In June, the first international trailer for A Dangerous Method introduced Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud and Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung, along with Keira Knightley as Jung's unstable patient Sabina Spielrein.  The film tells the story of Freud and Jung's relationship at the birth of the psychoanalytic movement, with the illicit affair between Jung and Spielrein leading to their professional estrangement.  As you'd expect from director David Cronenberg, that international trailer indicated that film would dive headfirst into some deep-seated sexual kinks.  A new domestic trailer is virtually the same, but tones down the kinkiness, eliminating a lot of Knightley being spanked and groaning in tortured ecstasy, as well as Vincent Cassel engaging in some passionate groping.  The insinuation here seems to be that prudish American audiences will be turned off by the sight of Miss Knightley being spanked.  Poppycock, says I!

You could never accuse David Cronenberg of being prudish.  The director has always been happy to explore the complex and often strange psychology of human sexuality, so A Dangerous Method is ideally suited to his predilections.  The film stars Cronenberg muse Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud and Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung, with the Austrian and Swiss intellectuals going from friends to rivals and at the dawn of the psychoanalytic movement.  Also on hand is the excellent Vincent Cassel, along with Keira Knightley as the woman who comes between them.  Even if you're not a fan of Cronenberg, this is a trailer in which Knightley is copiously spanked.  So there you go.

Netflix's streaming Watch Instantly service is fast becoming America's favorite way to watch movies.  The library of available titles is so vast and mutable that you, the avid instant watcher, could no doubt use a guide as you navigate the streaming frontier.  Luckily for you, I'll be here every Tuesday to update you on the latest titles available for instant-watching, as well as bringing attention some gems out there in the instantly watchable wilds.

I don’t know about you, but Vincent Cassel’s performance in Black Swan was easily one of my favorite parts of the film.  He also held down an incredible two-film performance as France’s favorite gangster in the epic crime profile Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Public Enemy #1.  Next up, Cassel is returning to his role as the stylish face of the best selling men’s perfume by Yves Saint Laurent.  The big news, though, is that Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky is joining him.

I know that at this point, you’ve got a good idea of what Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is all about. If you don’t, well, I’ll sum it up incredibly briefly by saying it’s a psychological thriller about rival ballet dancers.

The film’s already drawn critical acclaim from just about everyone to screen it, and the feature looks poised to capture some awards this year.

Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are the film’s leads, with Vincent Cassel onboard for the project as well. If the idea of a ballet film turns you off, pay attention to the trailer, and let quality filmmaking change your mind.

Check out the international trailer below, and gear up to hit theaters on December 3rd when Black Swan arrives stateside. Also check out iamROGUE's review of Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan starring Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel.

Darren Aronofsky has created what is one of the most haunting and terrifying films of the year. Taking the famed ballet, Swan Lake and turning into a living nightmare. At the same time, you could look at this as a coming of age drama, albeit one that is plenty dark. At times the director’s work here reminded me of David Lynch, he too offers such great beauty that can be peeled away. The music, the dance and the glorious glimpse inside the art of ballet make for a thrilling motion picture. Several times I had to stop myself from saying out loud, “Holy f*ck!” While this is certainly more traditional in narrative than say every single Lynch film, it has the raw power and intensity of something like Blue Velvet.

As beautiful as the dancing is, we also get an unnerving and painful look at the hell one goes through for their art. When Nina Sayers (a fantastic Natalie Portman) rehearses her turns, we see how damned impressive her balance is. We also hear the cracking and bending of her toe supporting her entire body. And it is near maddeningly painful! This moment of dance becomes a frighteningly intense visual as you wonder how much pressure her foot can take before she breaks it in half. A whole new respect is born for ballet dancers after witnessing Black Swan.

American audiences will recognize Vincent Cassel. His work in such films as Eastern Promises, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen is hard to forget. A talented and charismatic actor, he is a major star in France where he never shies away from controversial material, including the disturbing, yet brilliant Irreversible.

Fox Searchlight has released the first teaser trailer for Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. Check it out and let us know what you think...

Synopsis: BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

We already knew that Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg like to work together. Now it seems that Vincent Cassel has become another cog in that movie making wheel.

The three worked together in A Dangerous Method, which explores the relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Mortensen) and also stars Keira Knightley. And before that, Cronenberg directed the two actors in the critically acclaimed Eastern Promises.