I actually feel glad that I didn't know the shins before this scene - just because this bit is so magical, and you feel like you and Andrew are feeling the exact same thing at the exact same time - rarely do you get to connect like that with a character in a film.
"You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life, I swear," Natalie Portman famously murmured to Zach Braff, and the song did in fact change your life if you were an indie-rock band in the early '00s. If "Smells Like Teen Spirit" announced alternative rock's "Here we are now" moment like a ton of bricks, then those opening notes of the Shins' "New Slang" cooing softly in Portman's headphones declared indie rock's arrival like a handful of feathers. Within months of the film's festival-circuit premiere and art-house run in the late summer of 2004, the Garden State soundtrack was hovering high on the Billboard chart, thanks largely to this relatively new invention called the iTunes Store. Suddenly, the Shins, Iron & Wine, and scene forefather Nick Drake - all featured on the soundtrack - were a mere Nelly's Suit away from being No. 1 in America. It's amazing that the Garden State soundtrack, originally just a mixtape the dude from fucking Scrubs made for himself, was the catalyst for indie rock to officially enter the mainstream, but thanks to it, the door was kicked open for Arcade Fire and Bon Iver to win Grammys, for Vampire Weekend to score a gold record, and for Gotye and fun. to rule radio. Damn straight that song changed your life. - SPIN
I don't know. Indie and Alternative are my two favorite genres, but I would say that bands like The Killers, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, and Keane brought indie to the music stage before this movie was shown in theaters. Of course, I'm 18 and didn't know what the radio was like back then, but I gained a lot of my musical taste from my dad, who's been listening to alternative and indie for decades now.
This is the kind of moment that people hope and dream for every day they exist out there somewhere, thing is you can't plan them they just happen. Until we experience one we can only hope and dream of them and stay open to the possibility.
I couldn't agree more. It was so simple and even a little awkward, but it's exactly what you'd want. Their attraction felt plain and real. They bonded in a fleeting moment. Real life flirting rarely ever happens this way.
First date with my ex, the shins were playing in a restaurant in downtown Asbury. It really felt like a moment in time. I remember that day like it was yesterday. We talked and laughed so much we hardly ate. This movie really captures falling in love with someone in Jersey and the ups and downs life throws at you. I miss him so much. It's so hard to come across genuine people that feel like home.
"this song will change your life" oath! from the second i heard new slang on the plane to america i fell in love with it! nothing quite like it. definitely my favourite song at the moment. i think it's safe to say that i changed my life :) now i need to watch this movie!
This film just proved to me that most men want to date a girl with about the same depth as a piece of cardboard, while we have to navigate a world where our next boyfriend / friend / coworker could be Billy Loomis.
I actually though this movie was crap when I watched it a couple of years ago. Although it got me hooked on The Shins's first album. I still think this is one of the most beautiful songs ever
If Natalie Portman tells you to listen to a song and then you listen while she's looking at you and smiling at you. It doesn't matter what that song is, it's gonna change your life.
in movie: What are you listening to? The Shins! You gonna hear this song this will change your life. reality: What are you listening to? I'm sorry? None of your business? ..................
She really nailed the cute, innocent, girl-next-door vibe. I melt at that smile. I just love the vibe of the movie. It was very subtle but realistic. I don't normally like rom coms but this movie always gets me.
id say the soundtrack is one of the best of all time. Not only some good and popular songs, but songs that really blended with the movie. Not to mention ive been a thievery corpooration and shins fan now for a long time cause of that movie!
I watched this movie about a month ago, and just recently found out about the shins. I just now realized the shins is in this movie, and im pretty sure that concludes that this is the best movie ever.
What are you here for? To promote The Shins of course, you? I do love The Shins though. This movie just overstated New Slang to the point of silliness.
Sam(Natalie Portman) was the dream girl I always wanted when I was 16,17,18. It reminds me of girls and their Disney fantasies. This was like my version of a Disney fantasy
A few months back, I made a connection with my honeysuckle. She sent me a song called "Bleeding Hearts Show" by the New Pornographers. I literally felt my heart and my throat chakras open as the song enveloped me and then crescendo into the finale part. It was at the moment I thought I knew we were meant to meet. Sad thing is she wasn't there waiting for me in the airport. Credits roll and Let Go plays as I stand there alone. I miss her and that moment but I'm glad I experienced it...
Mario Valerian I was a sophomore in high school in 07 when I first saw Garden State. So young and like you said naive. Always thought I'd meet w girl like Sam.
OK so a few people have told their Shins / Garden State stories so here I go, having been a blabbermouth too much on this comment thread: I had barely heard of the movie "Garden State" when it came out (2004) and never saw it in theatres. I didn't really think much about it one way or another at the time. I was riding in a friend's car in high school in 2005 and this really awesome song / band came on, it sort of reminded me of the Beach Boys, and the vocal harmonies were really good and the melody writing was excellent. Since I mainly play older music and stuff that has a lot of different melody notes in it, this caught my attention, the melody and the harmony. I wasn't even paying attention to the lyrics yet. I asked my friend what the band was and he said something like "the Shins, they're good" or "I'm getting into them" or something like that. The album turned out to be the second one, (Chutes Too Narrow) and the song was Saint Simon. Upon hearing it again it reminds me even more of Simon and Garfunkel than the Beach Boys (perhaps that's the origin of the tune's title), but is still what I think is an original melody with original lyrics. Anyway, when at the record store one day, not being a big shopper for music I got that Shins album, figuring there to be a few good songs on it and the rest would probably be so-so or junk. I was really surprised, everything (to me) was/is good, there was no junk. Then, after that I got the first album (Oh Inverted World, a track from which we hear here) and although "New Slang" didn't (and doesn't) stand out to me except for the colorful lyrics, the album as a whole, and several other tracks, really really got me. I was / am now a Shins fan. I was actually such a Shins fan that I was a bit paranoid to get the third album (Wincing the Night Away) because I was worried that being new, they couldn't bat 3 for 3 and that it would be a strikeout and shatter my perfect image of them (how dumb right?). So I held off getting it for several years. When I finally got it, I was blown away again. I know this sounds like an exaggeration, but when it comes to rock and pop music I'm a huge stickler for quality songwriting (especially the melody and harmony) and if it's shit, no matter how well orchestrated or how good are the lyrics, I pick it out right away (of course, great or shit is a matter of personal opinion....). So for something to bowl me over, in that line, it has to be REALLY good. And this was, and is. Even today I'll put on one of the first three Shins albums and can hardly take it off after one track, since I'll want to listen to more. I still hear / learn new things every time I listen, it's that sophisticated and layered, and also (more importantly), that meaningful (I think). That is what I personally call good music. I think these are quality songs, and although they are too weird in their own way (i. e. cryptic and/or overly specific, though creative lyrics, rather than hugely generalized lyrics) to become truly immortal in the way, say, certain Beatles songs are (and of course the Beatles were huge pioneers and trailblazers although by no means the first, or the only), I would like to think that these great Shins songs will someday become standards of tomorrow, especially as instrumentals. Now, I am a huge weirdo with weird music tastes etc so I caution that the Shins are not for everyone. Some people either hate the sound of the band (but like the songs) or like the band's sound (but hate the songs), or just hate the whole Indie Pop or Indie Rock thing as a blanket statement without bothering to listen in detail or make any kind of differentiation between the numerous groups / songwriters. That's people's personal opinion, and they're entitled to it. As for me, I like the (original) band AND the (first three albums' worth of) songs... although I must say I've listened to just a little bit of "Port of Morrow" and have been a bit underwhelmed, but perhaps it will sound better with repeated listens. I also look forward to seeing them on tour although I know most of the band is now new except for the main man, but as he wrote most of most of the songs, I'm not too worried. To me the playing and arranging is great, and important, but the composing is where it's AT. --- As for the movie - after hearing it was good from some friends, and that it was utter shit from other friends, and being a bit intrigued by the plot premise (since it was/is similar to my life at the time in some ways, minus the tragedy), I saw it several years ago, I think maybe 2008-9? Anyway, it really hit me, and got to me, since it did seem so much in many ways like my life (in other ways not at all). Of course, again, I'm weird. What happens in this movie may not speak to everyone and so just because you can't relate to a certain scene, character, etc. and that scene or character seems unrealistic to you, doesn't mean that (with the exception of one very cinematic visual scene which seems a bit fantastic/unlikely) someone else hasn't seen the same thing and related to it really hard, because it happened to them in their life, and/or they know someone in real life exactly like that character. Of course, you're not required to like this movie at all... just realize there are people who do, and that some do so from an aware standpoint rather than (as some have been surmising) an ignorant one.
+cambruoso I actually thought the song was used in a really pretty way right here. Natalie Portman is so damn charming. This movie isn't the greatest looking back on it, though.
The way I see it is that he wasn't really expressing an 'opinion' as much as boasting about himself for attention. I like to see myself as a nice guy and agree that there is too much hate in this world, and for the most part I do try to make people happy. But sometimes I just gotta vent on someone who bothers me, and I have dealt with far too many people in my life with his same attitude. I think me and you have the same idea, but just approach it in a slightly different way.
