I finally saw "Black Swan". But I'm not sure what I witnessed. Keep in mind, I've seen all of Darren Aronofsky's movies. Yes, I even paid to see "Pi".

Well, here we go. Natalie Portman plays a ballerina who's kinda getting up there in age. Winona Ryder plays the most recent oldie who gets tossed out on her ass. Portman sees this, while coveting the lead in an upcoming version of "Swan Lake". You know, where you have to dance the part of the White Swan and also the Black Swan. But Portman has a tough time connecting with her inner Black Swan. Even to the point of turning away the ballet director's advances.

That's where Mila Kunis comes in. At first, I thought Kunis was maybe a figment of Portman's imagination, because Natalie is, to be kind, mentally fragile. A perfectionist, she resents how natural Kunis is as a dancer and also as a human, it appears. In effect, her complete opposite, rather Black Swan-like that Kunis. Tatted up, a smoker, funny, out to have a good time, that's Mila all right. BTW, Portman lives with her mother, Barbara Hershey, who can be charitably described as overbearing, still a stage Mom at Portman's advanced balletic age.

Early on, before given the part, Portman has a dream where she is dancing the Black Swan. So, I guess the movie is a series of real-life hard work dancing combined with horrific dreams as Portman works to find that inner Black Swan. Because we have skin peeling, we have lesbian sex, we have Portman's body literally breaking, we have her Mom's paintings talking, we have Portman literally becoming a Black Swan.

At least, I think that was what happened. Not a huge WTF, but close.

Meal of Links

Don Kirshner died. "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" was always a hoot.

Weird exam answers. Might have seen these before, but still funny.

Wanda Jackson has a new album. Produced by Jack White.

God bless Finland. They are happy and wealthy.

Baltimore and David Simon are still debating "The Wire". Still.

Going off-script. Shouldn't Don Knotts be in here somewhere?

Joe Lieberman bags it. But he would not have won anyway.

If you're young...look at all the things you missed.

Exercise Yard

Anyone with half a brain knows how great Aaron Rodgers has become lately as QB of the Packers. There was a hit piece done by Pro Football Talk over the weekend of him avoiding signing an autograph for a cancer patient. At last, PFT apologizes.

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20 Across: Group with the #1 hit "ABC" (14 letters) Answer: The Jackson Five