Birds of Paradise (2021)

The Amazon Original Film Birds of Paradise (2021) is based on the novel Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small and clearly aspires to be a YA collision of Suspiria (1977) and Black Swan (2010). Diana Silvers stars as Kate, an American ballet dancer from a working class background who has landed a scholarship to a prestigious Paris based ballet academy. Upon arriving at the school, she makes an instant rival of classmate Marine (Kristine Froseth) a dancer from a wealthy background whose brother recently committed suicide. Of course, the two end up as roommates at the academy and while Kate seems to have to fight for every single advantage that she gets at the school, Marine is the golden child of the academy, with the faculty enthralled with her from minute one, particularly the ruthless headmistress Madame Brunelle (Jacqueline Bisset). After an unexpected event draws the two rivals together into a close knit friendship, they swear an oath that neither of them will succeed without the other also finding success, basically a we live together or we die together type of overly dramatic teenage girl type of thing. Of course, it's only then that Kate begins to suspect that Marine may have ulterior motives driven by a sneaking suspicion that her deceased brother may not have committed suicide after all! Lovers of lithe ladies ballet dancing are sure to get their fill with the gorgeous athletic bodies of both Diana Silvers and Kristine Froseth, who show off in tight leotards and even share a sapphic smooch! However, neither babe goes nude in the flick, with co-star Alice Dardenne taking that honor by baring her breasts in the shower! Birds of Paradise will please your woodpecker!