Thursday, December 06, 2007

20:07 (Staying Pregnant)

Screenshots from the 20th minute and 7th second of a movie
I can't guarantee the same results at home. I use a VLC.
Juno: And she was like 'Oh hi. Babies have fingernails' Fingernails!
Lea: That's gruesome. Do you think the baby could, all like, scratch your vag on the way out...
Did you see Juno last night or are you waiting for the weekend? If you've seen it chime in in the comments: Did you laugh? cry? or just wonder what all the Oscar fuss was about? If it does get a Best Picture nomination, won't it be the most youth-skewing entry in eons... or ever?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, Ellen Page is quite good in it, and once the movie finds its tone, it settles quite nicely. However, that takes a bit of time, and it spends a good 30-45 minutes reeeeeeeeeally trying to be cool. As you said, though, Nathaniel, it ends on a high point, which is good for its Oscar chances, but I really don't see AMPAS nominating this for Best Picture. I really can't imagine an older audience connecting with it much - comparisons to Little Miss Sunshine aren't really valid - LMS has 0 amounts of "hip" compared to what Juno tries, and it really is true that Page nearly single-handedly elevates the material. Cute movie, and you'll leave with a smile on your face, but I don't think it will (or should) be much of a player with AMPAS. The screenplay nomination is basically assured (hopefully someone like Gilroy can win, though; Juno is a fun screenplay but it just tries too hard a lot of times), and possibly Page will get in. I hope that's it.

Anonymous said...

I loved Juno. It grew into something really heartfelt, without ever becoming cloying. and it's such a great antidote to all the crap teen films. Ellen Page deserves all the attention she's getting, IMO, and so does Cody's script. I think they'll both definitely get oscars noms, but that'll be it for the film. I can't imagine it in anyway getting a best picture nod.

adam k. said...

Yeah probably just the script and Page. Or maybe even just the script. We'll have to wait till after the nominations to see whether the script becomes the frontrunner to win; I think it basically depends on whether Page gets nominated and how much they like Michael Clayton.

One way this IS like LMS, though, apparently, is that it's a case of actors elevating the script with the script, for whatever reason, having a better chance to win awards. I hope this isn't like last year where a less-than-great script wins the oscar because great actors were able to elevate it.

Anonymous said...

How did you get this screenshot if the film is still in theaters?

Anonymous said...

Oh, yikes. If the scratch-yer-vag line is representative of the script as a whole, I don't know if that will make the Picture shortlist.

Anonymous said...

What is all the fuss about? I agree with the b Nathaniel, but I will add a minus...B-. D for the first 30 minutes when I wanted to strangle Juno with my bare hands.

But then, the rule is leave them with a strong finish and all faults will be forgiven. You're only as good as your curtain call.

I still say, no Best Pic, screen play nom only, and no Page.

But then LMS was nominated over Little Children, so, I give up expecting the best to be listed with the best.

Neel Mehta said...

As long as Fox Searchlight is behind the campaign, comparisons to Little Miss Sunshine are very valid. It won't be as easy for them this year, though, as there's more satire elsewhere in the field.

I liked this movie a lot, but as for its Oscar nomination chances...

Very Likely: Original Screenplay

Somewhat Likely: Picture, Actress, Song

Less Likely: Director, Supporting Actress (Janney or Garner)

While Diablo Cody's debut is a nice story, I don't see her winning. Sort of a "nice to be nominated" thing.

Glenn Dunks said...

Little Miss Sunshine had three previous Oscar nominees (Arkin, Collette, Kinnear), a big populist star (Carell) and an upandcoming little girl (Breslin).

Juno has an upandcomer and that's about it.

Just food for thought. Having someone talk about "fuck lots of women" and snorting cocaine might be acceptable when done by a two time Oscar nominee.

Anonymous said...

If there's a "comedy" slot in BP this year, then I think it's "Juno"'s to lose. Do I think that will happen this year? No. I think voters will go all serious and bleak on us this year -- "Atonement", "No Country for Old Men", "There Will Be Blood", "Sweeney Todd", and "American Gangster".

E Dot said...

I think Jennifer Garner has a better chance than most people think.

NATHANIEL R said...

i watched it again yesterday (better the second time i think) but i still have strong doubts that this can make it into picture. it's just so young

second time through i was more impressed with the performances but i still think the opening 20 minutes is a major problem. HATE that scene in the convenience store. and the scene in biology class. Both are so shticky that they feel like rejects from Napoleon Dynamite or something

Anonymous said...

I liked Napoleon Dynamite...but probably wouldn't have if it had a huge in your face Oscar campaign behind it.
I felt the same way about Little Miss Sunshine. It was just so over rated! ( Practically every person I know got a screener of that movie! They went out to entire memberships of every guild.)

Sideways was the only big Searchlight push that I didn't mind. I did believe that it was an Oscar calibre movie.
I also think Mr. Payne had payed his dues...Election was a far better movie than Juno, but would you expect a Best Picture nod?

This has been a good year for movies. But Juno? Best Picture? Really?

Anonymous said...

I loved Juno, and I am not normally a fan of cloying crowd pleasing types, nor overly idosyncratic "look how weird and hip we're trying to be" indie films, but Juno manages to go through a tired premise with sharp writing and expert performance. It never feels manipulative or trying to hard to be "hip" at all. It is funny and fresh, yet somehow comes across natural as well. Ellen Page, with the aide of a great ensemble of players, makes these characters seem honest. I think it's a far better film, in fact, than Little Miss Sunshine, which in certain areas did seems a bit other-worldly. And there's an emotional nuance to Juno not in LMS, and it happens to work without at well compromising the comedy or good nature.