To the original poster - when you remove the plastic engine cover, you have to turn it upside down. Make sure to place it on something soft, not cement so you don't scratch the top of it. Also, the filters are held in place with a cover that takes a Torx head screwdriver, that's the kind that looks like a star shape. You might be able to wedge a small flat blade into the screws, but if you don't have one, maybe you can borrow a torx head from someone before you try this and have to stop.
Also, the filters are not symmetrical, one end is thicker than the other, so think it through for which direction makes sense. If you just got the car, someone may have wedged them in backwards. I think it is possible to squeeze them in the wrong way.