Spring Breakers. Let's do this.

So yesterday I saw the highly anticipated, super underground (yet still containing an all-star cast) film, "Spring Breakers." I have to say, I was blown away.

"Spring Breakers"

Directed by Harmony Korine

Muse Productions

First, this movie is different in every sense of the word. The first thing I noticed, technically, was how the movie used color. It uses color to portray feelings. Things are neon and bright when the characters are feeling wild, and they are duller and more monochromatic when the characters don't. This really connected me to the emotions of the characters. I felt happily crazy when they did and I felt like I was in their insane world of partying and drugs. (SPOILER) But I felt worried and scared when they got arrested. So, artistically, this film got it right. It used film and cinema as a form of art again.

The message that "Spring Breakers" is sending is a little harder to talk about. I don't think it was at all endorsing the lifestyle that these girls were living, but rather just portraying it. I thought it was a very accurate description of what can happen when you're young and feeling experimental. When you feel unbelievably free, thinking nothing bad could happen. Their minds were in this ethereal world they never wanted to leave, and it spins completely out of control. Basically, don't get in too deep or you may not be able to stop yourself.

Another aspect that I found extremely interesting wast the combination of these characters. Selena Gomez portrays a naive girl, but feeling a desire to experience new things and find herself. She grounds the story, while the other girls certainly take the audience off the deep end. When Selena Gomez wasn't in the scene, I definitely felt less safe, so to speak. I felt like something bad had more potential to happen. She was the voice of reason. She was the only one who actually got worried about the things happening around her. Not to mention, her performance was amazing.

Overall, this film was great. I almost can't even touch on James Franco's character because of how disturbing he was. But of course, that was the point. I couldn't stop thinking about it the whole day, almost having to recover from the experience.

Spring Breakers is certainly an acquired taste, but it is an amazing portrayal of cinema as art. It's disturbing, it's uncomfortable, it's scary, and it's free. And it makes sure you feel all of these things all at the same time. So be prepared for an overload.