Spring Breakers (2012)

 

Spring Breakers (2012)

(Warning: Spoilers)

Directed by Harmony Korine.
Rated R

Comedy drama.

Candy, portrayed by Vanessa Hudgens - slutty, bad due to her criminal like actions.

Brit, portrayed by Ashley Benson - slutty, same as Candy.

Cotty, portrayed by Rachel Korine - same, I guess.

Faith, portrayed by Selena Gomez - the baby of the group, naive, innocent, doesn't actually do anything bad.

Alien, portrayed by James Franco - underground white rapper criminal gangster. (I think he's underground ?) 

Spring Breakers. This is an interesting one. I'm not going to lie when I say I was dying to see it simply because of curiosity. And I went in to the cinema thinking I was just going to love the film and that's that. I knew guns, crime and blood were involved but I didn't think there would be much of it. So if you're planning on watching this thinking it's all party and beach and alcohol and fun, you're wrong. In fact the partying side, or my definition of partying anyway, was only a small portion of this very unique production.

Let's start with the bad. Almost everyone I know whose seen the movie didn't like it. I think it had a poorly written script. That is if there even was much of a script. A lot of the time the dialogue sounded like it was bad improv acting. It was very repetitive, which I think was intended but I didn't like it, and often sounded like it was going no where. 
The storyline. Felt like it was going somewhere but in the end it didn't. The ending was just highly anticipated, basically I was trying to figure what the film was actually about, what the point was. I was disappointed. It was stupid and I still don't get why Brit and Candy shot everyone. 
Selena's character. Yes, Faith was able to shake things up a little by differing from the other three girls, and that was needed. But I was looking forward to, on a curiosity level, seeing her be the rebellious kind. I guess it was because the posters and ads made it look like the film was all about her (and Vanessa) but she was barely in it and when she was she didn't do anything I expected. She wasn't 'bad.'

Also on the trailer I posted above someone commented '90% porn. 10% Psychopath.' so I guess that's an opinion to keep in mind. 

Now let's look at it from a different perspective. Spring Breakers is an art house. It's supposed to be different. And oh boy is it different. Nothing like I have ever seen before. It's disjointed, incredibly interesting, and kind of hard to comprehend. The camera shots are amazing. Absolutely brilliant. The colours are electric and great. As is the soundtrack. Most of the music was made especially for the film, and I think the music made just fit so well in it. I love the cast and I think it was smart that Korine chose well-known young actresses, and nice that he casted his wife, as it was a breakthrough role for her. Franco did a great job and definitely showed his ability to take on a wide variety of roles. The scene where 'Everytime' by Britney Spears was playing would have to be my favourite. The combination of the violent, slow mo fight scenes and the unexpectedly magical kind of piano scenes just worked well.

As pointless as the film may seem I feel like I found meaning in it, but I understand if others didn't. This film quotes the bible, let's not forget that. The character of Faith explains temptation and represents the fact that you can be saved from it. If you're Christian, as I am, you may just accept what I'm saying, that God will save you from sin. If you're atheist, or any other religion, you won't. But I think everyone can understand the thought that something, whether it's God or fate or the universe or whatever, can guide you and can save you from things like temptation.

The desperate desire to escape, to want to get away, is unbelievably relatable for everyone. The film revolves around that. 
"I'm so tired of seeing the same things everyday. Everybody's miserable here because they see the same things. They wake up in the same bed, same houses, same depressing streetlights. One gas station. The grass, it's not even green, it's brown. Everything's the same, it's just sad. I don't want to end up like them. I really want to get out of here. It's not just spring break. It's our chance to see something different."

I'm curious to see other works of Korine, because this project definitely proved his amazing creativity and talent. 
There's really only a couple of words to bluntly describe this film. Different. Original. Unique. (The director's name is Harmony for god's sake, he's bound to be pretty unique.) 
You should go watch it.


-xo Chiara.

The Art Of Getting By (2011)

The Art of Getting By (2011)

(Warning: Spoilers)
Directed by Gavin Wiesen.

Rated PG 13+ 
Romantic comedy-drama.

George, portrayed by Freddie Highmore - lonely, 'teflon slacker,' not engaged with the world, fatalistic, emotionless, outcast, not at all motivated, gifted artist.

Sally, portrayed by Emma Roberts - popular, pretty, perfect, 'complicated.'

Dustin, portrayed by Michael Angarano - professional but struggling artist, George's mentor after they met at Career's Day at school. 

  

To be quite honest, there is nothing I'd rather do on a Friday night, after a long and tiring week of school, than sit in bed with a cup of iced coffee in my hands & watch The Art of Getting By. It's such a calming film.

First of all, the title is genius. Much better than it's original, 'Homework.' It relates to George and his journey throughout the movie, the fact that it takes effort for one to 'get by,' and that's far too demeaning for him. 

"I read a quote once when I was a kid, 'We live alone, we die alone. Everything else is just an illusion.' It used to keep me up at night."

From the very start of the movie we learn that George has potential, he's extremely intelligent actually, but he lacks motivation to do anything, which is unfortunate. And amazingly interesting. I'd like to say that a philosophical subject arises because of the character. (Would you call it philosophical? Idk. Don't judge me if this sounds stupid or makes no sense haha). The meaning in life. Yeah, we kind of do live alone, because it's up to us and only us live the life we long for. Everything else is just an illusion; I guess this refers to the fact that everything else in between birth and death simply is just everything else in between. 

"I have no idea what I'm doing here."

"I don't think anyone does, at least you admit it."

I believe George may have a mental illness explaining why his views are so negative. But I also imagine he's going through that adolescent stage where you're just trying to figure things out. And so if you're a teenager you can relate to this. And if you're an adult you could probably think of a million arguments as to why I'm wrong for relating to George. I don't know. 

I've read reviews of this movie written by adults and a couple of them brought up the fact that this film and what it's about may be negatively influential to teenagers, as if we're going to copy George's character. By the end of the film George finds meaning. He doesn't bluntly state that he now finds meaning in life, like he did about the fact that he doesn't find meaning in life at the start of the film. But he finds meaning in something. And that's enough to blindly convince yourself that there's something, even if it's the tiniest thing, worth putting effort into, worth living for. If anything, this film encourages that statement alone. So, on a side note, I find it offensive if any adult thinks we are ignorant enough to disregard that. 

George is the badass. He's the rebel, the 'teflon slacker' so he says. But he's not your regular rebellious kind of guy. Honestly, when I first noticed it was Highmore who was portraying the lead I didn't think he could pull it off. I mean, it's little Freddie, the sweet British boy who played good old Charlie in Tim Burton's take on Willy Wonka. However, he has definitely proved me wrong. His charm and cute as dimples bring a different feel to the so-called cliché kind of character; a feeling of sensitivity. He's hardcore, yet fragile, and I absolutely love it. 

I think Roberts' fits well in her role. I think it's her fair and effortless beauty.

Angarano was a childhood crush (Sky High, mate) so it was really nice seeing him in this.

My favourite part of the film would have to be those couple of scenes towards the end where no dialogue takes place, just music to get you in the mood; the part, especially, where George and Sally walk past each other on the street without stopping to say hey, without even making eye contact, nothing. I just find it impressing that there's so much power in the two second clip.

On that note I think the film has a great soundtrack.

The movie may not have been made the best, it didn't make it to the cinema (Australian cinema's, that is. I'm not too sure about cinemas around the USA or any other countries.), but I believe it's worth a watch. It's definitely a favourite of mine.

-xo Chiara.