When I was in my early 20s a film called Garden State came out. For me it arrived at exactly the right time. It depicted things which I felt spoke to my soul and was able to catch my mood perfectly. It seemed like had been made just for me and that it really meant something.
Watching that film many years later as an "adult" (I use that term loosely for me) was a very different experience. It suddenly seemed cringe worthy, full of pretentious characters and faux-profound and immature statements on life.
All that to say that I feel like Looking For Alaska is exactly the same kind of thing. Had I been able to watch this at around 18-20 years old it probably would have had a major effect on me. But I couldn't, and watching it at my age was an exercise in exasperation. Because TEENAGERS. ARE. THE. WORST.
And that's okay. This wasn't made for me. And despite more or less hate-watching through the whole thing, I found myself bizarrely really enjoying it.
This miniseries is based on the book by John Green, someone I find difficult to watch along with his brother in their various YouTube endeavours. They both just come across as not genuine. Green continues to write stories based around teens and their views of the world and somehow every book he writes gets turned into a film.
The characters are utterly horrendous. Miles Halter arrives at Culver Creek boarding school (In search of his "great perhaps"... sigh) and is immediately forced to fit in with what his new friends he meets there deem is acceptable. He's not allowed to have his own personality or views on things. His room mate, Chip "The Colonel" is an angry force of nature who takes Everything Very Seriously. It's honestly hilarious once you settle in to it as you watch him try try to deal with his world view that everything in life revolves around how you are viewed in school.
The main focus is on Miles' infatuation with fellow student Alaska. She similarly is incredibly forceful and lives her life based on philosophical musings from various authors. Everyone always does whatever she wants. These characters utterly dominate Miles and override his own personality. There's also a religious studies teacher who takes the nonsense to a new level of absurdity every time he's on screen.
Here are some actual quotes:
"We are lost in a maze, so how do you get through it?"
"Even when your heart breaks, you have to find a way to keep living."
"Be with your anger. Allow yourself to feel what you're feeling. The only hope of getting to the other side of this is to go through it."
"God help us if you unmoor her from the rock that is Jake."
"You've got 10 seconds to surprise me before I write you off as ordinary."
"Our time together may be short, but we are engaged in the most important pursuit of all: the search for meaning."
It may be the most pretentious thing I've ever seen. And I was utterly enraptured by it all. Characters speak ridiculous sentences that no human being in history has ever spoken, at least not without being laughed at. And once I settled in to this weird rhythm I found myself enjoying the ride.
Visually it's a treat, with the gorgeous rural locations and use of warm light giving it a magical feel. It actually reminded me quite of a bit of Life Is Strange. There's also a constant plinky-plonky indie soundtrack to really set off the hipster vibe.
Some how this is one of the best worst things I've watched all year.
Review by LeftHandedGuitaristBlockedParent2019-12-16T11:01:07Z
When I was in my early 20s a film called Garden State came out. For me it arrived at exactly the right time. It depicted things which I felt spoke to my soul and was able to catch my mood perfectly. It seemed like had been made just for me and that it really meant something.
Watching that film many years later as an "adult" (I use that term loosely for me) was a very different experience. It suddenly seemed cringe worthy, full of pretentious characters and faux-profound and immature statements on life.
All that to say that I feel like Looking For Alaska is exactly the same kind of thing. Had I been able to watch this at around 18-20 years old it probably would have had a major effect on me. But I couldn't, and watching it at my age was an exercise in exasperation. Because TEENAGERS. ARE. THE. WORST.
And that's okay. This wasn't made for me. And despite more or less hate-watching through the whole thing, I found myself bizarrely really enjoying it.
This miniseries is based on the book by John Green, someone I find difficult to watch along with his brother in their various YouTube endeavours. They both just come across as not genuine. Green continues to write stories based around teens and their views of the world and somehow every book he writes gets turned into a film.
The characters are utterly horrendous. Miles Halter arrives at Culver Creek boarding school (In search of his "great perhaps"... sigh) and is immediately forced to fit in with what his new friends he meets there deem is acceptable. He's not allowed to have his own personality or views on things. His room mate, Chip "The Colonel" is an angry force of nature who takes Everything Very Seriously. It's honestly hilarious once you settle in to it as you watch him try try to deal with his world view that everything in life revolves around how you are viewed in school.
The main focus is on Miles' infatuation with fellow student Alaska. She similarly is incredibly forceful and lives her life based on philosophical musings from various authors. Everyone always does whatever she wants. These characters utterly dominate Miles and override his own personality. There's also a religious studies teacher who takes the nonsense to a new level of absurdity every time he's on screen.
Here are some actual quotes:
It may be the most pretentious thing I've ever seen. And I was utterly enraptured by it all. Characters speak ridiculous sentences that no human being in history has ever spoken, at least not without being laughed at. And once I settled in to this weird rhythm I found myself enjoying the ride.
Visually it's a treat, with the gorgeous rural locations and use of warm light giving it a magical feel. It actually reminded me quite of a bit of Life Is Strange. There's also a constant plinky-plonky indie soundtrack to really set off the hipster vibe.
Some how this is one of the best worst things I've watched all year.