Due March 29 Nina (Natalie Portman, Best Performance by an Actress Oscar winner) is a ballerina in the New York City Ballet trying to make it to the top. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), also impresses Leroy and becomes Nina’s competition. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly with her innocence and grace, but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan with her fiery personality. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her. Vitals: Director: Darren Aronofsky. Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder. 2010, CC, MPAA rating: R, 108 min., Drama, Box office gross: $99.337 million, Fox. Extras: "Metamorphosis: A Three-Part Series" of behind-the-scenes featurettes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc, which adds "Behind the Curtain," an inside look at the film's costume and production design; "Ten Years in the Making," in which Natalie Portman and Darren Aronofsky discuss their creative journey, from "preparing for the role" to "dancing with the camera"; cast profiles. |
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