Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 30, 2013

13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, March 23, 2013

SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 

JASMINE’S CORNER

Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams 


The latest film from 
independent cult 
director Harmony 
Korine is one 90-minute explicit music video. 
Depictions of drugs, booze, sex, and violence 
all rolled up for an ADHD generation. Perhaps, 
“Spring Breakers” is in indication of how this 
generation of college students like to let loose 
and will do so at anyone’s expense. The film’s 
social commentary is heightened when in 
one particular scene when Candy (Vanessa 
Hudgens) and Brit (Ashley Benson) are in their 
history class and out of boredom start drawing 
sexual pictures and yearn for spring break. The 
generation they were learning about fought for 
survival and to see the light of a new day, these 
girls are fighting for the right to party. When 
the two girls along with their two friends, Faith 
(Selena Gomez) and Cotty (Rachel Korine) 
put their money together, they discover they’re 
significantly short of heading to their spring 
break destination. It’s then when the “bad girls” 
of the group Candy and Brit come up with an 
idea to knock off a diner at gunpoint to secure 
the rest of the funds needed. 

 With the help of Cotty as the getaway driver, 
the girls successfully pull off the robbery. They 
head back to their dorms to share the exciting 
news with their childhood friend, Faith, the 
ultra religious and “good” girl of the pack. While 
the news seems a bit disturbing at first, she 
quickly engages in the celebration. A celebration 
that has them leaving their humdrum lives for a 
week’s worth of total adventure and uncertainty. 
An uncertainty they’re deeply craving because 
the only thing certain in their lives is the day to 
day monotonous of an ordinary, no thrills, and 
no frills lifestyle. 

 It is then in the midst of raging parties of 
excessive booze, narcotics and sex is when the 
girls get taken away by authorities for drug use 
at a hotel. The four girls, in only their bikinis 
are locked up. They’re looking at a few days 
in jail if they don’t come up the fine. It is then 
where we meet for the second time (first time 
when he’s rapping on stage) Alien, a white boy 
rapper/drug dealer played by James Franco with 
extraordinary bravura. His performance alone 
may be the only redeeming quality of the film. A 
presentation so over the top, so out of this world 
that you can’t help but not to laugh with him and 
usually at him. He takes a deep liking to the four 
girls, especially the innocent Faith, who never 
wanted anything like this to happen.

 However, as things become too much for her 
to cope with, she realizes she doesn’t want to be 
part of this any longer and simply wants to go 
back to school. Without much of a struggle to 
keep her around, they let her go. The girls lose 
their friend faith, along with some of their own 
faith as she says goodbye. However, the other 
three girls love the situation they’ve found 
themselves in. They thrive for the opportunity 
to be Alien’s new cronies and possibly lovers. 
According to Alien, he has it all. And by all, 
I mean a lot of banal possessions. He raves 
about his collection of shorts in all colors, his 
multiple Calvin Kline colognes that make 
him smell nice and how he has “Scarface” on 
infinite repeat all day long. The bond between 
Alien and the girls becomes strong. They start 
helping him rip off other spring breakers at 
gunpoint and the fun continues on and on for 
the four of them. But the fun quickly comes to 
a halt when Alien’s ex-best friend and rival gang 
leader, Archie (Gucci Mane) informs Alien to 
step off his territory if he knows what’s best. 

 Things go from bad to worst when Alien 
doesn’t listen and Archie retaliates by shooting 
up their car one night, wounding Cotty in the 
arm. After this, she decides she needs to go back 
home. Strangely enough, the two bad seeds of 
the group, decide to stay. As Cotty leaves, in 
the same fashion as Faith, the other girls fall 
back into their mischievous ways with Alien. 
The three of them together are a solid trio now, 
tighter and closer than ever. As much as Alien 
puts up a hardcore exterior, he kind of has a soft 
side. He shows a bizarrely caring attitude for 
these girls as if they’re not just any other girls 
to him, but his soulmates. Of course the way he 
talks to them is humorous, but you can’t dismiss 
the sincerity he displays. Alien does bad things 
for his pursuit of the “American Dream,” yet 
deep down inside he has a lovable vulnerability 
in him. He may be idiotic but he’s admirable, 
romantic in a cheesy way and sort of amicable. 

 Despite Franco’s strong, showy acting 
performance, the movie incredibly falls apart 
in the last ten to fifteen minutes. The ending 
is so far fetched that this throws away any 
creditability the movie may have had leading 
up to it. Writer/director Harmony Korine took 
a very provocative approach in making this 
movie. He has repeated dialogue all throughout 
the film as well as the saying “Spring break 
forever” frequently whispered by Alien and 
other characters. I’m not sure what’s scarier, the 
way violence is displayed in the film or the way 
people purely act on spring break. Talk about 
throwing all your inhibitions out the window. 
In this particular case, the film makes the girls 
look way more promiscuous, crude, and careless 
than any of the guys. 

 I applaud Korine’s sense of style and the way 
he has the audience as simply an observer, but 
never a participant in his story. We’re kept at 
arms length, but enough distance to be slightly 
out of reach. We observe from the outside, not 
in and that’s what the movie is sort of about. 

 “Spring Breakers” has young adults going to 
great lengths for a sense of adventure, belonging, 
and acceptance. This generation is as bored as 
ever and that right there is a terrifying ordeal. 
“Spring Breakers” may just be the tip of the 
iceberg and it’s haunting portrayal will surely 
stir up those unaware. As a narrative work of art, 
the film simply doesn’t live up to the message 
it’s trying to hammer home. Sadly, the film is as 
hollow as its female characters, but if that’s what 
unconventional director Harmony Korine was 
aiming for all along, then success is what he got. 

Grade: 2.5 out of 5

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE 
NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE

This next choice should not just be on your summer list, 
but it is one that may require bringing tissues when you 
read it. “Precious: Based on the novel PUSH” by Sapphire is 
another selection that will leave a lasting impression upon 
anyone who reads it. Be it recommended reading, required 
reading, or even one that you come across by chance, 
“Precious” (or PUSH by others) is a significant read that 
will have the chance of making readers learn to change 
their perspectives to see things in a new light, and how 
courage, strength, and knowing that someone cares for you 
can be the right combination to help you move forward. 

Precious is the name of the 16-year old protagonist in 
this novel, and she is the voice of the uphill struggle she 
faces alone. Obstacles in the form of abuse, neglect, school 
struggles, and the feeling of being unwanted are not only 
extremely challenging for Precious, but for readers as well; 
when Precious laments about her life and her relationships, 
it will be made very clear that she has had to deal with these 
negative aspects for most of her life. A glimmer of hope 
comes in the form of unusual circumstances: her teacher and peers take her under their wing when 
she is enrolled in an alternative school where she is given the opportunity to make her voice heard 
without being rejected. As Precious learns to shine on her own in this alternative school, she also 
starts to shine and make her voice heard in other areas of her life. 

Readers will be able to sense the uplifting messages of hope and positive attitudes, while also 
learning how one individual who seems so internally broken and isolated is able to find the will to 
forge a new future for herself despite her past experiences. Although this choice may be considered 
another “classical” option since it was copyrighted in 1996, “Precious: Based on the novel PUSH” 
could still be as relevant as it ever was, and its overall message is one that is still heard to this day. 
With praise from Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times Book Review, Chicago Times, and 
Boston Globe, as well as a 2009 film adaptation and being a 2009 Film Festival Award Winner, 
“Precious” proves that we are able to heal from whatever past hurts have grieved us, and that there 
is truth in that whatever does not kill you can make you stronger. 


SPRING BREAKERS

Written & Directed by: Harmony Korine

Rated R for strong sexual content, language, 
nudity, drug use and violence throughout 

Release Date: March 22, 2013

CRUZ RETURNS TO SIERRA MADRE


Native-born, Cruz Trevino, 
has come back home. After 
living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 
Mr. Trevino has opened a 
studio in his ‘home’ of Sierra 
Madre for teaching Classical 
Guitar to students in all levels.

 Reflecting on his personal 
tuteledge with the eminent 
Spanish Guitarist and Pedagogue, 
Maestro Emilio Pujol, 
and Italian virtuoso, Vincenzo 
Macaluso, he decided to share 
his talents with those who are 
interested in Classical Guitar.

A well regarded and admired 
teacher and professor himself, 
Mr. Trevino has continued 
with his pursuit of Classical 
Music as a central feature in his life. His students have excelled in music and other artistic 
avenues.

Trevino attended Pasadena High School and grow up in Sierra Madre in the 1960's. He also 
attended California State University, Northridge, California Institute of the Arts, and the Royal 
Conservatory in Madrid, Spain. He holds a Masters in performance. 

Mr. Trevino's employment over the years has consisted in administrative positions at the American 
Youth Symphony, under Mehli Mehta, Los Angels Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, LA 
Chamber, and most recently, as owner, with the internationally acclaimed, Maricam Fine Arts 
Recording Studio. A studio for professional international touring musicians in Santa Fe, New 
Mexico. Maricam Studio was featured in well regarded publications from: New Mexico Magazine, 
EQ Magazine, Mel Bay Publications and the Pasatiempo Fine Arts and Culture Magazine 
in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

" I am very happy to be back home in Sierra Madre", Trevino has stated to his friends and associates. 
"It feels as if a complete circle has finally connected itself, being back in Sierra Madre".

If you are interested in studying under Professor Trevino, email him at maricamstudio1@aol.
com.

 
“GOD’S 
MAN IN 
TEXAS”

Faith and egos collide in the 
age of mass-market religion at 
Houston’s Rock Baptist Church 
when the board of directors introduces 
a young heir-apparent 
to the charismatic but aging 
founder/pastor. A co-production 
with television writer David 
Rambo (Revolution, CSI) 

Written by: 

DAVID RAMBO

Directed by: 

NANCY YOUNGBLUT

Presented by:

SIERRA MADRE 
PLAYHOUSE

Starring: 

TED HEYCK, 

CHRISTIANLEBANO 

 and PAUL PERRI

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013 
AT 8 P.M.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 
AT 8 P.M.

SIERRA MADRE 
PLAYHOUSE

87 W. SIERRA MADRE 
BLVD.

SIERRA MADRE, CA 
91024

www.sierramadreplayhouse.
ord

(626) 355- 4318

Reception follows Friday 
performance. Ample free 
parking behind theatre.