HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Spring Breakers

Hit me with your best shot comes to a lurid climax this season, as we gaze at Harmony Korine's audacious film "Spring Breakers". With its bright, flashy visual aesthetic, there were definitely many options to choose from for the purposes of this series. The film actually comes across often like an avant-garde experimental film, rather than a traditional narrative feature. There are many trance-like scenes and lots of repetition. You could actually feel a Terrence Malick influence at times, intentional or not. Even so, there's definitely a story here and I found it to be quite interesting. The main actors are impressively believable as the titular characters, playing a group of shallow-minded college girls. Their behaviour is fairly predictable if you already know the premise, but the way their story unfolds feels quite fresh. Hence, I decided to focus on them for my favourite shot...

Click below for my favourite shot...

My favourite shot comes from a later part of the film when our spring breakers have been whittled down to two. The characters played by Selena Gomez and Rachel Korine came to their senses and left, but the two girls remaining are fully committed to the trip. They're all in for this adventure. Along the way, they hook up with James Franco's scene-stealing character Alien and get sucked into some really dirty business. Their response to his character is so fascinating, as everything about him screams "TROUBLE!". Yet still, they carry on with a smile on their face enjoying every shady moment. As Alien explains how he has been involved in every illegal activity imaginable and hangs out with murderers, you begin to fear for these girls. It's shocking then, to come to the realization that they are just as devious as he is (maybe even more so). When they playfully threaten him with those guns, you know they are joking but you also know that they would actually pull the trigger if needed. From the look on Franco's face, he knows it too.

These girls are fully in control of their situation, later emphasized by the film's bold, unexpected ending. I really loved the narrative choices used to establish these personalities. "Spring Breakers" may not be perfect, but you have to admit that the film and its characters are certainly unique.

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