Black Swan
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Rating: 4/5
Black Swan was labelled an early Oscar contender when it burst onto the festival scene in the autumn of last year as Darren Aronofsky made a return to the director's chair for the first time since The Wrestler.
As the movie has gone on release the momentum surrounding the film has continued to pick up pace and Natalie Portman could find herself collecting a Best Actress Oscar next month - picking up the Golden Globe for her performance only a couple of weeks ago.
Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance.
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 (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 with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her
Portman is truly sublime in this movie giving a very powerful and emotional performance as Nina's world slowly starts to unravel.
This is a role and a character that has allowed Portman to show off just how fine and actress she can be and her haunting performance as this troubled dancer will keep you hooked from the start of the movie until when the credit roll.
Portman takes Nina from the brittle and frail ballerina someone who is battling with her dark side as her role as the Swan Queen slowly starts to take over her life.
Darren Aronofsky has produced a very beautiful and powerful melodrama that will leave you asking what the hell just happened? long after the credits have rolled.
Black Swan is a thrilling piece of cinema and while it's possibly not to everyone's taste the film is intoxicating as the story and Portman haunting performance gets under your skin.
It's also a career best from Mila Kunis as she plays the opposite of Nina - a carefree dancer who tries to bring Nina out of her shell.
Black Swan in is a tense, thrilling movie that puts a new spin on the age old tale of Swan Lake - who could have known that a ballerina losing the plot could be a story that would have you on the edge of your seat.
It's another knockout movie from Aronofsky and while, I admit, the plot and the story are a little off the wall you cannot help but be taken in by it and Portman's outstanding central performance.
Black Swan is out now.