Post by StevePulaski on Oct 24, 2010 9:33:23 GMT -5
Rating: ★★★★
A kid's most enjoyable years are said to stem from the adolescent period of their life. There the happiest and most energetic in a male and female's life; though there isn't anything happy about the events in Thirteen at all. Thirteen is a heart-wrenching story combined with powerful acting by all three female leads and the strongest story and moral of any low budget film I've ever seen. Why didn't I see this nominated for Best Picture in 2003? Where was this when Chicago and The Pianist were soaking in the glory? At all film festival in an unknown town where it was seen so seldom it's a forgotten flick nowadays? It certainly should be seen more by teenage girls around thirteen to fifteen years old. They're the ones who need to see this masterpiece.
Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, and Holly Hunter are all phenomenal in this film. Not to mention that this is loosely based off of Nikki Reed's real life. Nikki Reed plays the bad influence Evie in the film almost as if she is her own worst enemy. Not to mention there is a billboard that keeps popping up exclaiming the phrase "Beauty is True". Though I wont spoil it's relevance in any way I will say it took a lot of spirit from The Picture of Dorian Gray which was very shocking yet amazing. Its not something you'd expect to see in a film like this.
The plot circulates around Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) who is a good girl, honors student who turns her life in the opposite direction when she hooks up with loose cannon, High School tramp, Evie (Nikki Reed). Her life is now all about alcohol, drugs, self mutilation, and sex rather than poetry, her family life, schoolwork, and old friends. She is on the verge of destruction as she plunges deeper and deeper into the close relationship of Evie that the results are not only disastrous, but frightening and reality to a person's life. To think actress Nikki Reed went through life like this/something similar is almost mutilating to the mind and soul.
What makes Nikki popular is her accessories, slutty clothes, necklaces, bracelets, ass-fitting shorts, and so on. She is an art project herself. Her face is about half makeup. What real leaves me still to question. Personally, a little makeup on a girl is fine, but when it makes your eyes the darkest thing on your face it's like "we're supposed to stare at you for your fake personality/self consciousness". Girls now have my sympathy. They are constantly reminded their not as pretty as drunks like Snooki on Television and all the Italians that fill Jersey Shore's scripted set. In my eyes, if a girl wears not too much makeup, I can see her with me. But when makeup is as common as a shirt or shorts (barely shorts, more like blue, jean material underwear) I doubt it. No matter which category they fall under, they don't go for me to begin with.
Holly Hunter should have at least gotten a nomination for her role as the mother. The mother in this film (Melanie) is a mother that doesn't play a huge role in the child's life which is very sad. To put this in a nutshell; the mother watches her daughter's self destruction with her ex-Cocaine addicted boyfriend who does nothing to help Tracy either. My mom plays a huge role in my life, my dad not as greatly, but still there. My mom has supported me and my work for years and I'm greatly appreciative. While Hunter's role is well played, it's very neglecting to the Tracy character in the film. Melanie just lets Tracy live her life not caring or even minding that her daughter's actions/events in her life could leave her traumatized, suicidal, or dead.
Thirteen is a fantastic teen movie, that may have an R rating, but I encourage mothers and daughters to talk about their future/teenage years and sit down and watch this film. It's underrated, limited release quality has left it forgotten and in the dust for since it's 2003 release, but I want everyone who has read this review to watch this and experience for themselves the dangers of adolescent hood. In August, when I was craving movies based on thirteen to fourteen year olds, or films basing events around my age group, I should have watched this; not The Babysitters Club.
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, and Holly Hunter. Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke.
A kid's most enjoyable years are said to stem from the adolescent period of their life. There the happiest and most energetic in a male and female's life; though there isn't anything happy about the events in Thirteen at all. Thirteen is a heart-wrenching story combined with powerful acting by all three female leads and the strongest story and moral of any low budget film I've ever seen. Why didn't I see this nominated for Best Picture in 2003? Where was this when Chicago and The Pianist were soaking in the glory? At all film festival in an unknown town where it was seen so seldom it's a forgotten flick nowadays? It certainly should be seen more by teenage girls around thirteen to fifteen years old. They're the ones who need to see this masterpiece.
Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, and Holly Hunter are all phenomenal in this film. Not to mention that this is loosely based off of Nikki Reed's real life. Nikki Reed plays the bad influence Evie in the film almost as if she is her own worst enemy. Not to mention there is a billboard that keeps popping up exclaiming the phrase "Beauty is True". Though I wont spoil it's relevance in any way I will say it took a lot of spirit from The Picture of Dorian Gray which was very shocking yet amazing. Its not something you'd expect to see in a film like this.
The plot circulates around Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) who is a good girl, honors student who turns her life in the opposite direction when she hooks up with loose cannon, High School tramp, Evie (Nikki Reed). Her life is now all about alcohol, drugs, self mutilation, and sex rather than poetry, her family life, schoolwork, and old friends. She is on the verge of destruction as she plunges deeper and deeper into the close relationship of Evie that the results are not only disastrous, but frightening and reality to a person's life. To think actress Nikki Reed went through life like this/something similar is almost mutilating to the mind and soul.
What makes Nikki popular is her accessories, slutty clothes, necklaces, bracelets, ass-fitting shorts, and so on. She is an art project herself. Her face is about half makeup. What real leaves me still to question. Personally, a little makeup on a girl is fine, but when it makes your eyes the darkest thing on your face it's like "we're supposed to stare at you for your fake personality/self consciousness". Girls now have my sympathy. They are constantly reminded their not as pretty as drunks like Snooki on Television and all the Italians that fill Jersey Shore's scripted set. In my eyes, if a girl wears not too much makeup, I can see her with me. But when makeup is as common as a shirt or shorts (barely shorts, more like blue, jean material underwear) I doubt it. No matter which category they fall under, they don't go for me to begin with.
Holly Hunter should have at least gotten a nomination for her role as the mother. The mother in this film (Melanie) is a mother that doesn't play a huge role in the child's life which is very sad. To put this in a nutshell; the mother watches her daughter's self destruction with her ex-Cocaine addicted boyfriend who does nothing to help Tracy either. My mom plays a huge role in my life, my dad not as greatly, but still there. My mom has supported me and my work for years and I'm greatly appreciative. While Hunter's role is well played, it's very neglecting to the Tracy character in the film. Melanie just lets Tracy live her life not caring or even minding that her daughter's actions/events in her life could leave her traumatized, suicidal, or dead.
Thirteen is a fantastic teen movie, that may have an R rating, but I encourage mothers and daughters to talk about their future/teenage years and sit down and watch this film. It's underrated, limited release quality has left it forgotten and in the dust for since it's 2003 release, but I want everyone who has read this review to watch this and experience for themselves the dangers of adolescent hood. In August, when I was craving movies based on thirteen to fourteen year olds, or films basing events around my age group, I should have watched this; not The Babysitters Club.
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, and Holly Hunter. Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke.