Juno (2007)

Title: Juno.
Country: US.
Year: 2007.
Date of Viewing: 1/4/08.
Director: Jason Reitman.
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons.

"It all began with a chair."

Off-setting and admirably quirky, Juno is a real treat of a film. It shone at the Toronto International Film Festival and is getting buzz for its screenplay, the lead portrayal by Ellen Page, and even Best Picture. Some people have compared it to 2003’s Lost in Translation, or last season’s Little Miss Sunshine, and Juno may have enough buzz and positive feedback to make it all the way to the Oscars.

The chair in question is the spot where Juno MacGuff (Page) and Paulie Bleeker (Cera) first have sex, and where Juno gets unexpectedly pregnant. Juno is confused: she is 16, and a junior in high school, and now has to deal with being a mother? She tells her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), and then her dad and stepmother (Simmons and Janney) about her situtation before ultimately deciding to offer her baby up for adoption to Mark and Vanessa (Bateman and Garner), a couple who are, as Leah puts it, "desperately seeking spawn." But there are many twists and curves down the road as Juno and Paulie’s relationship becomes an emotional roller coaster and personal details about Mark and Vanessa that hide beneath their suburban perfection rise to the surface.

Diablo Cody, famous now for being an ex-stripper and debuting her first screenplay here, writes wonders in this screenplay. The position of “quirky Indy dramedy” has been done many times, but Cody brings forth a very unusual albeit fresh form of conversation into her screenplay. The dialogue is quite peculiar, and hits you all at once, particularly in an opening scene at a drugstore. As it’s been said before, the movie feels a little "too hip for the room" at first, but it becomes much easier to warm up to the style of slang and difference, particularly from Juno herself. (One line, much like the first of many, includes Juno thinking about male runners, "When I see them all running like that, with their pork swords bouncing around in their shorts, I always picture them naked, even if I don't want to.") Jason Reitman, who previously directed comedies like Thank You For Smoking, does a dandy job with this fine film. He could make it to DGA, but an Oscar nomination is doubtful at this point.

The music is also a particular standout. The Moldy Peaches’ Kimya Dawson features some of her songs here, most notably "Anyone Else But You," which appears in the film and is even sung by characters in the film. Other contributions from artists like Buddy Holly, Mateo Messina, Sonic Youth, and The Kinks make this one of the most charming soundtracks of 2007.



The acting is superb throughout. The ensemble is incredibly strong and equally hilarious; it is an absolute shock that this fine group of actors wasn’t acknowledged for SAG’s top prize. The supporting players are all quite good. Bateman undergoes some serious depth midway through the movie and shines. Garner is so heartbreaking, you will want to nominate her out of guilt for Vanessa. She easily gives her best performance to date. Simmons and Janney also are great with a parental dryness that lingers through the whole film. But the supporting props must be given to Cera who portrays "high school student" so well, you would expect to see him roaming the junior hallway. And of course, Miss Page is utterly divine as the ever off-setting but so enticing Juno, adding another fantastic lead female performance into 2007, and making it the strongest and most interesting race of the year. An Oscar nomination is almost assured for this 20-year-old breakout, and it is much deserved.

Juno is a hilarious, yet sweet outlook on today’s society and the struggles a family goes through. The screenplay and acting are undeniably charming and very warm. It is, for lack of a better word, perfect.



Current Wins and Nominations:

Best Picture** (replaces Sweeney Todd)
Best Director, Jason Reitman
Best Actress, Ellen Page**
Best Supporting Actor, Michael Cera**
Best Supporting Actor, J.K. Simmons
Best Supporting Actress, Jennifer Garner
Best Supporting Actress, Allison Janney
Best Original Screenplay**
Best Ensemble Cast**

Sweeney Todd (2007)

Title: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Country: US.
Year: 2007.
Date of Viewing: 1/1/08.
Director: Tim Burton.
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen.

From the moment the earth-shattering pipe organs fill your ears as the DreamWorks logo appears, to a riveting Shakespearean ending, Sweeney Todd is a delight throughout. Based off the popular Stephen Sondheim musical starring George Hearn and Angela Lansbury, director Burton leaves his mark on a musical newcomers will enjoy just as much as die-hard Sweeney fans.

The plot starts off with an estranged Sweeney (Depp) returning home to London with a young sailor, Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower). Todd is desperate for revenge after being wrongfully imprisoned by an evil judge (Rickman) that he escapes and sets back to London to “right his wrongs.” When he meets up with a former meat-pie acquaintance, Mrs. Lovett (Carter), he reopens his barbershop and formulates a way to seek revenge on his archnemesis. What follows next includes multiple deaths, bloody razors and a creative solution to disposing of bodies and helping out Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie business at the same time...hopefully it’s easy to fill in the blanks here.

The unconventional musical flourishes spectacularly on film, much in part to the underrated screenplay by John Logan which still expertly captures the feel of the stage production in a shorter amount of time. Many Sweeney-ites may moan about the cutting of many songs from the show, namely the show’s titular ballad that only appears in the opening credits and instrumental scores throughout. Fortunately, the exclusion isn’t for naught and the overall feel is still fine…well mostly fine. The overall cut of ALL ensemble singing is noticeable, especially in songs like “God That’s Good!”... a sequence normally 5 – 10 minutes long shrinked to a minute and thirty seconds. However glaring the song omissions are, the overall message and plot are still present and are still handled quite nicely. Burton does one of his best directorial works today, becoming my third favorite of his behind 1990’s Edward Scissorhands and 2003’s Big Fish.

The acting is very, very nice. Although not all the singers match up to the power of the Broadway actors (which is naturally a given), the actors still emote powerfully WHILE they’re singing – a concept that some other movie musicals *coughcoughDreamgirls* didn’t manage to grasp firmly enough. Depp is utterly fantastic and doesn’t ever once allude to his Scissorhand pout or Jack Sparrow smarmy-ness…it’s possibly his best performance to date. Carter holds her own and has amazing character depth, but takes the most pitfalls during her musical numbers. The supporting cast is just great: Rickman is appropriately slimy as the Judge, Spall is equally slimy in his role as the Beadle, the Judge’s right hand man. Cohen is also a surprise as Pirelli, Sweeney’s rival. He adds much needed comedic relief to the film. Ed Sanders plays Toby, a small little boy who blindly assists Lovett in her pie business and Laura Michelle Kelly is delightful as a(n underused) Beggar Woman whose role has more than meets the eye to it. The only people I had a problem with was Johanna (Jayne Wisener) who underacts and Campbell who literally keeps the same expression on his face through all two hours of the movie. Regardless, these two roles always seem a little out of place in the main plotline of Sweeney and don’t wreck the film at all.



The technicals are to die for (ahaha, get it? Die for?) in the film. Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography is lovely, especially when it’s partnered with Dante Ferretti’s astonishing art direction. The dark color palette works wonders, especially when the blood enters in and stands out even more contrasted against the dark backgrounds. A particularly beautiful scene is the number “Not While I’m Around” that Toby and Lovett sing in a parlor – the grainy texture combined with the color scheme almost gives you the impression that you’re watching an early talkie film from the 20’s. Burton costume designer Colleen Atwood once again astonishes, particularly in a song “By the Sea” with fantastic petticoats and puffy dresses. The sound and makeup effects are all also fantastic. Highly expect wins for Ferretti, Atwood, and the makeup department come Oscar season.

Overall, Sweeney had a few miniscule flaws, but they didn’t distract from the morbid beauty of the film. This is one film that will leave a huge impression on you, and is worth every penny you pay for the admission. You’ll be DYING to see it. A-ha-hahaha...yeah.




Current Wins and Nominations:

Best Picture**
Best Director, Tim Burton**
Best Actor, Johnny Depp**
Best Actress, Helena Bonham Carter
Best Supporting Actor, Alan Rickman
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction**
Best Costume Design**
Best Sound, Mixing and Editing
Best Makeup**
Best Ensemble Cast