6 posts tagged “juno”
I was really excited to see Jennifer's Body last night (I feel so naughty as I type this). Not only was it Diablo Cody's follow-up script to Juno, but it was also a return to bitchy-form for the horror genre ala Heathers (one of my favorite movies).
I'll admit, the trailers to the movie were a lot more exciting than the film itself, but Body does deliver. I found myself fully engrossed in the film (emphasis on "gross"). I've never seen a horror film like it. I walked out of the theatre with a feeling similar to when I saw Drag Me To Hell. While Jennifer isn't as consistently good as Hell, it is imaginative and twisted with a story unlike any other.
Without giving too much away, Jennifer becomes a demon because of an Indie rock band's desperation to become popular (seriously). You've got to see it to believe it. I found myself laughing while simultaneously being terrified during Jennifer's death scene (which is always the true test of a great horror flick).
I've also finally discovered why everyone makes such a big deal about Megan Fox.
I know probably 40% of her is fake, but her surgeons did a great job. She's beautiful. I only wish her acting abilities were a little better because I think the role of Jennifer could have been even more evolved if performed by someone with better acting chops.
Speaking of chops, I wonder what Diablo Cody will do next. This film's dialogue wasn't much different than Juno's ("Move On Dot Org!"), except with the added conflict of murder and death. I'd like to see her write something that doesn't conjure up a pop culture reference in every scene. She's definitely got the imagination for a great story.
Fall is the time of year when more qualified movies are released. When people bring up "Oscar" and "Awards." One movie that is getting a lot of praise at the Toronto Film Festival and with critics is Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, the story of a man who reaches ten million frequent flyer miles in a job where he breaks the bad news to people who've been downsized. Ebert has already put this movie at the top of his 2009 list.
Jason Reitman is an interesting director because all of his films are different from one another. Thank You For Smoking took on the tobacco industry, Juno had something to say about marriage and teenage pregnancy. Now it appears that Reitman is taking on timely issues like unemployment, mirroring it with the way people employ themselves in relationships.
The Up in the Air preview is interesting because it consists of a montage of shots over one long monologue from George Clooney, culminating in the claim that we are all "sharks."
I feel like I'm on a Juno kick lately. First, I totally dug the trailer for Diablo Cody's new horror film. Now, I'm totally into Ellen Page's new comedy called Whip It (directed by Drew Barrymore).
I don't think teenage roller derby has been covered enough in coming-of-age films. With the exception of Kristen Wiig, I'm enjoying everyone in the cast, including Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis, Drew Barrymore, and Arrested Development's Alia Shawkat (Maybe!!). Although, I think Marcia Gay Harden is officially being typecast as the domineering mother in movies (see Into the Wild, The Mist, Bad News Bears, . . .).
I think the movie looks like it might be fun! But good enough to garner buzz for Drew Barrymore as a director (at one point, they wanted her for the Twilight sequel!)? Only time will tell.
I'm surprised to find myself saying this, but I'm really excited about Diablo Cody's next film. I always thought Juno was just a fluke, but her second film looks like it's slated to be a cult classic in the vein of Heathers and Teeth. Also, I just recently finished Cody's memoir Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper and I really enjoyed it (although the pop culture references, even for me, were wearing thin by the end of the book).
I think this trailer looks pretty classic (and if you're really into it, check out the red band trailer which is even better).
Strangely enough, while each year I try to see all of the Oscar-nominated movies (I've seen nearly all of this year's contenders), I also try to see all of the cinematic disasters of the year. This year's Razzie Award Nominees that I've seen include: The Love Guru, The Happening, Disaster Movie, Meet Dave, What Happens In Vegas, and The Women.
Scanning through these films is like trying to pick one bastard child over another. The Love Guru earned high Razzie marks for me in terms that I fell asleep and kept wondering when Austin Powers was going to make an appearance and attempt to save the film (although I doubt even he could do that). With The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan claimed that the film was supposed to be a B-movie. He said this presumably after he saw his final cut. On the other hand, Meet Dave insulted the sense of humors of most everyone, from adults to the children the movie was targeted at.
However, if I had to choose one of these titles as the worst movie of the year, it would clearly be Disaster Movie. I hope that this film sweeps the Razzies in all of its categories. Never has a genre needed to die such a torturous and painful death as the parody "Scary Movie" genre.
The "Scary Movie" genres have even lost their focus in recent pictures. They are no longer mock-ups of disaster films, romantic comedies, or superhero movies; they are simply a yearbook of references from movies that came out within the last year! What place did Juno have in Disaster Movie (only those who hated the Diablo Cody-penned product of the 'blogosphere' will want to field this question)?
God un-willing, we can probably expect more parody movies in 2009. We can also probably expect these movies to be nominated for next year's Razzies.
I hibernate like a bear and/or quirky computer 11 months out of the year.
It isn't until Oscar season that I really find there is meaning in my life. I guarantee, my friend Joey and I will talk about the Academy Awards and only the Academy Awards with every phone conversation from now until February 24. After February 24, I'll die a little and go on with my life. And by March, Joey and I will be chatting up the Oscars again -- even when movies like Wild Hogs come out. But as of right now, I do have a purpose -- to supply mindless predictions on something that doesn't in any way affect me!
Joey and I are even having an Oscar party where we are going to dress up like the five Best Picture nominees (costume changes throughout the night, of course).
For Atonement, we are going as Briony at age 13 and Robbie (mainly because Joey has a similar blue shirt to Robbie's). Personally, I think It would be more interesting if I were to go as Briony at age 13 and then he could go as Briony as an adult. I'm digging the whole "coming of age" thing that could go on here.
For Juno, naturally I'm going as Juno and Joey is going as Bleeker. I'm excited to get the chance to fake a pregnancy again (my previous stint was a pregnant crackho at a Gangsta party). In fact, unwanted pregnancies were so popular at the movies this year (Knocked Up, Waitress) that I want an unwanted pregnancy of my own!
I didn't see Michael Clayton, but I'd imagine I have to go as Tilda Swinton's character and Joey, George Clooney's title character. Although I'm tempted to go as Michael Clayton, just so I can crack a joke about feeling the presence of "George Clooney inside me." Heh. George Clooney. Inside me.
For No Country For Old Men, I'm going to be Javier Bardem's cold-blooded killer character cause I know how to rock the page boy haircut. Joey will be Josh Brolin's character and basically we will just chase each other around throughout the party trying to kill each other. Should be a good time.
Finally, There Will Be Blood. My vote for Best. Movie title. EVER. Even if I'm still scratching my head over what this movie truly was about. Joey and I have a lot of options here. We could go for the father and son duo thing (H.W. and Daniel Plainview) or the rivals thing (Paul/Eli and Daniel Plainview). My vote is for the rivals thing. I long to be bitch-slapped by Daniel Day-Lewis, even if Joey's going to play him.
But this is all off the top of my head. I haven't put much thought into any of this.
