Black Swan (2010)★★★★☆

I think maybe I didn’t include this movie in 2016 because I waffle at times on whether this is truly a “scary” story…but I’m coming down on the side of thinking it’s a worthwhile addition to the list. And not just because Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman get it on, though that might broaden the appeal.

This is an interesting, tightly told story (which is funny for me to say for a movie almost two hours long) with a fantastic cast and a musical score both inspired by and intertwined with Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.

The cast is excellent. I genuinely enjoy watching Vincent Cassel on the screen, no matter how creepy or sleazy his character may be (or not, in at least one instance). Winona Ryder is one of my all-time favorites (yeah, even considering Alien: Resurrection). Hell, even Barbara Hershey has made some appearances in some of my favorite films already!

And then, of course, there’s Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman (or Natalie Portman and Natalie Portman, depending on the scene). I love how they played off each other, and how you could almost see the difference in their energies as they danced and talked and kissed and…

This movie gets pretty tense, and there are a few hard-to-watch scenes, but overall I found this movie highly watchable (and rewatchable!), decently creep-inducing, and just filled with really stellar performances.