Spring Break
'Juno' Features Extraordinary Talent
DVD Review
Ashley McGown
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Focus
By now, many are probably already familiar with the film "Juno." If you have not been fortunate enough to see it yet, chances are you have heard something about it. With its extraordinary cast and quirky one-liners, it would be impossible for "Juno" to fly under the radar.
Diablo Cody, a former stripper, took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at this year's Academy Awards for her work on the film. Then, of course, there's the fact that this film is the first time that Michael Cera and Jason Bateman have worked together since "Arrested Development" was prematurely canceled. Well, sort of - the two don't actually share any scenes in the film.
Still, "Juno" is one of the few films in recent years that has been able to live up to, and even surpass, its own hype. In fact, the film is still being shown regularly in some movie theaters - something that is essentially unheard of at the time of a film's DVD release.
Unlike many films, none of the magic of "Juno" is lost in the transfer from big screen to television. Even on the small screen, the wit of Ellen Page, the wholesomeness of Jennifer Garner and the awkward manner of Michael Cera all shine through perfectly.
The DVD is chock full of extras, but not all of them are worth watching. While occasionally insightful, the commentary by Cody and director Jason Reitman is lackluster, for the most part. Similarly, the "gag take," in which Reitman and Rainn Wilson ("The Office") pretend to argue and fight is worth skipping.
However, the DVD does contain some worthwhile extras. There is just short of a dozen extended and/or deleted scenes, as well as a gag reel. The gag reel is nothing out of the ordinary, but it is pretty amusing to watch the actors struggle with their lines repeatedly. The best extra on the DVD is footage of the actors' original screen tests. Page, who plays Juno, is shown reading from several different scenes. Cera, Olivia Thirlby and J.K. Simmons are also featured. During these screen tests, it's interesting to note how much the dialogue and characters progress throughout the film making process. In some scenes, the words, as well as the actors' demeanor, are very different from the final product. Shot against a plain black background, the actors come across more like characters from a play, where the set is obviously less dynamic than that of a film.
Overall, "Juno" is definitely worth purchasing. Although most of the extras are less than inspiring, the feature film is strong enough to stand on its own.
Contact Ashley McGown at Ashley.McGown@UConn.edu.
Diablo Cody, a former stripper, took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at this year's Academy Awards for her work on the film. Then, of course, there's the fact that this film is the first time that Michael Cera and Jason Bateman have worked together since "Arrested Development" was prematurely canceled. Well, sort of - the two don't actually share any scenes in the film.
Still, "Juno" is one of the few films in recent years that has been able to live up to, and even surpass, its own hype. In fact, the film is still being shown regularly in some movie theaters - something that is essentially unheard of at the time of a film's DVD release.
Unlike many films, none of the magic of "Juno" is lost in the transfer from big screen to television. Even on the small screen, the wit of Ellen Page, the wholesomeness of Jennifer Garner and the awkward manner of Michael Cera all shine through perfectly.
The DVD is chock full of extras, but not all of them are worth watching. While occasionally insightful, the commentary by Cody and director Jason Reitman is lackluster, for the most part. Similarly, the "gag take," in which Reitman and Rainn Wilson ("The Office") pretend to argue and fight is worth skipping.
However, the DVD does contain some worthwhile extras. There is just short of a dozen extended and/or deleted scenes, as well as a gag reel. The gag reel is nothing out of the ordinary, but it is pretty amusing to watch the actors struggle with their lines repeatedly. The best extra on the DVD is footage of the actors' original screen tests. Page, who plays Juno, is shown reading from several different scenes. Cera, Olivia Thirlby and J.K. Simmons are also featured. During these screen tests, it's interesting to note how much the dialogue and characters progress throughout the film making process. In some scenes, the words, as well as the actors' demeanor, are very different from the final product. Shot against a plain black background, the actors come across more like characters from a play, where the set is obviously less dynamic than that of a film.
Overall, "Juno" is definitely worth purchasing. Although most of the extras are less than inspiring, the feature film is strong enough to stand on its own.
Contact Ashley McGown at Ashley.McGown@UConn.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Dominique
posted 4/24/08 @ 1:57 PM EST
wowzer i loved watching "JUNO" in fact im still watching it!!!
Post a Comment