127 Hours - 8/10
Wow! that was a surprisingly beautiful film! Way more powerful than I was expecting. The first 15 minutes were really crap. The whole filmmaking style just felt so crude and vulgar, with no subtlety or sensitivity. But once the story had started it just hooked me in completely. It was so compelling and it went really quickly. The guy's only really stuck down the hole for an hour or so. But the best thing about this film was the emotional journey that the guy goes through. How he starts off as this independent guy who doesn't need any help from anyone, but gradually realises his need for other people. And the ending is just such a euphoric thrill, it's awesome! A really simple, powerful story, really well told.....oh, and the gruesome bit everybody is talking about, really isn't that bad. I didn't even feel the urge to look away at all!
Black Swan - 9/10
I loved this! So dark and complex. Natalie Portman is incredible!!! I read a quote for this film that said "An extraordinary, intoxicating masterpiece", which I think sums it up pretty well. The whole style is so extravagent and lush, but it's also got that dark, disturbing Aronofsky edge too. I know these kinds of subjective portrayals of a characters descent into madness have been done before in films, but Black Swan just seems to do it soooo much better, with so much more class and originality and verve. A really satisfying film to watch. Loved it!