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Editorial on Netflix’ Original Movie: XOXO

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xoxo screenshot

Good news everyone, I just decided to watch the Netflix Original Movie, XOXO. I will start off by saying; I was not as thrilled as I seemed when I officially wrote about the trailer.

For those of you that have attended music festivals or currently attend them, you know that there is never one way to depict a music festival, and I think the creators of XOXO didn’t know that.   I say that because there is so much going on in the movie that cannot happen when a festival actually originates.

While watching the movie, I decided to live tweet my “experience”. I got this shoutout from our website when I first started.

Now, I never got to see We Are Your Friends, the movie starting Zac Efron, so I cannot comment on it in that way. However, I did see a lot of backlash about how they depicted the life of an individual who wishes to make it big and perform.

So, after watching this movie, I decided to break this down tweet-by-tweet, eh? It is tough to write a lot when you’re stuck at 140 characters.

But first: Some names I reference in my tweets.

  • Ethan – Seems to be the main protagonist.  He is a young DJ who is attempting to make it big while not leavin his family, friends or loved ones behind.
  • Tariq – Ethan’s best friend and manager.  He will do anything to help Ethan make it big.
  • Shannie – A young woman who is attempting to attend one last festival with her boyfriend before she leaves for New York.
  • Ray – Shannie’s boyfriend who also attempts to attend one more festival with Shannie.
  • Krystal – A young woman set on meeting her soul mate while at XOXO.  I keep tweeting her name as Sarah, which is the actress’ name.
  • Krystal’s Friends – Determined to drink, party, and spend time with Avilo at XOXO.
  • Neil – A record store owner who originally only wants to bus people to XOXO to make money.  Turns out to be friends with the owner of XOXO.  Was tricked at a young age by Avilo.
  • Anders – XOXO’s Creator.  Kind of insightful for Krystal and Ethan.
  • Avilo – a famous DJ in the movie.  He seems to be shallow and likes to use people.
  • Chopper – Avilo’s  manager.  Tries to become Ethan’s manager and likes to use girls.
  • Jordan – The boy Krystal originally tries to meet up with.

The movie starts off with Ethan creating tracks using vocals from his mother. Like, props to him for using his resources. But my question is, why isn’t the reason he uses her vocals ever mentioned? Like it is touched briefly at the end of the movie, which is almost glossed over unless you’re really paying attention. This was kind of important to understand why these tracks he was making are so important. His friend Tariq has his own issues during the festival that the producers felt needed to be included as another storyline.

Shortly following the intro of Ethan, is another story line. This one has Shannie and Ray talking about getting ready and making sure they have their drugs.

I just love that it was just so important to point out that you need drugs for a festival like this. Their storyline turns out to be so much more; I do not think adding drugs was really THAT important for it.

A third major story line was to start off who Krystal was, and why she was so focused on attending the festival. Her friends are going, hinting they wish to meet boys, drink and party, but she is going to meet her “soul mate” named Jordan.

Krystal’s friends wouldn’t let her do as she wanted.

They made her drink, even after saying she might puke if she takes shots. That was a great example of something that actually happens at festivals. Peer Pressure is a big thing that actually gets a lot of attendees in trouble.

One thing I did appreciate was the way that they introduced Ethan and Shannie/Ray’s storylines to each other. Meeting on the party bus was big for the dance community because it takes attention from all the stereotypes and directs attention in the right direction: You can make friends with strangers, when alone people will help you.

Like, Ray actually gives up his ticket so Ethan can get into the festival. BUT WHY DOES HE HAVE TO?

The ticket lady doesn’t want to check any lists to see if Ethan is even performing, she just tells him he must go buy a ticket to get in. The boy is carrying 4 bags of equipment and they tell him he isn’t allowed in. An issue that comes up trying to get back stage as well. The security guard refuses to contact any officials to see if “Ethan Shaw” is on the list.

At one point, Krystal is trying her hardest to find Jordan, and that results in her phone battery dying. Maybe a few years ago, festivals never had charging stations.

If your phone died you were unlucky. During the movie, they show Krystal sitting in a backstage-style room that also looks like a supply closet. Its kinda unimaginable that this is the only place that she was able to find an outlet. Update your sources a little bit guys.

Next, can we talk about when Tariq gets to the festival?

This stranger comes up and kisses him – like full face-sucking, making out – to reveal that she as LSD on her tongue. The majority of Tariq’s storyline after that is his drug experience. But they mull over it like it is nothing. Someone slipped this kid drugs, and they are pretending like that is totally cool and that it happens all the time.

The first odd thing is that they are just casually selling tickets on the day of the concert. But to announce that there are no longer tickets being sold via a megaphone is extra mind blowing. That being said, to say that if the gates were close hoards of music fans would storm security and the gates to get in says more about the creators than it does about our community. Rules are rules, and fans know that. You would not be able to cause mass hysteria that results in security getting overrun by the fans who weren’t allowed in.

Lame attempt at catching some hype: There were a few name drops during Ethan’s initial visit backstage.

There is a mention of Aoki’s cake being dropped. God forbid he isn’t able to throw that cake during a show. That is not something that festival coordination staff should be concerned about day-of. The other was a the guy wearing a box on his head…

Like just a cardboard box… Shots taken at artists like Deadmau5 and Marshmello who wear helmets while performing?

One of the few very accurate aspects of the movie was that Krystal seemed to be having trouble depicting the map of the festival grounds. This is so common. Whenever I travel around a festival I will, without a doubt, see at least 3 groups of people trying to figure out where a stage is. Then there is always the really drunk people who stop you to scream “where is the _____ stage? I need to see _____”.

Head back to the backstage with Ethan, who has been introduced to Krystal’s friends by Chopper. Chopper tries to stop Ethan from working by showing him the “perks” of the VIP areas.

THIS IS NOT A JOKE. The script had them sit in an uncomfortable silence before a bunch of nervous laughing but this was not funny. Making it seem like artists can and will take advantage of girls, whether it is their choice or the choice of managers, is degrading and borderline sexual assault.

I do not do drugs. I have never tried to alter the state of my mind with hallucinogens at a festival. To be honest, you do not need to in order to experience another reality. That being said, I do not know why they keep going back to Tariq and making it seem like this trip is something he is enjoying. You see him falling apart; he is having a bad trip and looks like death. They should not be giving experiences of other-worldly trips but should be showing what he actually looks like on the outside, so that people are more aware.

It is good that this is a movie and Tariq happens to say that he needs water to another protagonist in the movie, or else there is a good chance he would have been left. Luckily the person he said that to was Krystal, who happened to be walking by when he gained total coherent-ness.

This next scene was a big red flag for me. Krystal found the guy she had been looking for at this point and he leads her to a room full of black lights.

You could tell something uncomfortable was going to happen when Jordan asks Krystal this. Again, you do not need to alter your state of mind in order to have a good time at a show or festival. Unfortunately, the person who created this is hinting that it is almost a requirement. So, how does this scene conclude?

Krystal is sexually assaulted. But it is only a short clip, so it isn’t addressed. It doesn’t show much but her being touched more than she wants and saying no as Jordan continues to try. Finally she gets away and Jordan yells after her, “What did you think was going to happen?” like it is completely acceptable to do what he was doing to her. IT IS NOT. There is no right to do that, even I you are meeting someone up for the first or second time, there is no required sexual contact between the two of you. This was really uncool and was, again, glazed over like it’s a normal thing.

This is just bad production, in my opinion. Ethan and Krystal (yeah I kept tweeting the actress’ actual name) are in the same crowd enjoying a DJ performance and the video cuts back and forth between the two of them while dubbed over a song. It bothered me because they are never dancing on beat to the song. If the visuals were delayed only a few seconds, everything would have lined up much better with the audio.

I know that movies need to end with the protagonist getting his way.

But there is no way that if Avilo was the headliner that he would be deaded by the festival himself, no matter how much of a douchebag he was. They show him get sucker punched by and Neil then Avilo is locked in his trailer. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen. Monetary contracts are made for a reason. Neil would have been kicked out.

After locking Avilo in his trailer they just allow a young kid take over his set? Come on. In reality, Avilo would still have performed, Ethan would be kicked out for attempting to steal a set, and Avilo would have been greatly compensated.

But alas, he gets on stage to… CDRs?

CDRs that he doesn’t actually perform on, and CDRs that he will play press play on once and then while that song is playing he is in the crowd? What? How is that possible?

Dear writers who took three years to create this, you guys had such an awesome concept, and had the potential to do great. Wasn’t the person in charge a DJ who has raved since he was a young?? Come on…

He made a three-minute video giving the background of the movie!

At least they tried to be authentic with actual music festival footage. Even if they had to “sneak into” festivals to record, right?

I hope you liked my rundown of XOXO. Please feel free to watch the movie yourself and give me your opinions. I am open to hear your side, but I know several people who have expressed similar concerns.

So, Whoever is the next one make a festival or EDM movie.  Please ensure that if the protagonist is supposed to be a performer that they actually know how to perform.  Also please do not encourage the use of drugs.  Encourage the drinking of water and the enjoying of beautiful music.  Let people know that sexual assault and rape is not right, and just because someone is wearing a particular type of clothing does not mean they are asking for any type of touching or abuse from another.

In the movie, “PLUR” was referenced. This stands for Peace, Love, Unity and Respect.  I grew up in this musical culture with “PLURR” meaning Peace Love Unity Respect and Responsibility.  How about having a movie with that all in it as well?

TL/DR:
Positives:

  • Footage from California-based music festivals
  • No one died
  • Difficult topics were addressed
  • The soundtrack is good

Negatives:

  • The difficult topics were not addressed extensively (i.e. rape/assault culture)
  • The protagonists seemed to get away with a lot
  • Security was made to seem uncaring and ineffective
  • The festival was portrayed as unorganized
  • A major artist wasn’t allowed to perform, causing legal issues
  • Drug culture was made to seem normal

 

I love the reactions I have seen though.

https://twitter.com/astateofchez/status/769802304031563776

https://twitter.com/nick_mtzef16/status/769802476606201856

https://twitter.com/astateofchez/status/769803107517599744

About Theo Maulen

I write blogs to spread music. I usually will write about the "mainstream" jawns.
I tweet a lot so you can go follow me: @Illmatic_TJ

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