I'd meant to watch it yesterday, but I wasn't sure I was in the right frame of mind. I postponed viewing of one of my recent purchases until this evening, well aware that it would be a dark road - and a long one at that - that would likely end in me feeling either sick, tired or hungry. One hour and forty-two minutes later, I found myself bewildered, amazed and saddened by what I had just witnessed.

Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, staring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder Out Of Fucking Nowhere (honestly... hadn't seen her comin'). One of the few films I've seen in recent years that not only confounded me and entertained me, but every award lavished upon it I believe was well deserved and incontrovertibly earned.

Portman's portrayal of a dancer on the brink of madness was pitch perfect. I wasn't long into the film when I stopped wondering when she was going to throw in a - seemingly trademarked - robotic sideways glance a la Padme and started watching a young ballerina's decent into absurdity.

There were moments in the film that were very real, very familiar and quite jarring. Aronofsky painted a beautiful dreamscape within the waking world that was comfortably surreal but terribly foreboding and cold. Barbara Hershey's portrayal of a psychotic, controlling stage mother was frightening and pitiful. Having recently dated a ballet dancer (replete with overbearing stage mother, yeesh) some of the scenes felt very... close.

Wonderful performances throughout the film over a beautiful score, savvy cinematography and exquisite choreography placed this high on my list of 'Really Glad I Caved In... Finally' films.

8.5/10

What's the last movie you watched?