Finding out other people love the same old, no one else heard of it movie.
Except my love is based on years old memories, having seen it when it first came out in the movie theatre.
I really have to add that to my Netflix queue...except, I've said that about so many movies and TV shows that I have no room on my Netflix queue. Damn you, Space:1999, for taking up so much space!
Juno DVD, via Netflix. Rated PG-13
The Plot: Juno's junior year starts when she discovers she is pregnant. During the following year, she deals with the reactions of her best friends, the baby's father, her family, and also chooses an adoptive family.
The Good: I think by this point the world has either watched or heard of Juno, so I'm just going to ramble about a few things. So yes, tons of spoilers, if you don't like it, stop reading.
Language: this is one of those love it/hate it movies; is the language real or artificial? Readers, I loved it. I thought it was smart and witty and spot-on. That Juno has surrounded herself with similar people makes sense. At least in terms of Juno, it reminded me of something I learned in English class lo those many years ago -- or maybe it was History. Or maybe I read it in a book. You do the research. Anyway, it was a time during the 17th/18th centuries when it was very cool to go around and say pithy and witty things (ala Oscar Wilde, but I'm pretty sure I'm thinking pre OW), and how people sat at home figuring out things to say when they went out at night.
Now, I'm not saying Juno is sitting home scribbling one-liners to work into conversation. But, I am saying that Juno obviously self-identifies as the smart, quirky loner (look at her choice of phone), and is aware of her language choices.
Audience. While arguably a "teen movie" because Juno is a teen, this is more than a teen movie. An adult watching picks up on things that Juno or other teen audiences may not, in particular, her relationship with the maybe-adoptive father, Mark. The Juno/Mark interaction was spot-on of a girl who thinks she knows what she is doing not being aware of her impact on others because, well, she doesn't have that life experience, as her stepmother points out.
More on Juno/Mark. From her point of view, I think she saw Mark as bit of a fantasy version of her future self; and also, somehow, by linking him back to his "cool roots", a way of making sure her baby had the cool parent Juno describes to her best friend at the start of the adoption process. And, of course, that fantasy is equally what Juno wants for herself as well as who she wants to be.
Message. One of the debates I'd read about this movie concerns its stance about teen sex, abortion, and adoption. Juno is a great film because there is something in here to offer support to almost any side for those issues. It is also nuanced enough and true to the characters and plot, so that it never becomes a "message" movie.
Music. Loved the music, bought the soundtrack. Thought the soundtrack did fit Juno. But I have to disagree that this is the type of music Juno listens to. Juno tells Mark her favorite music is 70s punk; shouldn't the soundtrack have some of those songs? I mean, we never actually see / hear Juno listen to her so-called best music ever. Much as I adore the soundtrack, I wonder what the movie would have been like had it contained the type of music Juno said she likes. Would it have been angrier? Darker?
Happy Ending. This is not a movie about teen pregnancy; it is a movie about a teenage girl, Juno. And she is strong willed and self assured enough that despite many things (including when her own belief that she is always right), she gets her own version of a happy ending. Her baby gets a family; Juno continues with the life she wanted; she gets the boy; she makes her music.
Part of the joy of Netflix is being able to watch movies that you've only seen parts of, and then only chopped up on TV.
Annie Hall 1977
The Plot: Romantic comedy, with comedian Alvy falling for Annie Hall. Set in NYC.
The Good:
A non-linear story, starting with the end of the romance and then showing scenes from Alvy and Annie's relationship. Other inventive bits of movie making: Alvy and Annie talk, with subtitles revealing what they really think and fear; Alvy talking directly to the audience; Marshall McLuhan.
Woody Allen was already in his 40s when he made this film; and he makes the character, Alvy, also 40. A bit refreshing, in today's culture obsessed with youth and beauty, to find a romantic lead that is his 40s and wears his years.
When watching "old" movies, the question arises -- how does it hold up? Wonderfully well. While Annie Hall's clothes were noteworthy and fashion forward at the moment, to today's viewer they are common place; which means, rather than having to "get over" the dated clothes, we watch a person who could walk down Manhattan's streets today and not look out of place. Of course, as viewer, that means that we don't "get" that Annie's look is as unique as she is.
The only other bit I saw as dated was Annie living in Manhattan. Her apartment costs $400 a month; and Alvy thinks that is too expensive. Alvy is successful; but Annie is... well, Annie is the classic MidWestern girl who leaves high school to move to the big city to find herself and live. She sings a little, I think she acts a little, she takes some classes. It's the type of story that happened for years and years in real life... but now, I wonder, with NYC real estate prices, where do today's Annie Halls live?
I also watch old movies wondering, "would the Internet or cell phones drastically alter the plot"? And while I think that a more recent movie would have more cell phone conversations instead of people walking down a street talking, perhaps an IM chat, nothing happens that modern inventions would change.
Alvy is succesful; Annie is an aspiring singer. Alvy is a New Yorker; Annie is Miss Midwest who has adopted New York. Alvy cannot help falling into the "older and wiser" role, as he steers her towards the books he thinks she should read and the classes she should take. Hhmmm.... I am pretty certain that while Alvy tries to change Annie, Annie does not attempt a make over on Alvy.
This is the Woody Allen I love; the pre-sleeping with stepdaughter and not knowing it's a bad thing Woody. He's funny and serious, observant, witty, sharp. The dialogue is great, the characterizations spot-on. The romance is heart-breakingly real; and of course, it ends. As it must. And we, the audience, know why, even tho Alvy never sees it himself until it is too late.
True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet by Lola Douglas is being turned into a made for TV movie by Lifetime Channel.
Thanks for the info from Lara M. Zeises; if you leave a "congrats" note in those comments, I'm sure Lola will get the message.
Alison Lurie reviews the Harry Potter series in Pottery at The New York Review of Books. (Thanks to Educating Alice for the link.)
It's an interesting and thoughtful read; even if I didn't always agree with her. For example, I found this description of the four houses funny, but not entirely on target: "The student population of Hogwarts, like that of most high schools, is divided into jocks, brains, nice guys, and dangerous Goths." On the surface, amusing; but the Slytherins as Goths? Nope, doesn't work. But it did make me laugh.
Overall, I liked the essay because it approaches the series as the whole, also addresses the film, and avoids the now-tiresome "poor quality writing/ it's all about the marketing" arguments.
One final thing; Lurie, likes others, bemoans how the cast is getting "too old" for the roles they play.
Yes, it's true that sometimes actors play people their own age; but not always. It's not the only mark of a good, believable performance.
Yes, Ione Sky was playing her age in Say Anything; but John Cusack was already in his early 20s. Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfriend played their ages in Mean Girls; but Rachel McAdams, playing Lohan's peer, is ten years older than Lohan. Tom Cruise was already 21 when he played teenagers in Risky Business and All the Right Moves. Three of the five Breakfast Club members were in their 20s. This game can, of course, go on and on and on.
The idea that the chronological age of the actor must be the same as the role they played, otherwise one must "suspend disbelief" is, to me, ridiculous. Case in point: Snape, as a classmate of James and Lily Potter, is 21 years older than Harry, so is in his 30s. I adore Alan Rickman. I firmly believe no one else could have played Snape half so well, and I cannot wait to see what he does with the role for the last two movies. Yet Rickman is 40 years older than the actor playing Harry Potter. I cannot recall any fuss being made about his being too old. Same for Gary Oldman, who is 30 years older than the kids rather than 21; David Thewlis is close to being the "right age" for a classmate of James Potter, but even he is 26 years older than Daniel Radcliffe, not 21.
In terms of the teenage cast aging and not being replaced: I find it remarkable that even the small roles haven't been recast. And the more interesting argument to me is not the "oh, the actor is too old!" but rather, how, now, does the actor's physical look match the person described in the book? Is that look still right? Because isn't that what Rickman, Oldman, and Thewlis were judged on -- not their ages, but did it "fit"? Was the performance believable? And, for the teens, the extra worry of, if a character is always described as short, yet the actor has become tall, what then?
Hot Fuzz . From library. DVD.
The Plot:
Nicholas Angel, super cop, gets sent from London to sleepy Sandford. Angel is a by the book crimefighter, but he's made his London colleagues look bad; hence, he's been exiled to "village of the year" Sandford.
At first, it's typical fish out of water as Angel sees crimes in everyday behavior. But is Sandford really so perfect?
The Good:
OH. MY. GOD.
Simply put, the best movie I've seen this year.
And see, I don't want to say too much .... I don't want to spoil anything for you.
This movie is funny. And it's funny on so many levels; but it's also full of unexpected twists and turns. And a lot of the humor is because it is full of references to other movies; obviously, cop movies, but also westerns, cult films, even Harry Potter.
OK, a bit less scattered. Angel is a fish out of water; and there's laughs as "mr big city police officer" adjusts to sleepy Sandford, Sandford that looks like a dream version of England. But... there's more to Sandford.
Even better (at least, if I can believe the DVD extras), the makers of the movie did talk to actual police officers. To try to get it "right."
And along the way, the references! It's in the lines characters speak, in the names of people, in the shots, in the editing. This movie demands multiple viewings; and yes, you have to listen to the commentary and other DVD extras.
So, if you like funny movies; "get" English humor; and like adventure films. watch this!
Rated R: for violence and for language. But, it's all said with British accents! So it's not so bad!
How long until the posts start about the poor kids who went to see Bridge To Terabithia expecting Narnia and getting Love Story?*
As someone who had to give the heads up to my sister (no, no, don't take Cheetah, please don't take her!), I know there are many well intentioned parents who are going to have one major WTF moment in the theatres this weekend. And have to deal with something they totally weren't prepared for. Which isn't fair to parent or child.
It's a shame -- everyone says its a great film, a wonderful adaptation, so what are the advertising people thinking?
Maybe I'm over reacting, or anticipating the worst, but I'm afraid of a backlash based on the movie not delivering what the trailer promises.
* OK, so that example of a death movie sucks. But I'm a bit tired so cannot think of the good "cried my eyes out" death movie to use here. Suggestions welcome, I'll edit the post and credit you.
Edited to add: 2nd Gen Librarian review. Very interesting, including audience reaction.
So there's this film about building your own spaceship!
What, Billy Bob Thornton in Astronaut Farmer?
Huh. Interesting. Well, I really enjoyed Salvage so I might like this one, also.
So, in a nutshell: there was the big Firefly fan convention planned in Burbank. People had paid money & made hotel reservations & plane reservations; rumors circulated that the convention would be canceled; the group running the convention insisted it would go on and then canceled the day before the convention was to start.
You are thinking, and this makes people awesome?
Why people are awesome: the local Firefly fans acted and basically put together things for the attendees; planning a convention at the last minute AND with only their own resources and donations.
Why people are even more than awesome: the Firefly actors -- and other Whedon actors -- and other actors showed up anyway. To quote Why we love the Firefly/Serenity crew, Daytona Beach News Journal Online, "without appearance fees or the autograph cash that usually get stars to show up, they came anyway". Even people not scheduled to appear came. It is so refreshing to see that it's not just the fans who care about the actors and the fandom; the actors care about the fans.
More coverage here. Ongoing coverage at Whedonesque.
