"the black swan"

is definitely a spectacle. I think, at the core, it is a story about buckling under pressure, when the "art of losing oneself" truly becomes a terrorizing loss of one's sanity and identity.

which is even more complicated when it comes to defining one's self in the arts. period.

Natalie Portman, always flawless in my eyes, was phenomenal as the fragile, tense, always uncertain, not ready to be primadonna, Nina. She gets cast as the lead in her fledgling ballet company's production of "Swan Lake." In a somewhat ludicrous turn, her director, Thomas (apparently based on a real director) manipulates Nina's sexual naivety to draw out the darker, seductive qualities needed in the dual-personality lead. In addition to her aroused confusion, there is a sensual, edgy new classmate named Lily. With her penchant to bend the behavioral expectations of the company, Lily pushes Nina's social and sexual boundaries beyond the limit. As opening night looms, the audience experiences the paranoia and horror inside Nina's mind, which inevitably manifests in a cringe-worthy journey towards disaster.

It's not the year's deepest film, but it's definitely worth all it's hype. The acting is awesome, and if characters seem single-dimensional, it is due to the somewhat shallow character development in the script. The leads' efforts in their dance training also pays off, not only in the long shots of their fluid movements, but also in the shapes of their bodies. One cannot deny, for one second, that Natalie Portman looks like a ballerina.

Let's just say, you won't be disappointed if you're looking for a disturbing, electrifying, sensationalistic film that succeeds in extracting gasps of all kind from the audience.

I can just foresee guys LOVING this film. Mila Kunis going down on Natalie Portman? Peni unite!