Film Muse: Spring Breakers

So this has pretty much turned into a film blog recently. I'm okay with this, but I will get some fashion posts in here just to spice it up soon enough.

If you aren't a regular follower of my Youtube channel, Lauren Rose, I just posted two new videos:

Record Store + Karmaloop Haul

and

College Q&A: Parties, Friends, and MORE! 

Alright. Today we are going to be doing a Film Muse on Spring Breakers (2012) dir. Harmony Korine. I've been meaning to do this post for a long time because so many people disliked this film. I saw this movie in theaters when it first came out and honestly wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. I thought the Skrillex music placement was a bit past it's time, the acting was a bit uneasy, and it looked like a really expensive film for a indie director like Korine. But after watching it again, I can no longer deny that I LOVE THIS FILM. 

~THERE WILL BE SPOILERS~

One of the biggest reasons why I love this film is because of the cinematic genius of Korine and Benoît Debie (cinematographer) combined. The shots are so beautiful that I took over 100 screen shots of this film when preparing for this post. If that doesn't convince you enough to watch it, I do not know what will. Each frame is treated with this amazing artistic respect when it comes to lighting, gels, and placement. Like Korine said in one of his interviews, he wanted it to look like a bag of Skittles exploded. Congrats dude- you made it happen.

When I heard that Korine was directing another movie, I was beyond psyched. He always has a way of making the audience feel moved, yet also very uncomfortable (Gummo, Trash Humpers). What terrified me so much was the cast - Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars), Selena Gomez (Disney), and Vanessa Hudgens (Disney). Now that's not a dig at child actors under big corporations, in fact, I think they are some of the smartest actresses out there because they are making BANK. What I was worried about was the outside attention it would bring to the film. Parents would throw their arms up in revolt and Hollywood would pretend to be concerned. It sort of ruins how even YOU see the movie - you expect it to be insanely provocative (which it pretty much was), and you begin to critique every Disney girl's line. If this was shot on a more independent scale with no name actresses, it would have had a totally different response. More on the actors' and actresses' performances later. 

If you haven't seen the film, you might want to skip this paragraph.

I really loved the opening scenes, a sleepy college, dodgy house party, and empty dorms. These few images set up the plot for the girls' robbery in such a seamless way. It just felt so still there. The robbery scene was again - PURE CINEMATIC GENIUS. We initially see a left to right tracking shot of the robbery from inside the getaway car. Later we get a peek of the actual event through flashbacks of Ashley and Vanessa's characters.  The placement of Nicki Minaj's "Moment For Life" song plus the illuminated neon signs made me SUPER invested for some reason. This scene was insane. 

As a feminist, I'm sure many of you are wondering how I can enjoy this film. I don't think I even saw any of the girls wear a T-shirt during the whole film. I agree that Korine's take of "the college girl" is perverted -  just like the industry that we as a society have created (Girls Gone Wild, Spring Break as a holiday, etc). I do acknowledge this "male gaze" of the film, yet I still enjoy it nonetheless. Most people seem to be upset because most of the girls have no back story, no emotional involvement (except Faith). But since when did it become necessary for directors to go so complex into the psyche of all of the characters? Korine chose to give us Faith (Gomez) as reference point of their morality - which I think is enough to understand the rest of the girls. Korine even stated that there was a ranking when it came to morality of his characters: Faith, Cotty (sort of a mother figure to Faith), and then Brit and Candy who were supposed to be on the psychotic and unpredictable spectrum. I think once you understand Korine's glimpse into the characters, their relationships and situations seem a lot more understandable. 

Performance Breakdown:

Faith (Gomez): I thought Selena did a great job in this film. She plays a cute southern and slightly sheltered girl who gets more than she bargains for. It's sort of a shame that her presence on set overshadowed everyone else though. Her character is only in 1/3 of the movie. I think she really took a chance with Korine and successfully shed her Disney quality. She also picked the right character to play, you never really see her in sexual situations. 

Cotty (Rachel Korine): AMAZING. Again, Rachel (married to Korine) was overshadowed by her fellow actresses' star value. She was the only one of the girls (except Hudgens) who did nude scenes as well. I felt like her acting was impeccable with some exceptions of some awkward voice over loops. She really protected Selena not only as her character but in real life as well. She wedges herself between Selena and real life horny party dudes to help her feel comfortable. Did anyone else notice this?

Brit (Benson): One of my favorites as well. We've all seen her on Pretty Little Liars, so I didn't worry too much about her acting (she is great on the show). She has a really great face for acting and showing emotions. Even though her character was "psychotic", she brought a side of venerability which I really appreciated. 

Candy (Hudgens): Better than expected to be quite honest. I think Hudgens is really comfortable with her stage presence and sexuality. At times I felt that she was a bit too overpowering in terms of ad libbing with Benson. I wish she brought more depth to her character, because most of the time she just acted straight up crazy. If that's the way Korine wanted it - then she did an amazing job. 

Alien (James Franco): Very interesting character. I think Franco did a really cool character study for this film. He was a comedic relief, yet also made the audience feel an alliance with him instead of seeing him as a total creep. If it had been anyone else playing the role, I think I would have viewed his character differently. But when it comes down to he, he is by far the most QUOTABLE person in this film.

"I got my tannin' oil, for when I wanna tan out by the POOL" 

"This is my fuckin' dream y'all. I got shit! I got fuckin' shorts y'all! I got 'Scarface' on repeat y'all! I got Calvin Klein Escape!"

"Sprinng Breaaak Forevaaa" 

(ATL Twins- actually really cool people - check out their interview on Vice)

One thing that I HAVE to talk about is the criticism of Selena Gomez's performance in the scene below. I heard some rumors about how she actually broke down on set (which actually fit her character) because she felt overwhelmed by the setting. Someone close to me at the time complained how racist she was because she was surrounded by a bunch of black people and couldn't handle it. Now let me explain something - what you see on screen in Korine's films is sometimes 100% real. The drugs, the entourages, the town locals who are cast, everything. I'd even go as far to say that some if it is almost like a documentary (filming Gummo for example). Apparently Korine surprised Selena with this scene in order to get a maximum performance (genius by the way). So how would you feel as a straight edge teen, being PLOPPED into a scene surrounded by real drugs and real people (probably) whispering stuff to you while you're in a skimpy bathing suit? Especially when people only know you as a Disney girl? No, you wouldn't be peachy-fucking-keen - you'd feel terrified- no matter what race the people were. As you can probably tell, Selena was NOT prepared for this - but it brought the most heartbreaking and true performance from her. I thought she was brilliant. Moving on. 

Some people also mentioned how they thought the characters weren't "real" - like teens today. I've already talked about the Spring Break industry, but I have to disagree with the statement above. These girls, although simplified, show the intense desire for life, and the mundane aspects of repetition. It is reinforced into our brains through the voice over loops of the girls. Some people thought this was stupid (partly because the acting wasn't amazing during the voice overs), but it really just tries to show the desperation that the girls have. I've met people like this, I've even felt like this myself, when you're so desperate for change you don't even care about the consequences. There are people out there without filters. Some of the more "civilized" people won't understand this. 

THE IMAGES AND PARAGRAPH BELOW MIGHT BE A SPOILER.

Before I finish, I need to dedicate a paragraph to Rachel Korine and her amazing performance. When she got shot by Gucci's entourage (by the way, forgot to talk about Gucci- his performance was hilariously bad but endearing), she had the most heartbreaking scene after. I loved the gels that they used to tint the shower scenes. Seeing her naked slumped down in the shower and NOT in a sexual way was the most beautiful scene. You feel her pain, her regret, her realizations. It all comes crashing down at this point.

The ending was a bit interesting. It was abrupt, and a little absurd (guy falling into the fountain after being shot, Gucci, etc). It leaves you wondering - will this be the last of it? I notice that Brit looked the most conflicted and changed towards the end, while Hudgens still looked unfazed. I'm not sure if that was supposed to be that way or not, but I thought I'd mention it.

My final thoughts are this: I enjoyed the movie, but you have to "come in the right way" when you see it. You can't try to pick apart the Disney girls' performances, or you will just miss the characters' developments. I was actually talking to a manager at one of my favorite theatres about this movie, and he bashfully said that he loved it (he was probably in his late 30s). His perspective was different than mine because he had no idea who the Disney stars were, with an exception to Gomez. Can you image that? Watching a movie in an unbiased way? Yep. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, it's a good time.

Keep it cool, 

Lauren Rose

Curbside Fashion

Film Review: The Bling Ring dir. Sofia Coppola

Hey Guys. I guess I'm doing film reviews now.

I just got back from Sofia Coppola's new movie, The Bling Ring*. If you don't know the plot, it is inspired by true events - a group of L.A. teens who rob famous celebrities' homes while they are away.  Mind you, this was in they heyday of reality shows like "The Hills", although I'm sure L.A. hasn't changed much since then. As you can see, this plot isn't like Coppola's previous films.

I sometimes think about that. Sofia always has these really great dainty yet powerful films, dealing with emotions and transitions of (typically) younger people. We've all seen it, her shots are beautifully soft and muted with feminine touches. Yet I wonder if she gets tired of doing that, because this film is completely different. Yes, her iconic perspective of suburbia still remains in many of her setting-the-scene shots and key color palettes.

But to be honest, I don't think I liked the film.

The Bad Stuff: 

I don't want to put Sofia's work down, at all. Mainly because I have a massive girl crush on her and I know she puts way more into her films than we can ever know, but the film seemed off. Number one, the actual fluidity of the cinematography seemed a bit amateurish in some shots (mainly the opening scene). You could see the camera shaking on the rig, which I know only a handful of people would actually notice but it just started the film off on the wrong tone.  Also, the film was shot in modern day, with pockets of TMZ style paparazzi footage, but for such a sleazy plot line, some of the shots looked too soft, too pretty, and too expensive (court scenes especially). Not even glamorous, like the film wants to be, just soft. It's probably something to do with the deep focus they used.

    The music placement was also a bit strange (although she did feature some Azealia Banks which I mentally jammed out to). Again, the opening scene used the same Sleigh Bells song as the trailer, which made it lose impact in my opinion. Some of the actors/extras were also pretty amateur, you could tell they didn't quite know how a party went down in this day an age (like watching someone taking a hit from a joint and acting like its a miraculous 3 foot bong). I suppose you could argue that that is how the "elite" party, like assholes, but hey - that's up for debate. This next bit isn't though. The "extras" who bully Broussard (male Bling Ring member) in the first few scenes are hilariously bad. I'm sorry, but that kid is so attractive! Why would anyone bully him? I don't care if he just transferred in! Nope. It's like that jean jacket girl in Perks of Being a Wallflower who calls Charlie a "faggot" every other scene. It's just so left field that it makes absolutely NO sense.

So now that I've ripped all of your hearts' out, lets go to the character breakdown.

Character Breakdown:

Emma Watson: Interesting character, you see only 1/5th of what you'd expect to see of her, funny one liners, her accent is a bit off but endearing, and her body language is really spot on for her character. 

Taissa Farmiga: I love this girl, but I think she was gravely miscasted. Her character is obsessed with zebra prints/cheetah spots and makes out with random dudes. Perhaps I'm just used to seeing her as Violet from American Horror Story, but really - I think she didn't fit the role. They needed someone who was more of a "Lisa" from Girl Interrupted.  But nonetheless, I can't wait to see Taissa in future roles to come. 

Israel Broussard: Maybe one of the best actors, plays the sympathetic character. Gay- but not overly "Hollywood Gay". You never really dislike his character, and if I could compare him to anyone - he's the Lux of the film.  I think he did a great job to be honest and I hope this kid goes far.

Katie Chang: Head of the Bling Ring, a few awkward lines, but she really pulls it together in the end. She embodies this cool and calm confidence, even when she is about to be prosecuted. I really dig her character.

Claire Julien: Almost a little too laid back for her counterparts (to the point where it was a bit embarrassing). I'd like to see her in more of a Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine) type of film. 

Leslie Mann: PERFECT Adderall giving mother. Her performance was probably the best out of everyone. 

The Good Stuff:

I think it's a really interesting commentary on "celeb" culture and social media. Yes, the amount of "selfies" taken in the film was a bit ridiculous - but the characters are ridiculous. I think this is the type of film that I'll appreciate when I'm older, looking back at the boom of the Internet and social media age and how it corrupted the youth. At least, I hope it won't be like this in the future.

I truly wonder if I didn't like the film because I couldn't relate to the teens, or perhaps it was because I didn't want to relate to them. Is this what the youth is like today? Do we have an identity anymore or are we all just trying to create our own image- like celebrities? It's unsettling. Even if you aren't as extreme as the characters, at some level you can relate to them. I hope people see this about the film. I hope they just don't walk away laughing at crazy materialistic teens - because we as a society allow those type of people to dominate our perceptions of pop culture in some way or another.

(edited photos from durre.tumblr.com )

Final Thoughts:

I personally think Sofia connects more with film critics when she creates films that deliberately make you feel a certain way (nostalgic mystery in The Virgin Suicides, sympathy in Marie Antoinette, etc). In this film, she tried to remain as non-biased as possible in an effort to make the audience reflect on their own morals. I mean, I dig it, but if she would have dug a bit further into the problematic lives of the Bling Ring members in a non humorous way, perhaps I would have gotten something more out if it. She gave us one sympathetic character (Broussard), who I really connected with, but left everyone else out of the picture. 

It's interesting. If you are a film lover, you will probably will be torn. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm going to predict that this film will get better over time, once we clearly see our old society through a new lens. Unfortunately, even the physical look, sound, and flow of the film didn't meet my expectations.  If you are a regular movie-goer, you will probably think it's either lack luster, or completely fun. I really do commend her directing though. It's a hard film to make, a film that is set in our present era of capitalism and narcissism. How are you supposed to make that feel good? 

I'd recommend shelling out $10 to see it, but go in with an open mind. Listen carefully and see what your response is. It can say a lot about you.

Anyways that's it. I'm not a film critic, but I hope you guys enjoyed this either way.

Keep it cool, 

Lauren
*= This was written the night of the wide release premiere, Friday June 21st 2013.

Film Muse: Go (1999) dir. Doug Liman

Hey guys! 

First of all, if you are new to my blog - welcome! Today we are doing a Film Muse, a type of post where I talk about films that I enjoy and recommend accompanied by my hand selected screenshots. 

Rad? Rad. 

I think Go (1999) is one of those movies that would secretly be super popular on the internet- if anyone knew about it. I sort of like it this way though. Not to go all hipster on it, but sometimes its the best feeling in the world to find a hidden gem and share it with your friends (sup). Trust me, I was weary of it in the beginning (it stars Katie Holmes), but I have to say, this is a prime piece of late '90s filmmaking. 

Directed by Doug Liman, Go is a story about a drug deal for a '90s rave (YUP) gone bad. It's sort of like Run Lola Run but less cracked out, meaning the film only loops itself 3 times, each time sharing a new perspective of 3 characters' ordeal (Polley Askew, and Holmes). So much happens in this film, but to put it simply, they have to deal with crazy drug dealers, strip club hit men, and undercover cops. Truly amazing. 

I think the casting was great for this film. I heard that Christina Ricci was going to play the character Ronna (blonde girl), but it went to Sarah Polley instead. That always makes me a bit sad, hearing someone get a role over another. But I have to say, Polley was amazing with her "fuck off" acting. Her relaxed acting reminds me a bit of Kristen Stewart (Adventureland to be specific).  Also, lets give some props to Katie Holmes. She plays her character with the perfect amount of shyness, sex appeal, and fearlessness. Her monologues are a bit stiff but I can't help but love her acting anyways. Keep in mind, this was her badass role during her Dawson's Creek phase and I totally dig it. Also, its always cool to see cult classic actors James Duval (The Doom Generation) and Breckin Meyer (Clueless) take on small but hilarious roles. 

I'm so glad this movie was made around the '90s rave culture. The closest I got to raving back then was getting a hand-me-down velvet and glitter tank top from the store - Rave (thanks sis). I think the concept is pretty cool though: finding a rave in the middle of no where by word of mouth, getting together with your friends, seeing kids dance like idiots (but its totally cool because everyone is on something), and just enjoying the beauty of music. The only other production that I've seen that incorporates '90s raves is My Mad Fat Diary (E4 T.V. show) based in England. If you guys know of any other movies with the same theme, let me know! 

I really recommend this awesome cult classic (lets start up the cult again here, eh?). The loops can get a little bit long, but its all worth it in the end. Let me know if you like it!

With that, I'm going to leave you with the ultimate Go playlist to get you pumped up.

New - No Doubt (!!!)

Steal My Sunshine - Len

Magic Carpet Ride - Philip Steir/ Steppenwolf (!!!)

Gangster Tripping - Fatboy Slim 

Cha Cha Cha - Jimmy Luxury & The Tommy Rome Orchestra  (!!!)

Fire up the Shoesaw- Lionrock (!!!)

To All the Lovely Ladies - Goldo

Believer - BT

Swords - Leftfield 

Talisman- AIR

Stay rad, 

Lauren Rose

Curbside Fashion