I would beg to differ. It had some really evocative imagery, but it wasn't using it to say anything really worthwhile. Instead, it dragged out a story that could have been told in 15 minutes.
Pretty much. It was basically boobs + the worst actor in the world dressed up like Gary Oldman's character in True Romance. It will never be Kids, no matter how many people want it to be.
I absolutely loved Dallas Buyers Club, though. It walked a fine line where it could have dipped into saccharine and it avoided it. As much as I loved Wolf of Wall Street, if Leo beats out Matthew for the Oscar, I'm going to be thoroughly disappointed.
Yea Dallas Buyer's Club is the best new movie I've seen for a while now.
Yeah, DBC was fantastic though I dont see it winning best film. 12 Years a Slave should clean house. Matthew McConaughey gave a solid performace but his range is still limited and he still gets typecast in to certain roles. THis one still felt as though that were the case. I'd be shocked if Chiwetel Ejiofor doesnt get the best actor nod. What amazed me the most was the near 50 pounds MM lost to look the part of an emaciated AIDS patient. Jared Lito gave the best performance in the movie (or so I thought) and I would think that best supporting actor will go to him.
So many Spring Breakers haters, movie is top ten of the 21st century.
I would beg to differ. It had some really evocative imagery, but it wasn't using it to say anything really worthwhile. Instead, it dragged out a story that could have been told in 15 minutes. In the last decade, I've really lost patience with the sort of Malick-esque Ambien-fest school of filmmaking - aside from Jim Jarmusch, I don't find that stuff engaging at all. I didn't like Upstream Color either, besides the field recording scenes, and that's because I'm into field recording.
I suppose I just don't see where in the 'rules' of film that it has to tell a story? Spring Breakers is a masterclass in editing, and it's visual and auditory components are penetrating to say the very least. Speaking personally, I get a little emotional during the start of the second party montage (the first being the opening shot), while Selena's character is doing the voiceover with her grandmother. I don't get that way because of what is being shown (parties suck), or what is being said (who cares?), but just in the way it's presented as a whole. A ton of people out there who are ardent supporters of the film will get into how it represents a scathing commentary on the current generation of youth, or whatever, but I don't really think any of that exists in the film, at least not on purpose. If the film affects someone that way, than so be it I suppose, but I see it as one giant fantastical videogame experience for the girls in the film, not Franco obviously (spoiler alert- headshot), but the girls, and I loved every second of it. The neon lighting was brilliant in every shot, illuminating a world that doesn't exist outside of film, and the wall-to-wall sound by Cliff Martinez... oh Cliff Martinez, damn he's good. The experimental techniques utilized by Korine throughout the film may come across as tryhard to some, but brilliant to others. I am the latter.
I suppose I just don't see where in the 'rules' of film that it has to tell a story?
I never mentioned any sort of rules for film, and a film can have an experimental structure or approach, but I'm probably less inclined to like it if it's some sort of ambient piece that focuses on imagery instead of a central narrative. I don't feel like the commentary was executed very well and I didn't find any of the characters interesting, so the only draw is the cinematography. The shots of the finale and leading up to it were gorgeous, but it didn't make a good movie.
Updated my top 5 list after running through more of my watchlist and some rewatches:
1. Before Midnight
2. Spring Breakers
3. Beyond the Hills
4. The Act of Killing
5. Leviathan
Still have Laurence Anyways, The Great Beauty, At Berkeley and A Touch of Sin to watch most notably, but I also need to rewatch Her, The Hunt, Stories We Tell, Inside Llewyn Davis and Upstream Color to see where they stand when all is said and done. Also maybe Blue is the Warmest Color for a third time.
The remaining five;
6. Her
7. The Hunt
8. Blue is the Warmest Color
9. Short Term 12
10. All is Lost
Yeah, DBC was fantastic though I dont see it winning best film. 12 Years a Slave should clean house. Matthew McConaughey gave a solid performace but his range is still limited and he still gets typecast in to certain roles. THis one still felt as though that were the case. I'd be shocked if Chiwetel Ejiofor doesnt get the best actor nod. What amazed me the most was the near 50 pounds MM lost to look the part of an emaciated AIDS patient. Jared Lito gave the best performance in the movie (or so I thought) and I would think that best supporting actor will go to him.
For what it's worth, I hadn't seen the rest of the trilogy myself but loved Before Midnight. It doesn't really matter.
I suppose I just don't see where in the 'rules' of film that it has to tell a story? Spring Breakers is a masterclass in editing, and it's visual and auditory components are penetrating to say the very least. Speaking personally, I get a little emotional during the start of the second party montage (the first being the opening shot), while Selena's character is doing the voiceover with her grandmother. I don't get that way because of what is being shown (parties suck), or what is being said (who cares?), but just in the way it's presented as a whole. A ton of people out there who are ardent supporters of the film will get into how it represents a scathing commentary on the current generation of youth, or whatever, but I don't really think any of that exists in the film, at least not on purpose. If the film affects someone that way, than so be it I suppose, but I see it as one giant fantastical videogame experience for the girls in the film, not Franco obviously (spoiler alert- headshot), but the girls, and I loved every second of it. The neon lighting was brilliant in every shot, illuminating a world that doesn't exist outside of film, and the wall-to-wall sound by Cliff Martinez... oh Cliff Martinez, damn he's good. The experimental techniques utilized by Korine throughout the film may come across as tryhard to some, but brilliant to others. I am the latter.
I'm just a completionist. I'll wind up watching them all in a marathon at some point.
I never mentioned any sort of rules for film, and a film can have an experimental structure or approach, but I'm probably less inclined to like it if it's some sort of ambient piece that focuses on imagery instead of a central narrative. I don't feel like the commentary was executed very well and I didn't find any of the characters interesting, so the only draw is the cinematography. The shots of the finale and leading up to it were gorgeous, but it didn't make a good movie.
1. Before Midnight
2. Spring Breakers
3. Beyond the Hills
4. The Act of Killing
5. Leviathan
Still have Laurence Anyways, The Great Beauty, At Berkeley and A Touch of Sin to watch most notably, but I also need to rewatch Her, The Hunt, Stories We Tell, Inside Llewyn Davis and Upstream Color to see where they stand when all is said and done. Also maybe Blue is the Warmest Color for a third time.
The remaining five;
6. Her
7. The Hunt
8. Blue is the Warmest Color
9. Short Term 12
10. All is Lost