it’s about what’s within the film. Within this film is a few of the best performances of the year and these are performances worthy of being seen.

Valentine is a story that hits very close to home for a lot of couples around the world. Like a better organized Iñárritu film, it goes back and forth from present to past, as it shows a relationship build itself from scratch, then become a victim to wear and tear, ultimately finding itself in the path of a wrecking ball called time.

Dean (Ryan Gosling) is working for a moving company. As they move an old war vet into a retirement home, we see how caring Dean can be as he decorates the room for this complete stranger, in an effort to make him feel more at home. This is where he first meets Cindy (Michelle Williams), who is there visiting her ailing grandmother. After waiting for her call for some time, it seems it wasn’t meant to be, but, of course, we know better. They meet again on the public transportation circuit known as the bus. Although, reluctant at first, she caves in to his charm and so begins the struggle of maintaining a relationship.

Derek Cianfrance’s first full length effort is spectacularly bold. It’s hard to get an audience for destructive relationship dramas because most people needn’t leave their homes to find the same exact drama unfolding in front of them. Though you can’t tell from the plot, Valentine manages to distance itself from any conventional drama by using as much realistic qualities as possible.

The acting in this movie is top of the line. Williams and Gosling had nothing to prove but you wouldn’t know that from their performances. As painful as it is to watch some of the amazingly awkward and depressing scenes in the film, you can only imagine what it must have been like to shoot them. I will be thoroughly disappointed if the pair aren’t nominated for their respected categories.

This may seem very random, but one of the most impressive qualities of Blue Valentine is the ability to make the characters age so realistically. There are no absurd double chins that look like wet rubber hanging below the jaw or an overly protruding gut that isn’t proportional to the rest of the body. A slight hair cut to thin the hair line and wardrobe changes keeps it simple and really does the trick.

As you can see from our Best of 2010 list, Blue Valentine is one of the best films of the year. The reason is really a team effort. The writing, directing and acting all form together in one perfect circle. Although it’s depressing and definitely not for everybody, it’s a film that doesn’t hold back and we certainly need more of those.

We are introduced to Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a clever 14-year-old girl with one thing in mind, finding the man who murdered her father (Josh Brolin) and return the favor. In an attempt to accomplish the aforementioned retribution, Mattie hires U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her in her quest.

Meanwhile, Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) arrives in town looking for the same murderous man, Tom Chaney. LaBoeuf purposes that the three team up, but Mattie quickly refuses as the Ranger wants to bring Chaney in to be hanged for another murder instead of her father’s. Mattie and Cogburn take off in search of their man, as LaBoeuf stays close on their trail.

I have to say, I was more than excited for this one. The Coen brothers and a great trailer usually mean a great film. To me, True Grit is the exception. It looks wonderful and is well acted but it falls into that standard western mold way too much. Without their names being plastered all over the posters and the TV spots, it would be difficult to peg True Grit as a “Coen brothers film.” Sure, the dialogue and bits of humor bleed through as Coen-y elements, but their obvious style and ability to create a unique atmosphere just don’t show up.

Hailee Steinfeld is a joy to watch on screen and a great young talent that is choked full of potential. I didn’t see an award worthy performance out of her but it’s a tremendous debut nonetheless.

Matt Damon is fun to watch as the odd and sometimes creepy LaBoeuf, but I’m a bit disappointed with Bridges. His character just seems to be an older, drunker version of Bad Blake from Crazy Heart set in an earlier era. He’s entertaining but a bit of an afterthought throughout.

And then there’s Josh Brolin. His role could be played by Stephen Baldwin and it would have the same effect on me. The character is that minor and that useless.

True Grit feels very much like The Ladykillers in a way. It is a much better film than the Coens’ one and only debacle, but it has the same lack of Coen originality. Both are remakes of previous films, and while they try to make them their own, they fall short and fall into that unfortunate category as just what they are, remakes.

If you love westerns, then I’m sure you’ll really enjoy this film. But don’t be surprised with the lack of violence, storytelling and yes, grit, that you get with most Coen brothers films.

Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), the aforementioned desperate man, is a car dealer living in Minneapolis. He has fallen on hard times so, of course, he hires two men to kidnap his wife in an attempt to get her wealthy father to pay the ransom, which Jerry will keep for himself. These two men are Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare). Carl is a talkative, “kinda funny-lookin” small-time crook and his partner Grimsrud talks little and smokes a lot.

The odd couple go through with the plan, kidnap Mrs. Lundegaard and throw her in the trunk, but on their way out of town they are stopped by a police officer for not properly displaying their temporary tags. Carl attempts to take care of the mess by bribing the officer with cash, but when this plan backfires, Grimsrud grabs the officer and shots him in the head, creating an entirely new mess.

The next morning seven-month pregnant Chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) gets a call to come investigate the murder of the state trooper and the couple that Grimsrud executed after they witnessed the murder. She very calmly assesses the situation and gathers the facts. From here she goes on with her following days, piecing together bits as she conducts various interviews which eventually leads her to Mr. Lundegaard.

Fargo is a masterpiece. The directing and writing is what the Coens are known for. It builds slowly yet never loses you. Carter Burwell’s lullaby-like score is a bit part of that. You’ll literally be watching nothing but snow-covered landscape shots with the score overlaid and be completely emerged.

The overall success of the film rests on the performances. Frances McDormand is the film. Without her, Marge Gunderson would have never been. She won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 1996 Academy Awards hands down, and it’s so obvious why. Her accent is spot on and her demeanor is perfectly tranquil, but when she is met with confrontation, the courageous police officer kicks in. I can honestly say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more convincing performance.

While McDormand makes the movie, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare are the backbone of the film. Macy is a bumbling, nervous wreck, Buscemi is an overconfident creep and Stormare is hollow shell of crazy. Each adds something completely different to the film, making the film whole.

I don’t believe my review does the film justice. Fargo is a tiny little film that dominates in every aspect — directing, writing, acting, cinematography, comedy, score and so on. You can’t find a film that does so much with so little, and is so perfect in so many ways. I can safely say, if you don’t like Fargo you don’t like cinema.

10

The Secret in Their Eyes

KC: Deemed the best foreign film by those guys at the Academy, it doesn’t disappoint. The story hooks you and takes you on a strange ride through the past, letting you off at a disturbing but passionate stop.

NICK: The best foreign film at last year’s Oscars, although it’s still eligible for our list this year. It’s a powerful thriller about how other people’s acts can haunt your life forever. It keeps you guessing just enough to get you hooked but doesn’t over do it. I knew so little about this movie before I saw it which I think led to me being so utterly impressed.

NICK: This movie is cold, dirty, sickening and painful to watch, but it’s also an unconventionally inspiring story about a girl who does what needs to be done to take care of her family. Jennifer Lawrence went from no one to Oscar contender overnight, and if you see this film you will know exactly why.

KC: Baumbach has a consistent theme in all his films — awful people being awful. Greenberg isn’t much different but that’s what I love about it. Baumbach finds a way to make his characters somewhat likable when they do very unlikable things. Ben Stiller does the same – you like him, but you don’t know why.

NICK: Baumbach is back with another stuck up, pompous, self-centered main character, and that means I am as happy as a clam. Like Jeff Daniels and Nicole Kidman before him, Stiller delivers Baumbach’s dialogue perfectly in this hilarious yet unsettling film about a man who is a step away from falling off the deep end.

KC: Banksy’s debut is like nothing I’ve seen before. It goes from a well-done low-budget documentary about street art, to a documentary about the documentarian, to then maybe a work of fiction. You never really know what is factual and that’s what’s so damn compelling.

KC: Pixar out does itself every time it releases a new film — although, the upcoming Cars 2 may be the exception. Toy Story 3 builds upon the first two movies in a way that really doesn’t tell much of a different story, it just seems to become a bigger adventure than the last. And that’s all you really need when you’ve got such an entertaining cast of characters and an animation studio as genius as Pixar.

NICK: Animation at it’s best. A story that was written so well, that if it wasn’t about toys coming to life, it’d be your typical Oscar winning drama. Usually when a movie gets to it’s third installment, I’m barely interested anymore, but with Toy Story 3 that was not the case and it ended up being the best of the three.

KC: First thing’s first, I love Edgar Wright. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are two of the my favorites of all time. He takes the same amazing style and applies it to the offbeat comic source material. A mix of great casting, great camerawork and great humor, gives you what? A great movie.

NICK: Seeing as Hot Fuzz is one of my all time favorite movies, it’s not hard to believe Scott Pilgrim made the list. I was a big fan of the comics and this is pretty much the comics on steroids. Michael Cera is less reserved working with Edgar Wright, which allows for a much funnier brand of comedy from him.

KC: Nolan can take anything and make it epic. Inception isn’t quite the mind bender that everyone made it out to be, but what it is a smart action movie. And that’s saying something.

NICK: This movie really broke my ties with reality, and I don’t mean to be cute because of the plot. I was so drawn in by the incredible simplicity of such a complex storyline. Not only can Nolan make old stories great again, his got some gems of his own.

KC: David Fincher can’t do wrong. As always he puts together a pretty film in the sense of style, but he manages to take what seems like a dull subject matter and makes a very compelling story — nod your cap to Mr. Sorkin as well. And the young talent is over the top — even Timberlake impresses.

NICK: One of those movies that is so close to perfect but falls just short. In this case it’s the content. While the performances are captivating and the writing and directing is top of the line, the story of rich people complaining they’re not richer can get a little tiresome for some of us. All in all, though, being number 3 isn’t too bad.

KC: One of the most realistic films I’ve ever seen. At times it’s painful to watch as Gosling and Williams have such a perfect and toxic chemistry. Depressing as all hell, but quite beautiful at the same time.

NICK: It’s a close number 2 for me, the combination of Gosling and Williams is exhausting in a good way. Cianfrance is a very realistic director and I look forward to his future work. You leave the movie feeling like you’ve just been through the turmoils of a near decade of love and hate, and for some reason it’s great.

KC: Every aspect of this one screams number one. Natalie Portman commands the screen, portraying innocence and crazy equally as well. The camerawork is stunning and is backed by Clint Mansell’s breathtaking reworking of “Swan Lake.”

NICK: The best film of the year for many reasons. It’s originality is second to none. Natalie Portman is beyond excellent, and although most of the music isn’t original, it was rearranged beautifully by Clint Mansell.

Before the MPAA, there was a system in place known as “The Hays Code.” With one major star scandal after another, Tinseltown had to find a way to revamp it’s image, thus creating a set of guidelines that policed it’s creative output. It was a simple system that was split into two parts. One being “general principals” of morality, the other being “particular applications” including a list of taboo items.

By the late sixties the introduction of nudity and profanity into mainstream films caused soon-to-be MPAA President Jack Valenti to beef up the ratings system. Eventually as it kept snowballing through the years, picking up a considerable amount of restrictions along the way, it landed where it is today. In order from good to evil, as some might see it, the ratings now go like this: G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17. The last two are only separated by the fact that a parent can’t pull their rank to allow access to persons under 17 to an NC-17 film.

Recent controversy over Blue Valentine’s NC-17 rating got me thinking about this whole complex facade. While the questionable Jackass 3-D has men running around naked with their personal belongings dangling in the summer breeze, it was only rated R, however, Valentine’s “emotionally intense” sex scene, which includes partial nudity and no violence, received a rating of NC-17. This isn’t the first time filmmakers and critics have disagreed with a rating and unfortunately it won’t be the last, however, in a business where profit is gained through large audiences, limiting the amount of potential filmgoers is a serious financial loss, and it’s understandable that some even fight their rating in court.

Based on what I’ve read, I’ve decided it all eventually comes down to sex and violence. Those are the two main evils that we are meant to be sheltered from. It’s not completely without logic, but in a society that is known for encouraging freedom of expression, it’s incredibly hypocritical. Although this country, and the world for that matter, was built on violence, I do agree that exposing overly graphic acts to children is in bad taste. Most of us don’t want to corrupt our children. The fact that today’s youth has a surprisingly hard time differentiating what’s real and what’s not as it is, only further strengthens my agreement. That still leaves one question though. What does the MPAA deem so disturbing about sex?

Until now, the amount of nudity, and what kind of nudity, was the major determining factor in the sexual aspect of a film’s rating. Now with Blue Valentine’s limited nudity sex scene, we have an emotional factor. Most kids these days are having sex before their driving, and whatever they’re doing, I can only guess it’s not as gracefully done as most simulated sex scenes. So what’s the problem? Maybe it’s that only recently have filmmakers begun displaying such realistic sex scenes. Sex itself contains it’s own unique emotions and these are emotions we never seem to speak of on a real, personal level. Perhaps we are just afraid that if we open the gates even a little, the flood will come soon after, and this is just a way of preserving our morals.

In the end the MPAA rating system is just a question of morality. It’s a very common misconception that it is a government ran organization. This is completely untrue on a local, state and federal level. The previous statement only furthers speculation on why we comply so effortlessly with the MPAA ratings. Whether it’s a habitual matter or pure ignorance, next time you consider letting a rating affect your decision to see a film or even your decision to allow your child to see a film, think again, because maybe what you consider acceptable content isn’t the same as what the MPAA thinks is acceptable for us.


Alright, well maybe it’s not a “Christmas movie” per say, but the film takes place on Christmas Eve and in a strange way, John McClane saves Christmas — by taking out Alan Rickman and his cast of dirty terrorists. America!

Oh, the sweet days when National Lampoon was actually relevant — unlike the C-list celebrities who star in their current films. I will admit that the original is the way to go, but Christmas Vacation is more of what makes the first film so great — classic Chevy Chase getting himself into life-endangering hilarity.

While it’s not really a holiday movie by most definitions, it does portray the lives of a few families during the holiday season. The atmosphere and setting give off a Winter Wonderland vibe, but once you get past the look, you find yourself smack in the middle of a depressing and many times troublesome family drama. No matter what the season, The Ice Storm is a marvel in tying together a slew of life problems — coming of age, teen angst, marriage and more.

Who doesn’t love the Muppets? Actually, I guess a lot of people don’t, but I myself, find much joy in the adorable cast of furry outcasts. You’ve got Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat narrating, Kermit as Bob Cratchit and Statler and Waldorf — the two old dudes who heckle anything and everything — as Jacob Marley and his brother. How can it get any better? Well throw in some catchy musical numbers and Michael Caine as Scrooge and you have a near masterpiece.

I have no recommendation for when to watch this flick. It’s creepy enough for Halloween but sweet and colorful enough for Christmas. Thanksgiving, maybe? No matter what, its a beautiful holiday classic that is made possible by Danny Elfman’s masterful performance as Jack Skellington’s singing voice — not to mention the entire score and musical productions for the film.

Another off-beat “holiday” film here, In Bruges is set around the holiday season. The air is chilled, lights are strung and hit men remain in hiding. It may be a bit of a stretch, but the overall feel and underlying religious tones seem like enough to put this one on the list. Plus, it’s just a great film worthy of any list.

Way before Ron Howard got his little ginger hands on the property, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas was not a, but the Christmas classic. Originally a CBS TV special in 1966, the half-hour gem is nothing but charming. Never is there a Christmas without “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch” mysteriously finding its way out of my mouth at the most random times. I’m a fan of Jim Carrey, but his live adaptation depiction is a disgrace to the original.

Danny Boyle can do it all. Thrillers, narratives, horror, and even heartwarming childhood tales. Millions is packed with enough style and allure to make a holiday film worth watching anytime of the year. Its plot and its star Alex Etel make for one of the most delightful films you will ever see.

The greatest film ever? Maybe not, but from head to toe, this film is Christmas. The shenanigans between the Sticky Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) and Macaulay Culkin are reason enough to love this film, but the whole feel of the film is what makes you feel so good. New York knows how to do Christmas and this film encompasses a whole lot of that setting. You get the weather, Christmas trees, ice skating, the toy store and so much more. What really makes the film is the last act though. Between his relationship with the bird lady and his reuniting with his mom, you can’t help but feel all warm inside.

What is not to love about Love Actually? You surround a holiday film with the message of love in minor, realistic scenarios and you can’t fail. The execution and message of the film somehow finds a way to not be heavy handed — probably because it’s just so damn charming — and from start to finish is a heart wrencher. Grab somebody you love this holiday season and take a few hours out of your hectic schedule to watch Love Actually. There is no doubt in my mind, that when the film meets its end, you’ll know exactly why the holidays are so important.

The main question that haunts me when I’m about to watch such a favorably reviewed film is, will it live up to the hype? I’m sure this is a common thought for us all. If it does, it is undoubtably going to succeed, but if it doesn’t, it can be a real dream killer. We all know what we’re working with. One man with his arm caught in a rock, in the middle of Canyonville, USA — no that is not a real place. The last film like this that comes to mind is, of course, Cast Away. Although this story is drastically different, the acting challenges are the same. Using one man to carry a movie must be one of the most challenging tasks in filmmaking.

The opening to the film shows us how beautiful it can be to explore nature. Aron Ralston (James Franco) rides his bike at high speeds through rough terrain, taking a spill on the way, but drinking it in like he wanted it to happen. He then runs into two lost beauties — Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn). They are semi-reluctant to accept his invitation to show them around, but his general nerdy qualities and outgoing personality persuades them to change their mind. They are lucky they did, as Ralston shows the beauty these red rocks hold below the surface, in a fun, but cliche scene where they dive into the bluest water on earth.

I understand Boyle probably wanted to get straight to the point as quickly as possible, but a few extra minutes of us getting to know Ralston before he puts himself in a life or death situation would have done wonders on my final thoughts. Once Ralston slips and lodges his arm between a rock and the crevice he fell into, we immediately realize the situation — leaving us to wonder what the next 127 hours has in store for this seemingly doomed adventurer.

Boyle is a man of many talents. He has his own style, but is a chameleon of directing. The camerawork here is almost nothing more than that of a nature show, following a man around as he shows us a good time. That is a good touch, leaving a realistic quality to the rest of the film. Where he went wrong would be his and Simon Beaufoy’s decision to include multiple hallucinations of Ralston’s family sitting on an extremely ugly couch. I understand Ralston probably had hallucinations, as most people deprived of water and food for days would, but it changes the direction of the film from a one man survival story, to an overly inspirational story.

Franco is the one under the gun here. With such great pressure on him, he really pulled out an excellent performance. Even though it’s unwarranted, many of us see Franco as a popular pretty boy, so for him to transform himself into such a nerdy man is a feat on its own. However, his real accolades rest in his performance as the desperate Ralston who will give anything to survive, and like Ralston did in real life, Franco gives everything he has to keep his character alive, as well as our attention.

127 Hours isn’t as good as every critic in the world would have you think but it is still a film worth seeing before the big boys come out to play in a few weeks. We must ignore the mediocre writing and directing and focus on the acting because in the end, the acting is the most important part of this particular film. I know you’re wondering why I left out the whole ordeal about him cutting off his arm, until now anyway, and there is a reason for that. If you go into the movie thinking about when that is going to happen, you really take away your ability to embrace the rest of the film. Take my advice and forget about it. It will happen when it happens, and remember, it’s not real.

Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is back from the dead — almost literally. The tough as nails bad girl is finally portrayed as what she is — a frail, petite young woman. It is important that we finally get to see her this way, allowing us to realize she is not some kind of super human being but just a normal, albeit damaged, person.

Lisbeth is held up in a hospital room for the first half of the movie. Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) uses his amazing resources to build up a case for Lisbeth, who will stand trial as soon as she is capable. It soon becomes evident that Lisbeth has a serious case against her enemies and they will stop at nothing to prevent her from making it to trial. Despite their best efforts, and with the help of her friends, Lisbeth indeed makes it and the trial we’ve all been waiting for is soon under way.

I won’t lie to you. This particular film, like the last, is dreadfully slow and boring. Director Daniel Alfredson is clearly a television director who has lost his way. If it weren’t for the fantastic starter by Oplev, I would never have even watched the next two. Although I did, and as slow and boring as they are, they aren’t total loses.

The one and only factor that saves the film is the acting. It’s no different that the previous films, but that’s what makes it so effective, their consistency. Though they don’t share a scene together until the end, Rapace and Nyqvist lay their emotions on the line and it works. In this day and age, it’s refreshing to see people with such strong convictions, even if it is for the most part completely unrealistic.

The final installment leaves us satisfied but disappointed. I can’t say I didn’t see this coming but that doesn’t change the fact that it shouldn’t have happened. This only further credits the decision to begin a remake of the series. The final scene of Hornet’s Nest really says it all, and what it says is, “Really, is that it?”

Set around a New York ballet company and their stripped down production of Swan Lake, Black Swan introduces the audience to the aspiring Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). Like many ballerinas, Nina’s life is engrossed by her passion and backed by her former dancer and overly protective mother. Day and night she spends perfecting her work in hopes of one day landing a leading role. To her surprise, that day hits her suddenly as she lands the part of both the White and Black Swan.

Landing the lead role means filling the shoes of former top ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder), putting even more pressure on her already demanding strive for perfection. Technically Nina is wonderful, but her director (Vincent Cassel) questions her passion. He pushes her to take on the same passion that newcomer Lily (Mila Kunis) has and eventually has Lily stand in during rehearsal as Nina struggles.

Lily befriends Nina, trying to loosen her up. While cautious at first, Nina eventually gives in and embraces her new relationship. With the pressure building on the night before her first performance, Nina goes out with Lily, against her mother’s wishes, on a drug-induced bender that leads Nina to question herself and her sanity.

Black Swan is a brilliant film. Aronofsky is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest names and for good reason. He has found a way to master the honesty of his film’s situations. He doesn’t go over the top just to get a reaction out of the audience (cough, cough, Eli Roth, cough), but instead creates a realistic portrayal that still manages to teeter on the line of movie magic. Not to mention that all of his films, this one included, are beautiful.

Directing and writing are always there in an Aronofsky film, but what is so impressive is how he manages to acquire amazing performances each time out.

Natalie Portman is stunning — not only her looks but with her overall acting demeanor. She demands the spotlight as Nina, and just like her onstage character, she always pulls you back in as soon as you feel like she’s losing you.

Vincent Cassel is, well, Vincent Cassel. He’s smooth, suave and at times, downright terrifying. He has to be the most intimidating man in ballet, fictional or otherwise.

The one performance that I was looking forward to going in was Mila Kunis. Seeing as her core of work has been in comedy — aside from American Psycho 2, but we’ll let that one slide — her casting in such a dramatic film had me curious. She really doesn’t disappoint though. She pulls off the character with ease, transitioning from sexy seductress to manipulative mastermind seamlessly.

Black Swan is not only the best psychological thriller I have seen in quite some time, but possibly the best I have ever seen. Besides the nonstop suspense, driven by a power score, the camerawork and pacing is a sight to behold. Like the goal of any ballet, Black Swan tries to create a breathtaking production that fully surrounds the audience. Not only does the film fully immerse the audience, but it proceeds to drown the audience in the same glorious way, ending with what is a most satisfying death.