Black Swan/Hotel Rwanda Films 7 & 8/50

There are only two things these films have in common: 1) I hadn't seen either of them until yesterday and 2) although I hadn't seen them, I already knew exactly what horrors I was about to witness. But please bear with me as I dissect the viewings separately, for the two are entirely different film experiences. Truly.

Black Swan...or as I prefer, Swan Lake: American Psycho Edition...is obvious in its parallels between Portman's inevitable breakdown and the story behind the ballet in which she is starring. Subtly is not something this movie lacks. At all. Really. Having now seen this film, I'm pretty sure Portman won an Oscar for a character portrayal that closely resembles her actual mental state. Vincent Cassel gives a good performance but plays the role of the ballet's director as every other actor has ever played a ballet director...far too touchy-feely with the principal dancers and more demanding than Kurt Russell in Miracle. I should mention that Winona Ryder also made an impact with her representation of the jilted lead cast aside by Cassel. And for the record, I was on Team Beth.

Now, I went into that movie with a basic understanding of what I was signing up to see. And I was hoping that I would come out of the viewing having an idea as to how Portman won Best Actress over the likes of any other actress in a leading role from 2010. Instead, the mystery continues to linger, and now I'm wondering why Black Swan was so critically acclaimed in the first place. My favorite parts of the film were limited strictly to the use of animation and visual effects to present Portman's fragile mental state. But Inception had every other movie made that year beat in those categories. So Best Actress award as consolation prize? I will refrain from commenting further until I've had the chance to see at least Nicole Kidman's performance in Rabbit Hole (although I would have given Kidman the award just for having put up with Tom Cruise for all those years).

Now for Hotel Rwanda. And I am glad that I watched this one after Black Swan and not vice-versa (as Hotel Rwanda was by far the superior film). I'm hoping that reviewing them in this order is the smart choice, too.

As mentioned earlier, I knew the story I was signing up for with viewing this film.  I was familiar with both the atrocities of the Rwandan Genocide and the inspiring story of Paul Rusesabagina and his family. For those of you unfamiliar with either...STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW AND GO WATCH HOTEL RWANDA. That is an order. That or do some research. You should know what happened in 1994, whether you learn about it through this dramatized portrait of Rusesabagina or through various books and online resources. For those of you familiar with the events but haven't seen the film, I do recommend seeing it. Just bare in mind that the film is not meant as a documentary but rather a cinematic portrayal starring an impressive Don Cheadle. And for those of you who have seen the film, as always I welcome you to chime in with your thoughts.

Hotel Rwanda follows many of the conventions established by other films "documenting" the heroic efforts of individuals fighting against global atrocities. I couldn't help but think of Spielberg's Schindler's List (1994), as both films choose to focus on a singular effort in rescuing hundreds from being slaughtered. While both films make direct visual reference to the mass murders surrounding their protagonists, the stories opt to explore the strength of character and the struggle to save hundreds rather than concentrate solely on the hundreds of thousands murdered in the Rwandan Genocide or the millions killed in the Holocaust. Although this narrow scope may disappoint those who feel the victims are being overlooked, I applaud the filmmaker's for looking to inspire others to stand up for what they believe is right regardless of what is 'popular' or 'safe'.

So if you're faced with the daunting decision of watching either one of these films, I'd recommend saying "yes" to Hotel Rwanda and "pass" to Black Swan. Doubly so if you're Natalie Portman's son. Just sayin'.