Why is Page getting talked up?
Some really love Juno. I'm fine with it -- it's a very smart and likable film. But there's no crying or burning need to bring it into the Oscar circle. It just isn't necessary. A film being "likable" or "lovable" is fine... great. But by what aesthetic card-shuffle or mind-drug does this translate into "Oscar worthy"? I'm hearing Juno is a lock to be nominated for Best Picture. It won't be a crime if that happens. A head-scratcher, perhaps, but not a crime. But I really don't get Juno star Ellen Page as a leading Best Actress contender.
As I've said before, Page is great with the spunky-spirited attitude and Diablo Cody smartass dialogue but c'mon....Best Actress? Over Julie Christie and Marion Cotillard? Page is very talented (catch her in '05's Hard Candy), and there's no question that her Juno character feels real and honest and lived-in. But it's not a knock-down, world-class performance, and being Oscar-nominated just ...doesn't...calculate.
All I can figure is that the idea of nominating Page is some kind of subconscious generational reach-out by baby busters, baby boomers and late GenX-ers to the under-30s on their way up. We hear you, we respect you...and maybe if we give a GenY artist an occasional Oscar (or at least an Oscar nomination) you guys will be a little more compassionate towards us when you come into power when you reach your late 30s and 40s and we're that much older and politically weakened and on-the-ropes. So as a kind of subconscious insurance gesture, we're showing a little advance obeisance before power.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 5, 2008 at 1:32 PM
comment #1
swordandpen
says ...
Jennifer Garner is the only person from this movie I wouldn't object to being nominated. As far as the other categories, they have got to be kidding.
Posted by swordandpen
at January 5, 2008 1:53 PM
comment #2
Zac Bertschy
says ...
I think they're saying that because it's a really brilliant performance provided you don't focus entirely on shallow details like the "spunky attitude" (something that the film itself deconstructs).
Ellen Page deserves a nomination, and they're not harming anyone by giving her one. Julie Christie will be nominated and win regardless of whether or not Page is in the running so I don't know what you're complaining about (maybe if Ellen Page was playing someone with some kind of mental trauma in a serious drama, she'd have a better shot at actually winning!)
Posted by Zac Bertschy
at January 5, 2008 2:03 PM
comment #3
lazarus
says ...
If this is the film that Wells has made it his personal crusade to take down this year, fucking sign me up.
You want to nominate it for some Golden Globe comedy/musical awards, fine. But this really has no business being mentioned among the year's best contributions to cinema. Especially in a year this strong.
Of course, in 1999, the best year in memory, they nominated The Sixth Sense, The Green Mile, and The Hurricane over Being John Malkovich, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Fight Club, etc.
So one shouldn't be too surprised.
Posted by lazarus
at January 5, 2008 2:03 PM
comment #4
WorldofKJ
says ...
My Op-Ed about why Juno shouldn't win sums things up
http://www.worldofkj.com/articleIndex.php?tid=31218
Posted by WorldofKJ
at January 5, 2008 2:06 PM
comment #5
George Prager
says ...
It's this year's RACHEL, RACHEL.
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 2:06 PM
comment #6
Mike Ock
says ...
Juno's not even the best comedy of the year. Superbad deserves a screenwriting nod before this piece of shit.
Posted by Mike Ock
at January 5, 2008 2:08 PM
comment #7
Craig Kennedy
says ...
I'm already bored with the Juno backlash and I don't even like Juno.
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at January 5, 2008 2:13 PM
comment #8
George Prager
says ...
Wow! WorldofKY, now I know where to go to get completely useless information on the lamest stuff!!! Thanks, Dude!
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 2:15 PM
comment #9
AdamJ
says ...
I'm not the biggest Juno fan but I don't understand why Page's performance is considered not Oscar worthy. Why does an Oscar nominee have to be from a drama? A great performance doesn't have to be all mimicry and Alzheimer's.
Posted by AdamJ
at January 5, 2008 2:17 PM
comment #10
K. Bowen
says ...
I'm already bored with the Juno backlash, and I'm part of it.
Posted by K. Bowen
at January 5, 2008 2:21 PM
comment #11
Craig Kennedy
says ...
Good one KB. Reminds me I haven't been exactly above it myself...
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at January 5, 2008 2:24 PM
comment #12
George Prager
says ...
I'm going to take the JUNO backlash behind the middle school and get it pregnant.
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 2:28 PM
comment #13
K. Bowen
says ...
Yeah, CJ, I know what you mean. It's not a bad film and it's not worth the ruckus. We all probably should be heartened that a comedy that's not cookie-cutter is doing well.
Posted by K. Bowen
at January 5, 2008 2:34 PM
comment #14
christian
says ...
After reading JENNIFER'S BODY, it's clear Cody's strength will be her empathy. That's a good thing.
Posted by christian
at January 5, 2008 2:36 PM
comment #15
George Prager
says ...
I'm going to take the Diablo Cody's empathy behind the middle school and get it pregnant.
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 2:44 PM
comment #16
christian
says ...
You'll be a great dad.
Posted by christian
at January 5, 2008 2:47 PM
comment #17
WorldofKJ
says ...
No worries George! I thank you as does AdSense.
Posted by WorldofKJ
at January 5, 2008 2:59 PM
comment #18
George Prager
says ...
The World of KJ was first viewable via the Internet on July 12th, 2004. In it's infancy it was a very simple site, serving only to archive the reviews of a select few who held hopes of one day becoming a critic in some capacity, and others who simply wanted their voice to be heard. Unfortunately for them, all that was heard was an echo.
Change the it's to its and you're good to go, KJ!
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 3:09 PM
comment #19
The Movie Man
says ...
Just saw JUNO. As usual it's neither as bad nor as good as the various parties would have you believe. The film is touching in places, and the relentlessly snarky dialgoue is redeemed by the fact that its ACKNOWLEDGED to be snarky. Juno is a self-absorbed, terrified little girl who cocoons herself in old music and movies, and attitude and that is something kids actually do. Christian is right about the empathy, this the first time Jennifer Garner has worked in a movie for me and it's because Cody (and Reitman, he directed the picture by the way) resist the temptation to make her a shrew.
Cody has a chance once she drops the suffocating hippest girl in Myspace shtick, the zingers aren't half as funny as they think they are. The entire cast is well-rounded and sharp.
The biggest problem is that i didn't buy the film's complete and total refusal to acknowledge what Juno's parents might think of giving their grandson away, the film is convenient, and needs to be messier.
It's not a bad first at bat for Cody, and it's much better work from Reitman than the inexplicably overrated Thank You for Smoking.
Posted by The Movie Man
at January 5, 2008 3:11 PM
comment #20
Craig Kennedy
says ...
Damn you Movie Man and your fair mindedness!!
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at January 5, 2008 3:16 PM
comment #21
George Prager
says ...
I'm going to take Movie Man's fair mindedness behind the middle school and chop its fucking head off.
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 3:19 PM
comment #22
Jack Price
says ...
The scene that really proved how capable Jason Reitman is for handling performance is when Juno dances with Mark Loring. In almost any other hands, the scene would have become instantly creepy, Hard Candy 2 if you will, but he struck a near-perfect balance without tarnishing the tone of the film. Here, they both yearn for possibilities that come from their respective ages, a sense of responsibility and security or renewed possibilities, superseding the sexual tension that would have otherwise overwhelmed the scene.
While I wasn't a fan of Thank You For Smoking, I'm eager to see what Reitman will come up with next.
Posted by Jack Price
at January 5, 2008 3:30 PM
comment #23
WorldofKJ
says ...
I didn't write that George, lol. Feel free to email eagle@worldofkj.com and let him know.
danke
Posted by WorldofKJ
at January 5, 2008 3:31 PM
comment #24
George Prager
says ...
I'm going to take that sense of responsibility and security or renewed possibilities, superseding the sexual tension that would have otherwise overwhelmed the scene behind the middle school and get it pregnant.
Posted by George Prager
at January 5, 2008 3:53 PM
comment #25
lazarus
says ...
I'm going to take George Prager behind the middle school and castrate him before he gets anyone (or anything) else pregnant.
Posted by lazarus
at January 5, 2008 4:19 PM
comment #26
johnc
says ...
I'm preggers by Prager!
Posted by johnc
at January 5, 2008 4:23 PM
comment #27
Devin Faraci
says ...
It's this year's ROCHELLE, ROCHELLE.*
I don't know, Jeff. What did you feel about LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE getting a Best Picture nom? I mean, since that movie is exactly like JUNO - 'quirky,' feel-good, faux-indie - except it was a piece of shit.
*The tale of a young girl's strange erotic journey from Milan to Minsk
Posted by Devin Faraci
at January 5, 2008 7:16 PM
comment #28
Jack Price
says ...
Has it gotten to the point yet where your pull-quotes also come in the form of disclaimers?
Posted by Jack Price
at January 5, 2008 11:32 PM
comment #29
snoop
says ...
I know this was posted a while ago, so no one will probably even read my comment, but let's dwell on this for a second:
Ellen Page makes Juno great. The Codyisms are a little hard to take, but Page makes them work. Without her this movie wouldn't fly. Try to imagine another actress in there? It wouldn't work.
I love Julie Christie and I love Away From Her enough for it to be in my top 10. That being said, there are a lot of great older actresses that could've played her role (which, for the record, is practically a supporting performance in the same way that PSH is supporting in The Savages, but nobody cares).
Speaking of The Savages, why the hell isn't Laura Linney getting love for that movie. She's better than everyone who was nominated for a Globe.
Posted by snoop
at January 6, 2008 2:21 PM