Monday, February 21, 2011

Swanshead Revisted



A month or so ago I may have lightly sprinkled some hate flakes on the Black Swan. Well last Friday I went to see the New York City Ballet performance of Swan Lake at Lincoln Center and I must say that an apology is in order.

Black Swan totally influenced my experience.  In my mind every swan (there are about 21 of them) had Natalie Portman's face and I was okay with that. I enjoyed projecting a troubled home life as the white swan danced around. Oh man, when THE BLACK SWAN made her entrance! I was so AMPED!! It was like that daymare I can make myself have where the psychotic rotten tomato reveals its true colors and the rock music comes on and I know I'm just effed.

I have no idea why Black Swan wasn't nominated for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).  23% of the ballet consists of the swans onstage (which btw are the best parts by far). The rest is about raucous divertissements (which, you might have guessed, are not the best parts).

Black Swan, I'm sorry.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Someone needs a hug


To understand the above photo is to understand Blue Valentine. First off, Gosling is an extremely handsome man. That's more of a general observation, but I'm just setting the tone here. Next, the vantage of this picture is intimate, it's mad close, it violates Gosling's personal space. We are, one could say, 'in his shit'. Well the whole movie takes place within Ryan and Michelle's 'shit'. Now, finally, look again at Ry Ry. Beyond the beauty, if you can. Notice how he's looking at something he knows may not be in his best interest but keeps looking at because it's pretty damn gripping and the casting is so good?
If this movie doesn't move you then congratulations, you are the living dead.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

'Psst. What the #$#@ is going on?'


Lex and I have never been more confused by what we were watching than with The Leopard (now showing at Film Forum). We failed to grasp simple facts such as where, when, who, why, oh and also what. Compounding this in a horrific manner was the row behind us who literally laughed at anything said by anyone. And I'm pretty sure this movie isn't a comedy. And no, they weren't high. And yes, their laughs were unbearable. They were like cough laughs. Laugh coughs. Right in our ear. Cough laughing.

Two hours in and another to go the house lights came on by accident. This was our cue to leave and so we did. We later learned that the last 45 minutes are sublime and the reason the movie is so beloved by all.