Spring Breakers in Theaters Friday, March 22nd Following U.S Premiere at SXSW 2013

Spring Breakers photo courtesy through SXSW/ L-R Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine and Vanessa Hudgens

Liz Lopez

Rating B-

Spring Breakers written and directed by Harmony Korine has been screening in film festivals internationally since September of last year and made its U.S. Premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on Sunday, March 10, 2013. It arrived with so much buzz and popularity that not all press, nor all festival badge-holders were able to make their way into the Paramount Theater that evening, as it was filled to capacity.  A second screening was held at a smaller theater capacity located on 6^th St., the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, during the week and a fellow critic mentioned how coming out of that theater that evening straight onto the street where real life Spring Break revelers were hanging out, was quite an experience. After viewing the film AND having been in the midst of the film and music festival, I certainly understand how the throngs of people, young and older, would evoke flashbacks from this film.

The 94 minute film certainly earns the R rating for the strong sexual content, nudity, drug use, violence throughout and language, which is the least of the issues I would be concerned about as a parent to any child, but especially girls this age. Parents, be aware that although Selena Gomez is in this film, it is certainly not the film that you want to take your t’weens to see this or any other time. I do have to say that to her credit, Gomez’ character Faith wears a bikini and keeps her clothes on in the film, but I cannot say much for the other tough cookies in the film.

I absolutely love James Franco’s performance in this film and in the first scene as a local rapper, I did not recognize him. Franco transformed himself into this character, Alien a drug pusher and arms dealer in Florida where the four young beauties, Brit (Ashley Benson), Faith (Gomez), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens) and Cotty (Rachel Korine) have gone to par-tay and “find themselves”.

It is Alien who discovers them in the courtroom and bails them out, but of course, with strings attached. They find an adventure of a life time and much more than they bargained for after meeting Alien and since they did not budget for going to jail, they give in.

Don’t expect to see much more than what you may have seen in other films with beach parties and college age young adults; little to no clothes, smoking of all kind and lots flowing – music and liquor. They can only imagine they are in a video game or film for so long before reality hits.

For adults who are not easily intimidated or turned off by all of this, I certainly say this film is a must see because of Franco’s performance and the great musical score by Cliff Martinez (Drive) and Skrillex. Learn more about the soundtrack on http://www.springbreakersmovie.com/

Spring Breakers is already in theaters in New York and LA, but it hits theaters nationwide on March 22^nd.  Believe me, it is screening in so many of the theaters in Austin, I am sure there is a theater near you.

Source: SXSW and http://www.springbreakersmovie.com/

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Documentary West of Memphis in Austin Theaters and Arrives in San Antonio and Houston Tomorrow

Liz Lopez

Rating A

In 1993, three eight year old boys were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas; Christopher Byers, Steven Branch and Michael Moore. There are many stories in the media over the last ten years since this happened; not only about the children, but about the three male teens who were tried and convicted of their murder, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. In total there are six victims, not counting the extensive amount of family and friends this also involved. Academy Award nominated filmmaker, Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil, 2006) has brought the story back into the public awareness, for those who missed or had forgotten about this case, in the documentary West of Memphis.

The film is in Austin theaters now and was an Official Selection at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival,  Deauville American Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. The story that Berg wrote and directed is very moving and at times very difficult to watch as the graphic images are shown across the screen of the murdered children. It is also very jarring when the new evidence is presented about the murders and viewing how the judicial system in Arkansas is handled. The teens who were targeted for these murders, and on death row for eighteen years, kept a legal fight going and it is Echols and his wife Lorri Davis, who tell the story of their fight to keep him alive and prove his and his friends innocence about the crime. Echols and Davis are first time filmmakers, who in collaboration with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, along with others, produce West of Memphis.

The film has been nominated and won several awards last year and this year, and the list can be viewed at www.imdb.com/title/tt2130321/awards

The film is screening in Austin at the Violet Crown Cinema, the Regal Arbor Cinema 8 at Great Hills and will be playing at the multiple Santiko Theaters in San Antonio (8) and Houston (3) on March 22nd.

Source:  [Sony Classics, Santiko Theaters, Regal Arbor]

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