BLACK SWAN - movie review!!

A lazy weekend hello, frEek fellows!!!

While 2010 wasn't a great year for cinema, with many hyped up biggies both in Bollywood (Tees Maar Khan) and Hollywood (TRON: LEGACY) failing to live upto expectations. There was momentary respite through brilliant films such as PEEPLI LIVE and INCEPTION. Closing out the year came the much hyped Darren Aronofsky's "BLACK SWAN"

What it is: As previously covered by yours truly, BLACK SWAN is Aronofsky's (Requiem for a Dream, the Wrestler and the Fountain) darkly told tale of a ballerina played by Natalie Portman, who egged on by her overbearing mother played by Barbara Hershey vies for the lead role in a new ballet production, by the leading ballet producer portrayed by Vincent Cassel, coping with her mother's ambitions, the director's sexual advances and the threat of another ballerina (Mila Kunis) usurping her role, Portman's character slowly slips into delirium and starts seeing terrifying visions..or is it all true??

What Works: Aronofsky who arrived on the global cinema circuit through the eery, claustrophobic "requiem for a dream" and inched closer to Oscar Glory last year when "the wrestler" got nominated, uses his trademark, mindf*ck style with claustrophobic camera angles, eery lighting, and did-i-just-see-that shots; and makes it all work! Black Swan plummets into the ardurous lifestyle of a Ballerina as we see Portman suffer broken toes, sleepless nights and anorexia to put up with her schedule. Barbara Hershey as her overbearing mother reinvents creepiness, and will make kids lock their doors from their mothers for a long time! Mila Kunis playing a sexually adventurous ballerina, sizzles with the right amount of oomph on screen and Vincent Cassel, thrives in his role as a lecherous ballet producer.

Me Fair....You Lovely??

What Doesn't: Aronofsky's cinema thrives on putting its protagonists in situation where their psyche is tried, tested and ripped apart. To this effect, he has often used the above mentioned camera angles and brooding lighting; and for someone who has followed his other movies, this comes across as a tad repetitive. But really, I am just nitpicking here.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall..

Verdict: The Black Swan was a great way to cap off the cinematic year, and we may well see Portman, up on stage, come award time!

Four FrEekies!


Chutney on the side: Aronofsky, first intended to have the Wrestler as a love story between a wrestler and a ballerina, however as that was considered too complex a plot, the Ballet story was hived off into..Black Swan

GAY HO!! - a celluloid take on homosexuality

Hello my steamed frEEksums!

It was a landmark day for the swingers, kite-runners, behnas last week with the Delhi High Court, declaring void, the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code ( seriously, isn't it ironic that something known as the Penal Code banned sex!)
For those not in the know, the said section codified in the 1800s by the Brits, prohibited "unnatural" sex (man, the Brits, really were prudes!) and effectively banned homosexuality, whatever our stance may be on homosexuality it is a welcome relief, that the judiciary has kept up with changing times. Join me then my fellow frEeks in celebrating the depiction of the alternate lifestyle on celluloid!
The leading take on history of homsexuality in cinema, and amongst actors is the "Celluloid Closet" written by Victor Russo, which was later into a movie, on the same name, take a look:
The movie, takes an witty look at the exaggerated portrayals of homosexuality in early hollywood, where the "gay" man had overtly effeminate characteristics, dressed in drag and even carried a purse! In several films, the gay had character confessed his "sin" on being "different"! While Hollywood later portrayed more realistic homosexual character, there was always that sterotypical movie which portrayed gay men, as campy cross-dressers, or lesbian women as crazy violent bitches,
some of the better portrayals of omosexuality include:
"My Own Private Idaho" - which was a sensitive portrayal of Keanu Reeves, as a wayward youth who becomes involved with a gay lad played by River Phoenix
and Tom Hank's Oscar winning turn in Philadelphia - where he plays a gay lawyer afflicted by AIDs

and of course, the unforgettable "Midnight Cowboy" starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon (Angelina ka baap) Voight sad tale of a wannabe actor (Voight) forced into gay prostitution to make ends meet..

Bollywood on the other hand still has a coy relationship with homosexuality and
for the exceedingly rare "My brother Nikhil"

There is always the cliched portrayal of the homo/lesbo character, most notably for cheap thrills, the nadir of which was "Girlfriend" in which Isha Koppikar portrayed a boyish lesbian who

decides to kill her lover's boyfriend to prevent her from going straight, the movie aimed to titillate the basest of crowds, and garnered publicity due to the outcry that the "moral police" made in wanting the movie shut down!
Even the recent Dostana which was a blatant rip-off of the Hollywood flick "Now I pronounce you Chuck and Larry" had its cast proclaiming it to be India's first "Gay flm".. resorted to camp humour and gay stereotyping to bring in the laughs!
All the while, Homosexuality and celluloid have become comfortable bed-fellows ( yes, pun very much intended!) what with movies such as :
the Bird-Cage: starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple whose adpoted son falls for the daughter of an ultra conservative politician played by Gene Hackman

or event "To Wong Foo with love, Julie Newmar" - which starred the macho Patrick Swazye and Wesley Snipes as cross dressing gay dancers..

and of course homoerotic vampire thriller "Interview with the Vampire"

and yes, that little movie about the two Cowboys..

which have all gone on to become huge blockbusters!

Who knows, what the frEEking future holds, a gay James Bond perhaps???

You heard it first here folks!!!

Extra frEEky: Midnight Cowboy is the only X rated movie, to win an Oscar!