No Strings Attached (2011)

Ok, first off, I actually watched this a WHILE ago (before "Burlesque") and thought I had reviewed it, but I hadn't. I'll come back to it, but from the trailer of up and coming movie "Friends With Benefits" starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake (we'll have to wait till it comes out and I watch it to be sure), THAT is what "No Strings Attached" was trying to do.

After watching it, I felt as if I was watching a repeat of Ashton Kutcher's "A Lot Like Love" starring Amanda Peet in the Natalie Portman role (even though the understanding from the trailer is that they are already friends and decide to throw in sex--NOT the case at all).

[side note--after we watched it, my friends and I thought Amanda Peet and Ashton would make a lovely couple... because they seemed like two sides of the same coin. OH WELL]

That reminds me, I gotta review "How Do You Know" (another one with a surprise to it as well--NOT what you think from the Trailer either).

But I'm going to bed. I've had a long weekend. See you in the morning!

<3

[o yeah... how random is it that Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman are in almost the same movie (well, with a seemingly similar premise), almost competing ... lol "Black Swan" reference/real-life similarity?? (o; ] <- Ok, know that was dumb. WHATCHA GON' DO

BLACK SWAN

Ok. I know; I know. I promised a "G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra" review, but C'MON. Lol "Black Swan" 's been getting crazy buzz, so me and my boyfriend watched it.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Darren Aronofsky's outdone himself. Well, okay. Maybe just followed his typical line, but Jesus this movie was crazy.

Where to begin?

Umm--my question is, What drugs were the writers on when they crafted this piece?!

Honestly, the surreal element to the story really--excuse my Spanish--fucks--with your head. Half the events don't even make sense until you realize that Natalie Portman's Nina Sayers has started down a dark spiral into oblivion and she's lost herself in her schizoid microcosm of paranoia and cannot differentiate between that and the real world.

Enter corrupting forces Mila Kunis' Lily and artistic director (choreographer?) Tomas, played by Vincent Cassel, whom you may recognize from "Eastern Promises" and "Derailed" (or at least, I do). Even Winona Ryder gets a crack at it.

I think at about the halfway point, the movie makes a screeching, churning 180 from the direction it seems to start out from, and for the first time I felt a pang of fear--that chill that runs up and down your spine. I was sunk into my seat. I said to my bf, "Ok, now I'm scared."

Up until then it seems to just delineate Nina's life and her coming out of her über-protected shell...

Until something darker arises.

Take a look at the main poster for the movie. What's so chilling about it?

You can't really pinpoint it, but something seems off.

WELL--watch the film and you'll see what I see now.

Overall score: A/A-

★★★★ 1/2

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REALLY want "Inception" Soundtrack (on a side note).

And I meant to give Tron 3.5 ★'s so that's what I'm amending right now.

For your viewing pleasure...

Also, as a side note--

I've been a ballet aficionado since birth. Well, it's actually been a while since I've been, but I've been having a hankering for "The Nutcracker" ever since I saw SF Ballet's "The Little Mermaid" with my friend. *le sigh* That's past now. However, I did get a chance to watch "The Swan Lake" and I even acquired a book (beautiful illustrations by Van Allsburg) that I recently re-read.

I do not really agree with the interpretation of the story as presented in the movie; however, it fits the plot line and the direction (SPOILER! foreshadowing) of the film.

Not to give too much credit to this adaptation, but go rent "The Swan Princess" (or download; whatever your pleasure) to get a general idea of the storyline.

And listen to Tchaikovsky's beautiful score!! (<- it's been haunting me since last night, and running through my mind)

PEACE!! Much <3

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(from here on out, I will rate movies with "bites." since I am a food aficionado, I'll let you guys know just how much of these movies I'm willing to "take a bit out of" <- Cheese intended)