I most recently saw the intrepid psychological thriller "Black Swan" featuring awe-inspiring performances from Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Vincent Cassel. The movie follows Nina Sayers, a talented yet socially awkward and sexually repressed ballet dancer, as she attempts to win the role in a theater company's upcoming production of Black Swan. Typically in the past there is a dancer who plays the White Swan - gentle, virginal, and delicate - and another dancer to play the White Swan's evil twin sister the Black Swan, who in contrast is vengeful, manipulative, and seductive. However in this movie the director decides to have one dancer interpret both parts. Nina is a perfect fit for the character of the White Swan but struggles to perfect the demanding role of the Black Swan. What ensues in the next hour and a half is a psychological mind-fuck that forces audiences to question what is perfection and to what lengths would we all go to attain such perfection. The screenwriters and directors cleverly developed the plot as to keep the audiences in the dark, but not confused, until the final moments of the movie when we as the audience have that realization of understanding and scream "OMG NO WAY!"

Most surprising was Mila Kunis' phenominal acting in the movie. The actress, most known for her role on That 70's Show and lending her voice on Family Guy, delivers an outstanding performance in the movie. I am not going to lie, the quasi lesbionic scene between Portman and Kunis even had this drag queen all atwitter.

This movie could not have come at a more appropriate time. I feel in some regard that 2010 was the year that popularized the 3-D IMAX movie going experience. Though a few movies in the past were in 3-D IMAX, it seemed that everything that came out this year was in 3-D. Everything from children's movies - Toy Story 3, How to Train Your Dragon, Legend of the Guardians - to action movies - Clash of the Titans, The Last Airbender, and Resident Evil: Afterlife - all promised the 3-D IMAX experience to patrons. Suddenly facets such as plot, character development, and dialogue were replaced with the 3-D experience, as if the American public would overlook the GOD-AWFULNESS of the movie as long as weapons and monsters popped out at them.

Hopefully the Black Swan will start a new trend in cinema where writers strive to produce thought-provoking films that are both engaging and entertaining. If not, I sure look forward to Clash of the Titans 3: The Epic End available in 4-D IMAX Smell-O-Vision.

As it has been established in previous journal entries, I have the attention span of a gnat and the pop culture tastes of a pre-teen girl. If I have the option of choosing between an epically moving and deeply complex movie or a Miley Cyrus movie, I will most likely choose the Miley movie. It's not that I think that the movie will have better acting or be more engaging, but sometimes I like to not watch the profound movie that forces me to think and then engage in a metaphysical discussion with others and analyze how this movie will effect the movie industry and art in general.

HENCE, when my gay bestie in Reno wanted to go see a movie yesterday, we both immediately shouted "HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON"!. How to Train Your Dragon is the latest movie in the epic 3-D craze followed previously by such movie as Coraline, Alice in Wonderland, and UP. I didn't really know anything about this movie nor did I read the book upon which the movie is based off of. Instead all I saw were some cute dragons that were sure to get into some mischief with the vikings. I knew that the movie was not going to have the answer to some great mystery of life or tackle issues currently prevelent in society. Instead, I was going to sit in a packed theater  where my bestie Nayte and I were the oldest people in the room, mow down on snacks that we snuck into the theater from 7-11, and be entertained by a movie about dragons in 3-D. Especially when life somes incredibly chaotic, sometimes you need to find an escape and loose yourself in the worlds and realities of others - it helps you forget what is going on in your own life for a second. Nayte and I are such sci-fi/fantasy/cartoon lovers that this movie seemed exactly up our alley.

The movie was really good actually. It was funny, captivating, and slightly touching. The 3-D elements did not take away from the overall movie and the movie still had a strong - though simplistic plot. I would whole heartedly recommend this movie to anybody, especially those that are looking for a little of escape in their lives at the moment.

I don't remember ever thinking that the Disney Cartoon of Alice was ever that spectacular. I remember watching it as a child and not really understanding anything except there are some really pretty colors, an evil queen, and a lost girl. Years later, I decided to read both of the novels of the series – I went on this let me expand my mind by reading the classics period – and though understanding more of the subtext, it was still largely confusing and always gave me the feeling that I needed to be tripping to truly appreciate what was going on.

Suddenly all this fervor erupted over the new Alice movie directed by Tim Burton. So my friends and I decided to see it a couple of days ago. The only reason I went to go see the movie was because Tim Burton was director, and Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies of all time. Also, because Anne Hathaway is the White Queen in the movie – other than that I did not have much expectations. First of all the movie was in 3-D – a fact that I had completely forgotten. It seems that as of late movies are increasingly heading toward the direction of 3-D – a cop out in my opinion. Instead of having a solid movie with great dialogue, strong characters, and amazing settings, directors will just turn the movie 3-D so audience members will be so awe-impressed that they miss the fact that the movie sucks. Secondly, because it was a 3-D movie, it cost us $12.75 to get in. EXCUSE MMMEEEEEEEEE! I remember a period in my life when it was $3.00 to get into a brand new movie. I don't care if it is 3-D, that is the biggest crock of shit ever. Although I do not condone pirating and stealing of movies and music – suddenly the arguments make a lot of sense when prices are jacked up.

We walk into the movie theater and there was a large boisterous group of people recreating Alice in Wonderland …..... some small part of me hates re-enacters. They feel that they are superior because they spent all this time analyzing and understanding the character and have a delicious costume that they can strut around in. I just look at them and think “Honey you may be dressed up as the Red Queen but between the two of us, who is the actual queen” ;)

Overall the movie was just ok. Tim Burton's imaginary world of Wonderland was absolutely spectacular, so life-like and real. I felt that the 3-D ness of the movie might have taken something away from the overall production. I thought the movie was just ok. The story was generally so-so and the movie lacked real emotion and plot. I have been told that I cry when a grasshopper farts and my eyes were bone dry throughout the whole story. In my opinion the only things that really saved that movie from total devastation was Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen, and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Red Queen. Johnny Depp of course is brilliant in whatever he touches but I really dip my tiara to Anne Hathaway. Her delivery was incredible, I am jealous of her walk, and she really brought the character to life. I liked that they tried to give the Red Queen more dimension about maybe why she is the way that she is. Also, because I love me a good showdown, I thought there should have been more interaction between the two queens. Last but not least, the only other selling point for me in this movie was the magnificent and gorgeous dresses that Alice wore throughout the movie. Every time that Alice changed sizes she would be fitted into a new gown or the previous gown would alter just slightly to make it new. So absolutely incredible!!! The drag queen in me was crying out through the movie about how I wanted to steal the dress right from her - especially the red one in the Red Queen's Castle.

I was sadly disappointed in most of the production. The movie, which has grossed in over $110 million dollars already, left me leaving the theater thinking that it was a decent movie with moments of hilariousness and genius but they were few and far between. I recommend going and seeing it in theaters if for no other reason then seeing the world of Tim Burton. Otherwise, wait for the movie to come out on DVD and do not see it in 3-D.