Nerd in the 'Noke

Frankenweenie (2012), PG, 87 minutes - Frankenweenie is the latest stop motion animated film from Tim Burton (and the first since 2005's Corpse Bride ).  Between having become a dog owner in the last year and really enjoying stop motion animation, I have been really looking forward to checking it out. Frankenweenie is actually a feature length adaptation of a live action short film by the same name that Burton directed in 1984 (the short can be seen in the spoiler section below), and tells the story of a boy and his love for his dog.  Victor (Charlie Tahan) doesn't really have any friends other than his dog Sparky.  They do everything together.  One day during Victor's baseball game, Sparky chases the ball into the street and is hit by a car.  Sparky doesn't make it and Victor is devastated.  After seeing a demonstration about electricity in science class, Victor works on a plan to try and revive Sparky Frankenstein-style (referencing the classic Boris...

Black Swan (2010), R, 108 minutes - The latest film from Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan is driven by Natalie Portman's performance as a newly promoted ballerina and her relationship with her theater manager (Vincent Cassel) and a rival dancer (Mila Kunis). Nina Sayers (Portman) is one of the ballerina's being considered for the lead role in a new staging of Swan Lake (taking over for Beth Macintyre, the long running lead played by Winona Ryder). The theater manager, Thomas Leroy, doesn't believe that Nina has it in her to portray both parts that he requires for this re-invisioning of Swan Lake. She confronts him about it and, after biting him when he makes a pass at her, lands the role as he sees the 'imperfection' in her that he was looking for for the part. Black Swan proceeds from there, exploring Nina's psychological transformation into the ballerina that she needs to become the lead. Black Swan is full of strong performances. Not only out of Portman,...