Black Swan pales in comparison to the rest but this doesn't dull the shine of Natalie Portman's transformation. To literally dance her way through a very psychotic and haunting tale of MPD, I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. But then I felt fooled, because it wasn't as mind-blowing as it ambitioned after seeing the other films.
I appreciated the Fighter and the King's Speech because they each had tangible point of reference-both recalling a specific time and place and making me want to know more about the real-life versions they depicted. Moreso with Colin Firth - in a role where he supersedes acting. It was such a film on being human-someone as royal as a King who was tragically flawed but willed to overcome it.
And on to Blue Valentine...which I knew very little about other than that the lead characters' performances were noted as their finest to date. I've always been drawn to movies depicting relationships without implying the cliche happy ending - not because I'm a skeptic, but because I appreciate the honesty. You easily get lost in the dialogue of the film, questioning whether the lines are scripted or real. The heartbreak brews so much empathy from the viewer...I am completely blown away and exhausted by it. The lighting, camera angles, and distinct use of color in the film helps you understand why it is called so. It is the most poignant love story you may witness, but so sad and true you can't deny the presence of love. Having been just recently married, it left a daunting impression. this is where the fireworks come, and in the last frames of the film.
