Review: Juno

If you can imagine a cross between Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine, then you've got Juno. Written by rising star Diablo Cody and directed by Thankyou For Smoking's Jason Reitman, this is the kind of pseudo-indie comedy which has become very popular in Hollywood recently. The brilliance of films such as this and Sideways, the film which arguably started the trend, is that the central character is so well constructed and sympathetic that by the end of the film the entire audience wants to grab them out of the screen and take them home.

This is certainly the case with the titular Juno Macguff, played with relentless charm by Ellen Page. She's a teenager in a 'condition' which has now become familiar for the under-twenties - she's pregnant. But, refreshingly, the film does not condemn her. Instead, it places us firmly by her side throughout the entire process, showing us how much more mature she is than her fellow jocks and cheerleaders, and how such an event can actually bring people closer rather than driving them apart. In a typical narrative Juno would be thrown out the house, have to give birth to the child in difficult conditions but then find that the love she has for her newborn galvanises her to start a new life elsewhere. Not here. I won't give any plot-spoilers but suffice to say most of your expectations are likely to be wrong-footed.

Special mention must go to the supporting cast, particularly Michael Cera and Allison Janney who turn in superb performances. Cera plays Paulie Bleeker, Juno's ever-understanding teenage friend and father of her child. His support never wavers, and serves to highlight the fact that age is no guarantee of maturity (Mark, the 30-something adoptive Dad-to-be is a child by comparison). And as Juno's stepmother Bren, Janney manages to subvert the step-stereotype and show us that this family, however dysfunctional society may label it from the outside, actually has more love at it's core than any of those deemed 'functional'.

In our recent EntsNews survey, asking which film deserved to win best film at the Oscars, Juno came top by a country mile, winning 42% of the vote. Although personally I still think There Will Be Blood was the more deserving winner, it's certainly easy to see why this film has cast such a spell over those who have experienced it.

Burton/Depp Poll Results

Thanks to all of you who voted in the recent poll, asking which of the Burton/Depp films was your favourite. The results were as follows:

Edward Scissorhands: 35%
Sleepy Hollow: 21%
Sweeney Todd: 14%
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory: 14%
Ed Wood: 7%
Corpse Bride: 7%

Whilst it's unsurprising that the seminal Edward Scissorhands topped the poll, I was quite surprised by Sleepy Hollow's popularity. Perhaps it's due to the fact it had a much more high-profile release than say, Ed Wood, which while arguably a better film, still remains in relative obscurity.

The Best War Films As Voted For By The Armed Forces

There is no better judge of a war film than a soldier. And with that in mind, a new survey by British Forces Broadcasting Service Television (BFBS TV) has revealed the favourite war films as voted for by members of the armed forces. The winner was Zulu, the classic 1964 film starring Michael Caine. The results are quite telling when compared with Channel 4's recent poll of the greatest 100 war films - voted for, of course, by joe public. They only voted Zulu a lowly 8th, while The Cruel Sea (ranked 7th by the soldiers) only managed to scrape 41st.

Much of these differences can be put down to patriotic feelings amongst the forces (six of the top ten films are British). However, it's also noticeable that 'arty' classics Apocalypse Now and Schindler's List are down at 13th and 16th respectively. The implication is clearly that battlefield realism is paramount among the qualities appreciated by the soldiers, and certainly the appearances of Saving Private Ryan and Full Metal Jacket in the top 5 endorse this.

It's also good to see The Longest Day make the top 10. Personally, I feel this to be one of the finest war-films ever made, both in terms of scope and execution, and rarely does it feature highly in critical polls. It's testament to the lasting appeal of films such as this and Ice Cold in Alex that, even though most of those surveyed were not born when they were released, they still feature prominently in the consciences of today's armed forces.

The full list is as follows:

1. Zulu (1964)
2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
3. A Bridge Too Far (1977)
4. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
5. The Great Escape (1963)
6. Platoon (1986)
7. The Cruel Sea (1953)
8. The Longest day (1962)
9. Enemy At The Gates (2001)
10. Ice Cold In Alex (1958)
11. We Were Soldiers (2002)
12. Black Hawk Down (2001)
13. Apocalypse Now (1979)
14. Das Boot (1981)
15. Kelly’s Heroes (1970)
16. Schindler’s List (1993)
17. Cross of Iron (1977)
18. The Dam Busters (1954)
19. Where Eagles Dare (1968)
20. Battle of Britain (1969)