Category: Reviews

Black Swan- A Review

Movie | Director: Darren Aronofsky |Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis

By Annabelle Ang-Bok


A possible definition of art is that which, in the hands of a master, steps from the commonplace into the transcendent, and Black Swan, however clichéd or predictable its plot, proves itself a work of art. Darren Aronofsky’s demented fantasy of physical and mental sadomasochism is not just a psychological drama about an immature girl’s self-destructive pursuit of ballet perfection; it’s a not-quite-invitation to descend with her into the darkness of obsession.

But perhaps I give Aronofsky too much credit. Even if the opening scenes of Natalie Portman’s straightlaced, desperate-for-a-breakthrough Nina Sayers don’t clue you in to the inevitable end, you’ll probably get it when Vincent Cassel’s Thomas Leroy announces (very early in the film) his new (and probably impossible, in real life) version of Swan Lake. Also, there is a slight B-grade movie feel to some parts of the film. Aronofsky also borrows blatantly from many different sources in a pretty obvious manner, and his portrayal of the ballet world is decidedly one-sided.

Still, Portman’s blindingly intense and painfully convincing performance draws up memories of my own perfectionist tendencies. Watching Nina claw her way from desperate desire through neurosis, paranoia and hallucinatory psychosis, I cannot help but think also of myself and the many people I know who have struggled with perfectionist tendencies in at least one area in their lives. While our cases are far from the extreme example that is Nina’s, the sense of terror and horror is very real—and very tricky to circumvent. And then, of course, there is also the troublesome issue of the relationships we inevitably have and do not fully understand or trust.

Black Swan ends tragically, exactly as expected—but the one thought that held as I left the theatre, in spite of the lingering echoes of Nina’s worst hallucinations running through my mind’s eye, was a powerful sense of relieved gratefulness. Exaggerated tale it might be, but Nina’s twisted pursuit of “excellence” is for many of us a case of “there but for the grace of God go I”. It certainly is the case for me—and I am reminded oh-so-sweetly once again of why we need never fall so deeply into such obsessions, need never burn so viciously with a need to prove ourselves, need never fear our potentials (no matter how dark these may be)… because of the One who has paid the price in blood to save us from ourselves.

 

Coming Home by Cat Ong

Image courtesy of Cat Ong and Monsoon Productions

Heartfelt and honest, Cat Ong’s new album exudes just what its title suggests—a sense of contented, gratitude-filled homecoming. Influenced by folk, pop and a noticeable dose of CCM (contemporary Christian music), it’s an enjoyable audio experience with just a touch of the eclectic: I’m quite sure I detected the strains of an erhu in the song Mama!

Cat’s many years of experience and development as a professional singer are obvious throughout the 10 offerings in this album. Apart from a few points where her higher register betrays slight strain, each note delivered is lush and full with smooth phrasing, crisp-clear enunciation and beautifully executed vibrato in all the right places. The backing vocals on most of the tracks are also well-placed and nicely delivered.

The musical arrangements, a collaboration between Cat and Martin Tang, are in many places rich and multi-layered, thickening the audio experience while still serving as a suitable vehicle for Cat’s gorgeously  lush alto vocals. The only trouble is in the slightly-overbearing repetitions of some choruses, which can result in a touch of listener’s fatigue. I also got the impression that the arrangements were an attempt to marry performance music with a congregationally-friendly worship style; if this is correct, the attempts were mostly successful.

Unfortunately, one can’t help but feel that there’s a sense of “trying too hard” in Christina Foo’s lyrics—and she’s written the bulk of the album contents. While these words are certainly heartfelt and accurately reflective of Cat’s experiences and sentiments (especially pertaining to her foster mother and her personal journey with God), there are minor grammatical, tense-related and logic-flow infractions that caught my attention, as well a couple of points where theological rigour may have given way to emotional expression and artistic licence… though these grouses may just be the side-effects (job hazards, anyone?) of my work as an editor/proofreader.

That said, Cat’s lyrical involvement in Bread Of Life is probably proof that she can write, and has the potential to write well. In my personal opinion, this and Patricia Lee’s pieces —God Of Miracles and You Are Holy—are the most well-put-together songs in the collection. Createlevoyage understands that Patricia’s songs were included in the album because Cat wanted Coming Home to include personal worship songs directed to God. It would be great to see Cat penning more of the lyrics to her songs in the future.

Overall, Coming Home is easy on the ear and the heart, and one cannot help but look forward to see (and hear) how Cat and her collaborators will continue to grow their craft and spiritual statures in the years to come.

Find out more about Cat Ong and her music at http://www.facebook.com/CatOngMusic?v=wall#!/CatOngMusic?v=info and http://www.reverbnation.com/catong#!