Season 6, Episode 2: White Swan

" I had the craziest dream last night about a girl who has turned into a swan, but her prince falls for the wrong girl and she kills herself. " - Black Swan

Initially, this post's title was to be named 'Black Swan' but because it is still CNY and we prefer not to deal with anything 'black', i switched it to 'white' instead. And naming 'white' doesn't really alter the purpose of the post either. It has, after all, both in one.

Yes, when i knew this movie the end of last year, i had made it a must to watch it the soonest i got it- and comment on it. The trailer was out. The interview session was published. It sounded dark. It looked dark. It felt dark. 'Black' itself tells something, but 'swan'? Something as graceful and elegant as a swan be 'dark'- and i don't mean the colour. Something as pure as a swan be overshadowed and overcast. Black Swan lives to my expectation, scoring above and beyond what i had in mind for a psychological thriller drama.

It has been a long time since i had my expectations in movies satisfied. It's always much anticipation which is later followed by utter disappointment after watching it. But Black Swan? No. And not only does it deliver, it has that afterthought, riveting yet disturbing at the same time. A story of double like 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and great element of rivalry last seen in 'The Prestige'. Thrilling directing, over-the-edge acting. Definitely the best Natalie P's performance- no wonder a Globe was for her. And what more, this story revolves around the Swan Lake- every ballerina's dream performance, an ideal and intriguing setting for the movie to play on.

Natalie P plays Nina, the lady who has set her eyes on becoming the Swan Queen and let nobody else take her role in the performance. She was seen as the perfect, ideal white swan. But the producer wondered her capability to dance the black swan- the evil swan who steals the love of white swan that she needed to break her spell. The producer looked towards Lily, a suitable candidate to play black swan. Nina becomes paranoid of her role of every little detail that tried to threaten it and guarded it with all her heart- even putting herself in danger. A struggle on all levels- within herself and with external pressures to deliver the best Swan Queen. Soon *spoiler* instead of playing the black swan, Nina became the black swan- evil, wicked, dark, the other side of human being.

Despite some explicit scenes, this movie is a real winner! It has a story of purity and darkness intertwined in a highly competitive ballet performance, Swan Lake, and that shows the price of perfection! Watch it, give it some thought and the real essence of the movie prevails, slowly and silently to yourself.

Enough with Black Swan, things in uni are getting back on the wheel, rolling, accelerating. Dates of quizzes, tests, assignment dues, meeting dates, etc start to fill the pages of my planner. I had to have a planner, otherwise, everything gets jumbled up! Lectures are fine- some more interesting than the other. We can't always have fun lectures, some tends to be dry.

Helping my friend to pump her car tyre in this. I liked this picture. It's as if i'm promoting for The Chronicler, or the car, or both.

On the first day of CNY

In red on the new year's day!

Red and yellow lions make great combination! I used to fancy dancing lions when i was a kid. my mum said i was a good dancer.

The surprise this CNY- three lions!

My grandpa receiving the lion's present.

New Year's day was great. Tiring, but great. As i have said, tire ourselves once in a year and the return is always fulfilling.

wc11 dances the lion.

" I was perfect. " - Black Swan