In our lives we all have been pushed to achieve perfection, but what happens when you get pushed too far? The concept of the obsessed artist has been around for years with artists such as Van Gogh. The concept is also wonderfully brought to life in films such as Nightcrawler and Black Swan. Learn the struggles of perfection and the self deterioration that goes along with it.

Black Swan (2010) – “The only person standing in your way is you”
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel
Rated R: Sexual Content, Language, Drug Usage, Disturbing Imagery
Rating 4.5/5
Where to find: Hulu

Black Swan tells the tale of Nina Sayers, a ballerina in New York City. Dance has ruled every aspect of her life since she was a child thanks to her overbearing mother.

Nina gets the role of the “Swan Queen,” and while she is the personification of the innocent and virginal “White Swan,” that can’t be said the same about the dark and sensual “Black Swan” that she has to embody as well.

Throughout the course of the movie, she is pressured by everyone to be as perfect as possible, and it begins to take a toll as she begins to have mini-psychotic episodes, slowly revealing the “Black Swan” within her.

The movie is directed by Darren Aronofsky who has made movies such as Mother! (2017) and Requiem for a Dream (2000). The surrealist and melodramatic nature plays an important role in his films as we can feel the stress and hopelessness that his protagonist’s face.

The message of the film is that there is a point when passion becomes obsession. We see this in contrasts between certain characters like Nina and her mother, and Lily and Nina’s coach.

Lily and her mother have their entire lives revolved around dance without a focus on something else. Lily (Nina’s competitor) and her coach have passion for ballet but still have lives.

The score composed by Clint Mansell helps give a sinister yet charming soundtrack for this movie. The amazing performances done in this movie, especially by Natalie Portman, has won her an oscar for best actress. LSHS senior Liz Busby also agrees with this,”Natalie Portman shows an accurate representation of what happens when you set unrealistic standards for yourself”. Even if you are not into ballet or dancing, there is something in this film that everyone can enjoy.

Nightcrawler (2014) – “If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket”
Directed By: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton
Rated R: Strong Language, Graphic Violence
Rating: 5/5
Where to find: Hulu

In the bustling city of Los Angeles, there is a group of people that come out at night. They record accidents,murders,robberies and all other sorts of crimes for broadcasters to showcase in the morning news for profit.

These freelancers are referred to as “nightcrawlers” and Louis Bloom sees this job as his calling. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a performance of a lifetime by playing a cutthroat sociopath who is willing to cross the line for profit and hurt anyone who gets in his way.
“Jake Gyllenhaal shows a variety of well described emotion throughout the movie,” senior Luke Bates said.

With the help of his naive partner (played by Riz Ahmed), they go on nightly escapades searching for the one story that people can’t turn away from.

The cinematography is its own character in this movie with wide shots of the Los Angeles city-scape. The soundtrack also has an engaging rock symphony that keeps the movie flowing.

What makes Nightcrawler incredible is its critique on capitalism and modern day news media. Louis is the byproduct of a struggling economy and has lived off of what he can get his hands on. This has led him to make immoral decisions throughout the movie just for profit. The critique on news media is prevalent in this film as it shows the obsession of crime in the news.

Everytime a violent crime happens (robbery, serial killer, mass shooting), the people who benefit the most are journalists who use these events as ways to get money. In our lives, we will come across someone like Louis Bloom, to some degree, and this movie shows how they act.

Movie Recommendations:

Whiplash
Directed By: Damien Chazelle
Starring: Miles Teller, J.K Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser
Rated R: Violence, Very Strong Language
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to find: Hulu

Whiplash follows an aspiring jazz drummer Andrew(Miles Teller) who gets accepted into a prestigious music group. The group is led by director Fletcher (J.K Simmons) who leads the institution with an iron fist. Throughout the course of the movie Andrew is abused psychologically and physically by Fletcher to the point of insanity. However, he isn’t willing to back down, as he wants to be remembered as one of the greats, even if it costs him his life. The score has a funk-like tempo that’s appealing even if you do not like jazz. With this being Damien Chazelle’s first breakout hit, he has left a fantastic track record ever since.

I, Tonya
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Tonya Harding, Margot Robbie, Allison Janey, Nancy Kerrigan, Sebastian Stan
Rated R: Nudity, Strong Language, Drug Usage, Strong Violence
Rating:3.5/5
Where to find: Hulu

I, Tonya tells the real life story of Tonya Harding(Margot Robbie) from her rise to her downfall. Ever since Tonya was only 3 years old, she began figure skating and throughout the years has won many awards and even gotten to the olympics even if her “white trash” persona was unpopular. However, her life begins crashing down when her rival Nancy Kerrigan gets attacked by a partner of her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan). The movie guides us through her abusive life, her fame, court trial, and what happened with her life afterwards. Using interviews from real people, snappy editing, and a jamming soundtrack I, Tonya helps us feel a part of this historic sporting incident. Some students really like this movie as well, as LSHS senior Amelia Abels said “It was good and Margot Robbie is great.”

House That Jack Built
Directed By: Lars Von Trier
Starring: Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Bruno Ganz
Rated R: Graphic Nudity, Graphic Violence, Disturbing Images, Strong Language
Rating: 4/5

Where to find: Prime Video

Controversial filmmaker, Lars Von Trier, forces you into the world of a serial killer named Jack. As a failing architect suffering from OCD, we follow him as he finds his new passion in life, murder. The story follows a decade long spree of Jack discussing his crimes and one day, how he will finally build his perfect home. Using the story of “Dante’s Inferno” as a metatext, we witness a man exploring the darkest parts of humanity and hell. With incredible acting done by Matt Dillon and the claustrophobic cinematography, House That Jack Built will leave you disgusted yet curious on what will happen next.