Film Review for a Niche Title - Black Swan

Black Swan is a film like no other. Set in the all too real world of ballet, Nina (Natalie Portman), a shy young perfectionist, replaces Beth in the role of both the White Swan and the Black Swan in a new adaptation of Swan Lake. As she works hard to portray the Black Swan, strange things begin to happen to her. 

Nominated for 5 Oscars, the film has something for everyone: suspense, drama, intrigue and a spattering of horror. This fairly short film is well paced so that no moment is wasted. The dance aspect is beautiful, though due to the intrusively close-up hand held shots, you do not often see this.  

Black Swan is visually stunning; with remarkable special effects that are so real you recoil with the memory. Mirrors play a large part in the film, and the way in which they are used is very clever, albeit rather overdone. The monochrome set and dress for the entire film gives it a dreamlike sense to begin with, which only intensifies as you watch. 

It is also controversial, with the oppressive relationship between the worried mother and the rebelling daughter turning cruel when Nina slams her door purposefully on her mother’s fingers. The sex scenes are sometimes disturbing and uncomfortable; the film shows the ballet director seducing Nina at one point. In fact, the story is based rather a lot on Nina’s virginal state. Another scene shows female masturbation whilst yet another is a lesbian sex scene, both involving the main character. 

Director Darren Aronofsky does a brilliant job of blending high culture with the surreal and horrific. Although the film is very different to many others, we can draw parallels between Black Swan and his other films. The paranoid quality of both Requiem for a Dream and Pi can clearly be seen here. The Wrestler is very much like Black Swan, due to the main character showing devotion and obsession in their profession. The characters both push their bodies to the limit in order to be the best.

If put into a category, Black Swan is first and foremost a psychological thriller, though many would argue that it is in fact a horror. By the end of the film, you are certain that the main character must be insane. But even then it is unclear what she hallucinates and what she does not. She seems to imagine a double of herself that haunts her throughout, making her feel vulnerable and scared. Her constant practising cripples her physically and mentally. Her hunt for perfection by the exploration of her dark side slowly drives her insane.

It is vague as to what is actually happening to Nina until the finale, where she hallucinates that she sprouts black swan wings. We clearly see that the audience cannot see the wings that she believes she has. The plot of Swan Lake is then cleverly intertwined into the poignant ending that almost brings a tear to your eye.

The film is relatable for many people who compete in dance, and yet at points it is overtly sexual and quite grotesque due to the body horror that is used. The film is not one for the squeamish, as there are scenes that would make anyone’s stomach turn as well as horror-like sequences. The most disturbing scenes are ones where she hallucinates bizarre things happening to her: she peels back the skin on her finger, her legs seemingly break to look like swan legs and she violently murders her colleague.

Natalie Portman is clearly the best actor in this film. She is perfectly cast as the protagonist, and portrays the transition from the white swan’s innocence to the black swan’s sexuality very well. She can do no wrong in the scenes where she hallucinates scary, violent and sexual encounters and appears incredibly naïve when she depicts the sweet and innocent girl at the beginning of the film. Her captivating performance means that we travel through the story with her. Her emotions are ours and she displays them without making her insanity too obvious.

On the whole, Black Swan has the mark of something special. It cannot be suitably labelled or easily forgotten. It is a compelling and dark story of perfection, sexual repression and mental illness.

DIY - The Lazy Man's Way

In every man’s life, there are a few things that they are depended on to do. Bring home the bacon, remove spiders from baths and are just a few examples. DIY is one of these all important things men are meant to be good at. And if you’re not handy with a hammer, you may feel that little bit less of a man. So, for those of you who aren’t so great with a drill, and would rather sit down with a cold beer and the football, here’s your go-to guide for taxing tasks.

Putting up a Shelf.

The main problem you face when putting up a shelf is getting it in the right position. So, instead of doing it yourself, get whoever is making you do DIY to help you. After all, they know where they want it and they have a great view. One really useful tool for this task is a level, so the shelf isn’t askew. Floating shelves seem like the simplest to put up, and they look pretty good too, so everyone is happy. For best results, get your resident helper to read the instructions and relay you the basics. This will take less time and cause fewer arguments.

Useful tools include: Hammer/drill, screwdriver, spirit level, pencil (for those all important nail marks)

Changing lightbulbs

This is a pretty simple undertaking, and we’re sure that most of you are capable of doing this. But, for those of you who are more than a little accident prone, there are a few golden rules to light-bulb changing:

Use a step-ladder. Using the right equipment means that you won’t be falling off a chair and hurting yourself. Breaking bones should not be in the job description.

Get someone to help. Why? I hear your incredulously cry. Because that way, you don’t need to worry about taking the light-bulbs up there with you. No light-bulb confusion saves time and energy, which means more football for you. Win.

Make sure you’ve got the right light-bulb before you do anything. Again, this saves precious minutes that can be spent doing lazier things. Your other half/ mum/ home owner will love you more when the light-bulb you choose doesn’t cause unsightly bulb overhang.

Painting and Decorating

We think this a pretty difficult skill to master. In fact, it’s more of a woman thing to do. However, if you’ve been roped in to doing this mission of a chore, then we have some pretty good pointers for you.

The single most important thing you could ever do when you try painting and decorating, is putting a dust sheet over the floor, the furniture, everything. If you’re undertaking a makeover of epic proportions, we propose you clear out all the furniture completely so it leaves you with a little more working space.

The next preparation is chiefly to do with the miracle device known as masking tape. Put it along the edges of your coving, door handles, light switches and then you don’t have to worry about ‘cutting in’ (painting that straight line at the edge of your coving etc by hand).

Of course, you should always remember to read the instructions for wallpapering, as it can be mighty difficult to do when you have no clue.

We hope you gain something from this handy DIY guide, but if you didn’t really get it, there are some websites that may help you out too:

www.diydoctor.org.uk

www.lets-do-diy.com

www.homebase.co.uk

www.diy.com



This article was written for a men's magazine as part of my Magazine Journalism course, I hope you all liked it and will give me some advice/ criticism/ praise in your comments. Thank you.

Travel Writing Piece - Magazine Journalism

Dear Reader,

Charles Bridge

The Czech Republic is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is a glorious country, best known for its mountainous and forested landscape that is both wild and tranquil in equal measure. It is a place that yearns to be discovered and appreciated.

Prague, or ‘Praha’, as the locals call it, is a bustling city, full of beautiful buildings in a host of styles. From gothic exteriors to enormous murals, there is much that should not be missed. The city seems steeped in history, with a plentiful supply of statues and buildings.

Prague seems to welcome its tourists, as it is packed with shops selling T-Shirts, Russian dolls (some even painted as English football teams) and many other country-related products. Taxis and horse drawn carts were seen everywhere. And on the famous Charles Bridge, otherwise known as Stone Bridge, there are caricature artists, musicians, souvenir sellers, jewellery sellers and other interesting artworks of Prague.

Glassware seems to be a speciality in the Czech Republic, as many of the shops were selling vases, chandeliers and decorations as well as trinkets like miniature flagons and ornate perfume bottles. Of all these souvenirs, my favourites were the tiny glass flowers, intricately wired together and settled in their own equally minuscule vases.

Among the many places to see in Prague, there are a few that really caught my eye: The Charles Bridge (mentioned earlier), Prague Castle, Old Town Square, with its Astronomical Clock

Tisa

There are many things to see and do in the Czech Republic, from visiting a number of baroque buildings and statues to going climbing in the hills and forests. However, if you really want to go exploring in the great outdoors, then the Tisa rocks are definitely worth a visit. Situated in the Usti nad Labem Region, the sandstone rocks have been eroded away to form strange and interesting shapes. Several of the rocks can be climbed on, and if you look hard enough, you can often find hiding places or carved out tunnels to climb through.

This is a serene and beautiful place to explore on a bright and sunny summers day. Comfortable shoes with a good grip are a must, as well as a good level of fitness. Nearing the end of the trail, you will also find a small restaurant that is sure to appease your appetite.

I stayed in the town of Usti nad Labem, which is only an hours drive from Prague. The area is simply stunning, with forests, a river and a lake nearby. It is prefect for the adventurous type as there are lots of places to go hiking. As well as climbing to the small waterfall and the viewing platform in the forest, you can also visit the castle, or go shopping in the town.

There are also plenty of places to eat in the town, from Italian restaurants to takeaways. Meat, I found, was the food of choice in the Czech Republic, and sausages were at the forefront. My favourite food was somewhat like a hot dog; only instead of a sausage was a giant slab of sausage meat.

Usti Nad Labem

The language, if you have never been there before, is fairly difficult to get used to. However, there are plenty of people who understand English there, especially in Prague. When buying food, I found it easier to guess at the meaning by looking at the drawings on the packaging. Child-like, I know, but it worked very well. Of course, you can always buy a phrase book if you get stuck.

And one more helpful hint to aid you in your adventure into Czech: When you travel there, I suggest you take an aeroplane. Sitting in a car for 14 hours, trying not to get lost in four different countries is never a good start to a holiday. Instead, make your journey shorter, more relaxing and more enjoyable by buying yourself that plane ticket.

I hope you enjoy the Czech Republic and all its natural beauty as much as I did.

Wish you were there.

Feeling happy

It's that time of the year again. The first glimpse of what might come in the months to follow. For a few days, we people of Britain have seen the light. Or rather, we've seen the sun. Yes, there may still be a chill in the air, but I for one, am determined to wear summery clothes to go with that warm sunshine that is currently streaming through my window.

I love this time of year. It makes me go all gooey. Winter becomes officially over when the daffodils and crocuses come out. And they have. On my walk from uni today I deliberately went through as much park as I possibly could, just to look at all the flowers. I found some trees that were starting to grow blossoms. And I bet somewhere there's already a tiny lamb on a farm, bleating amicably at its mother.

So for a moment, I would just like to remind everyone to stop and take a look around at the beauty around you. Appreciate the vibrant colours of the crocuses, the many variations of daffodil. Try to find a tree that has started to bud. Nature is a wonderful thing, I wouldn't want anyone to miss it.

Here's some pictures to brighten up your day.

*Please note that these pictures are not my own, they were foudn via google images.

Why everyone needs a bit of 'me' time

Just the other week, I had what one might call 'a nervous breakdown'. Why? Because my work had began to mount up to a tumultuous amount. The pressure of it all was too much to bear, and I let it out in a tearful but very fulfilling 20 minutes.

Stress, if you hadn't guessed, is what I'm talking about. And in the second year of uni, things have stepped up ten notches. I have, on average 11 hours a week of lectures and seminars. It sounds pathetic, doesn't it? Until you find out that most of the rest of my weekday are spent working for the course. On one unit, there is a hand in every week, on two others, the are every two weeks. A big hand in is happening in approximately 3 weeks.

I find that my biggest worry is photography. Each week we have something to do towards a portfolio, and every two weeks we have to complete a photo shoot along with a Journey Log that tells the reader how I came to take the photographs and how I felt it went. It is very time consuming, taking up at least half, if not more, of my Mondays, and various other hours in the week.

So, i had my break down. And now you can understand why. The stress from the workload was making me nervous and jittery. I lost confidence in myself and turned into a sobbing wreck in front of my sister, who luckily had an ear to lend.

After that outburst, I decided that there was really no need for me to feel like my life is a never-ending slog through work, with all too short weekends where I spend my time with my boyfriend. Although these weekends are welcome and relaxing, I sometimes feel like I never stop. To think about things. My mind is always working on what I'll do next. What work I need to finish, what person do I need to please?

I needed time for myself.

As a result of that conclusion, I have decided that at least once a week, I will shut myself in my room and have some sort of creative outlet, or just some 'me' time. Today, I am doing just that. I am finally letting go of my worries for a couple of hours and just enjoying life.

Yes, I still worry about what I need to do. But for now, at least, it can wait until tomorrow.

Showcasing - sometimes it has to be done

So, I thought I would showcase some of my better work from my photography unit today as well as write a blog. I was originally going to show you all my work from another unit called Making Magazines. Hoever, that fell through when the images would not load onto the blog. So anyone wishing to see those will unfortunately have to wait until to turn them into jpgs.

The first, is a set of two portraits which are meant to show the sitters personalities. I think I captured their shyness fairly well in the first.


As we were about to go to New York here, we had a moment where I decided to go for a Statue of Liberty pose. I think it worked quite well, though it did not answer the brief:


My next set of photographs are a little more interesting. They stemmed from a brief about movement, but eventually I got to the stage where I really liked the idea of dressing people up as fairytale characters.

Alice falling down the rabbit hole:


Snow White, scared, running around in the forest:


The Red Queen (Alice in Wonderland):


Snow Queen:


Red Riding Hood walking through the forest, on the way to her grandmother's house:


The Swan Queen, Swan Lake:


Cinderella looking back for her glass slipper:



So, those were my final pictures, but there were some that I left out that really need t obe shown to the masses. All are Alice in Wonderland inspired, mostly with the red queen threatening her in some way:


And there you have it, an exhibition of some of my prouder achievement of this year.I hope you like it and feel free to comment.

No abuse, but constuctive critisism and especialy praise are appreciated.

Thanks!
Kyra

Feeling the love?

I can't say that I've ever really LOVED Valentine's Day. I find it too in your face, too soppy and too celebratory of something which not everyone has.

I remember the days in secondary school, when everyone was having their first boyfriends, kisses in the corner and the inevitable discos where try hards would act sexy. I had a fair few Valentines days without a boyfriend then, and I felt like the loneliest person in the world.

I think that this Valentine's Day, we should think about the people who are lonely and do our best to make them happy.

It's all well and good to celebrate the love of two people who have been together for a while - and I am very happy to do that while my relationship is so successful - but to reach out to those people who are only reminded of those they could have had or those they have lost is something altogether more special.

Since going to uni, I've felt sorry for my mum. She isn't seeing anyone, and wasn' t when we left. The both of us leaving so suddenly must have been difficult for her to cope with, and she must have felt so alone. So this year I'll be trying to make her happy.

I think that she will really appreciate the simple gesture of kindness, and I hope that when others do the same, it will not go unnoticed.

Exciting Times

So, Uni has been very scarily difficult this year. The time goes by so fast that before you know it, an assessment is only a week away... and you haven't done a thing towards it. This semester, it gets harder. Photography, which is already time consuming enough as it is, is now in full portfolio mode. As are two other of my units, and not to mention those all important essays looming ahead like some sort of eternal storm cloud.

In other news, its just coming up to the big two year anniversary thing for me and the boyfriend. It's a pretty big thing for me, as it would be my longest relationship by four times. I can't say I'm freaking out about it, but it does seem a little on the scary side. But since I still think about him all day every day, I think it'll last for a long while more.

Oh, and just to make this time of the year more expensive, he'll be turning 22 two days beforehand, and it'll be valentines day 12 days afterwards. On a student budget, this will be interesting. At least I know he likes staying indoors!

So, these are exciting times. Why? Because everything in my life has suddenly gone hectic. The lull from Christmas is gone, and Uni is now steaming it's way through my life once again. All I need to do now is loose that Christmas belly and I'll be content.

My New Years resolution was to try better at everything, and so far I think I'm succeeding, even if I am tiring myself out in the process. However, the fitness needs working on. And when the work comes on thick and fast, the social life will suffer.

I try to look on the bright side of all this though, at least i am well and truly living my life. I haven't blogged for ages!

New Years has never been so scary...

Arranging things has never really been my forte.

Take parties, for example. The first one I ever had was at my mums house, as a birthday bash. My sister ended up looking after the whole thing. I got so drunk I had to be looked after and didn't bat an eyelid when the kitchen ceiling starting pouring water. Needless to say, my mum didn't let us have a party at hers for a long time afterwards.

The 17th birthday was pretty good. I sorted out a live band who I'd never heard play before (thank god they were good) and had food and drink. However, the food and drink ran out sharpish. The band got tired and we hadn't sorted out any kind of entertainment. The aftermath was at my dads house, where we had previously cleaned an outbuilding ready to sleep in. His then girlfriend had shouted the place down because we had made too much noise (which, by the by, we really weren't making).

So, this year I've decided to host a New Years Eve Party at my rented house for Uni. Last year, the party had bombed. The highlight of everyones night was when my very drunk sister had bashed into the bathroom door so hard that it had come off of it's hinges.

I'm pretty terrified.

The worst part about this is that I started planning it yesterday. It's the 28th today.

Why? Because I wasn't sure my boyfriend could make it, so I had to check with him what he was doing or i'd have to cancel. Being with him at New Years was my highest priority and not even hosting a party was going to stop me. My boyfriend is slow at getting back to me for important matters, as you can tell.

So, the music is yet to be set. But it WILL be 80s, mixed in with a few American hits. But first I actually need to gather them together in a suitable manner. The karaoke (singstar) is already there and ready to go. The food is listed and ready to be gotten, along with decorations. The champagne and the port for the Cheeky V is being brought. The all important outfit is in the wardrobe, thanks to christmas.

The house? Well, it looks like I'll be sorting that out on the day.

Wish me luck! I think I'll need it.

How wrong can one person be?

I am so sick and tired of people with huge egos who think everything they say is right.

Recently, I have been having a quite frank discussion over Facebook with a friend of mine. However, he may not stay a friend for long if he continues without giving thought to any of my ideas and notions, most of which are well thought through and valid.

You see, things have been happening in the student world. For those of you who may not have heard, the government (that's England's Conservative-Lib Dem coalition) has decided that students should have to pay up to £12,000 a year for university fees. This is, of course, absurd. No-one could work off that debt (including the cost of living, which we also loan) in their lifetime.

The papers said that one student could get into £80,000 worth of debt just on a three year honours degree.. so no chance of trying for a masters then.

Now, my friend thinks that the government are right to do this because students are lazy and need to get jobs instead. This is not a valid argument, and he knows it. Why? Because we're at uni to work hard in order to get jobs that are high paying and fruitful.

But no, I'm wrong. Apparently students are ruining the economy because they don't pay back the loans that we currently take out and we're just as bad as tax dodgers and benefit thieves. At this I was shocked, so I wrote back in a very concise way why he was wrong about this too. And oh, the response was so diabolical I dare not repeat it.

Anyway, the point I am trying to make here is that people need to be made to listen. Otherwise, they go through life thinking they're right when, in all truthfulness, they're talking a load of bollocks. Some people need to sit down and think about who they are and what they stand for. They need to think about their ideas and come to conclusions that make sense, rather then conclusion that are not thought out, or worse, answered back in an argumental fashion.

The people who take measured and balanced opinion look well informed and clever. The people who don't, look like idiots. And who would believe an idiot?

Not me.
Not for a second.