Draft #5: Alone in the Cinema

I watched 'Black Swan' yesterday after feeling really obliged. Natalie Portman won Best Actress in the Academy Awards for this movie and I thought this merits my attendance to the cinema. I went to SM Cinema 2 alone and literally, for some parts, I was the only one watching. When the movie ended, 7 were in attendance. Pirated DVD copies of the movie are scattered all around the city for sale at 35 pesos each. But, I did not succumb to this familiar temptation to buy cheap, even if I've watched academy award-nominated films in pirated DVD countless times during the past 2 years.

Listening to Natalie Portman's acceptance speech, I would say that it sounded almost too self-centered :-) even if yes, she did try to give credit where it is due - to the people who helped her act well, who taught her routines, who made her look beautiful. Still, a lot of times, she mentioned the word 'me'.... made Me act well, made Me look beautiful. Oh well, she did win Best Actress so she has all the right in the world to sound self-absorbed. To those who share the same observation that I have, let us all give her that privilege.

Anyway, back to my watching 'Black Swan' ... The experience of having to watch it alone was breathtaking! Oftentimes, I caught myself covering my face with my hands, and peeping through my fingers as scenes of Nina's hallucinations flashed in the wide screen in quick successions. Paired with music that rises and falls at the right time and emotion, I wiped tears from my eyes twice. I felt like watching a real Swan Lake Play. I felt the tension and the pressure Nina felt, and her relief when, after her performance, she achieved perfection- she was able to take control and let go at the same time. Hmmm.... I will only say this much though. You should really watch the movie and understand on your own how it affects you. For me, it affected me soooo much that I suddenly wanted to become a ballerina... hahaha!!!

All beautiful movies get stuck in my head for months and I'm sure I'll have Black Swan wallpaper on my desktop background for a long time.