Rapid Fire Movie Reviews (Oscar Edition)

Going into Black Swan, I had a certain set of expectations. I figured that we’d follow the journey of Nina, as played by Academy Award winning actress Natalie Portman, as she struggled to embrace her darker side. I figured that we’d be following the tale of an up and coming star, as played by Mila Kunis, who is trying to steal the limelight away from Portman. That’s part of it, but there’s so much more to Black Swan.

Believe it or not, this “ballet movie” is really a psychological thriller. Nina, as she fights to achieve perfection as a starring ballet dancer, starts to crack under the pressure. She starts to lose touch with reality, not really sure what is and is not real. For instance, there is one particularly disturbing sequence where she discovers a hangnail on her hand. She starts to pull at it, only to see it rip flesh half way up her arm.

Given the context, I was very surprised by how disturbing and how visceral Black Swan turned out to be. It was not at all what I expected, but I think that made all the difference. Portman really offers a haunting performance that is well worth watching, even if you (like I) have zero interest in ballet whatsoever.

127 Hours (2010)

Can you imagine being all alone in a canyon with your arm quite literally stuck between a rock and a hard place? Can you imagine trying to figure out how to free yourself after five days of such a situation, barely surviving on not enough food or water? Can you imagine breaking and cutting off your own arm in a final desperate attempt at freedom?

James Franco offers a decidedly straightforward, but very “human” performance. I thought it was interesting that they didn’t spend too much time with “back story” before his character finds himself in that unfortunate predicament, but I think the shorter 90 minute running time is more of an asset to this film than a detriment. The “handheld cam” approach certainly works better here than it did for Blair Witch Project.

Inception (2010)

Whereas The Social Network kept you on the edge of your seat with remarkably dynamic and fast-paced dialogue, Inception captures you with its visuals, sounds, and special effects. Even though it is an action film, in the strictest sense, this movie directed by Christopher Nolan is surprisingly profound and, at times, confusing.

The dynamics of the “dream within a dream” framework can leave you scratching your head, as can the concept of “shared dreaming” with a “dream architect” designing the “levels” of the experience. Ellen Page’s performance is, sadly, forgettable but Leonardo DiCaprio does a good job of portraying a man with a troubled past and defined motivations.

The King’s Speech (2010)

As the night went on, it looked more and more like The King’s Speech was going to take home the award for Best Picture. It won the “important” awards that are predictive of Best Picture, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Even so, I’m a little surprised that it won.

While there are certainly points of interest along the way, the overall pacing of the film was too slow. We really don’t see much in the development of King George VI as he tries to become a naturally good orator. Instead, we’re left with old mild progress and “some things that happened along the way.” The individual performances of the actors were good, but I thought the actual plot was lacking.