A24 A-to-Z: #3. "Spring Breakers" (2013)

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

Review: "Spring Breakers" has Poetic Beauty Partying All Over It

Left to right: Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens,
Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine

When director Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers opened in limited release, nobody expected it to break specialty box office records like the more acclaimed films The Master or Moonrise Kingdom. However, it was only the start of this film's surprise hit status. Starring three Disney starlets, a crazy performance by James Franco, and directed by the guy whose last film was called Trash Humpers, this doesn't seem like a film that deserved a place in this past weekend's Top 10 box office. However, despite polarizing the youthful demographics, the film has been a critical success. How can a film that is essentially extensive partying with nudity and drugs one of the best films of the year so far?

Can "Spring Breakers" Be Taken Seriously for Nominations?

James Franco

With the 2013 Oscar season firmly behind us, it is time to wade through the releases until we get an actual front runner. Until then, let us speculate on the films that could and will get nominated. As I noted back in December, one of the films gunning for a Best Actor contention was director Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers. Somehow the belief that James Franco's gangster persona was capable of competing with winner Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) seems absurd in hindsight. Also, since the film wasn't released in time for consideration, nothing happened. However, with the release coming on March 22, it is time to raise speculation again. Is Franco capable of winning back the Academy with girls and guns?