Juno | 
 enlarge | Director: Jason Reitman
Actors: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney
Studio: Fox Searchlight
Category: Movie
Buy New: $3.99
Rating:  316 reviews
Sales Rank: 41
Genre: Art House
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 97
ASIN: B0019I6WDG
Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 2007
Release Date: August 8, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 311 more reviews...
Addressing some issues... September 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Juno is important.
That might sound like an overstatment. Given all the rediculous hype surrounding this movie, I'd be likely to agree. But, just the same, this movie is important.
Why?
Because it got a lot of people talking. A lot of people stand against this movie because of it's subject matter; teen pregnancy. While Juno's initial reaction to have an abortion further shocked many people, these were the confused actions of a young woman who, after realizing that she cannot go through with an abortion, goes through the rest of the movie making the best possible decisions from the baby's perspective.
A lot of people think this movie promotes teen pregnancy. This is due, in part, by a number of teen girls who've seen and responded to the film. Others feel (wrongly) that it promotes abortion. But the movie makes no clear stance on abortion (much like we, as a whole, have not) and teen girls are always going to say stupid things. They're teens for crying out loud.
This film is a snippet of real life. Teens really do get pregnant because a late teen's body is the best suited for the job of procreation. The hormones drive them to it. They (teens) have been doing it sicne the very first humans andit was not until recent (very recent) times that our culture decreed that the teenage years are a part of childhood, and that teen should not be having sex. Yet, at the same time, we live in a culture that places sex into every aspect of life. The highest grossing models are underage girls... Kids have sex. Culturally, we encourage it while at the same time telling them not to. Getting pregnant is a risk, but why is it that we only blame the youths who get pregnant? Because I can assure you that most all of them are having sex.
Juno is important because it's an honest LOOK (not praise, not judgement) on an issue that happens, regardless of preceeding morals. What's more, being under forty, I found this is one of the few films that accurately depicted adolesence as I lived it. The characters and the language were familiar to me.
What I like about Juno is that it is showing a difficult thing but at the same time the audience can, and will, both critisize and sympathize with the character of Juno, who errs and then decides to do the right thing, despite the obvious difficulties and she does it all with the help of a loving, supportive family. Through the course of the ordeal, Juno learns to appreciate her family and learns what real love is. If you need a message in a movie then why not take that away?
Movie: 3.75/5 Picture Quality: 3.75~4.75/5 Sound Quality: 3.75/5 Extras: 2.5/5 September 2, 2008
Version: U.S.A / Region A
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
Running time: 1:36:04
Movie size: 28,948,783,104 bytes
Disc size: 36,919,680,518 bytes
Average video bit rate: 32.52 Mbps
DTS-HD Master 5.1 4074Kbps (48kHz/24-bit) English
DD AC3 5.1 448Kbps Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH / French / Spanish
#Audio Commentary
#Featurettes (SD, 30 minutes)
#Deleted Scenes (SD, 20 minutes)
#Outtakes (SD, 33 minutes)
#Fox Movie Channel Excerpts (SD, 13 minutes)
#Digital Copy DVD
 Practically perfect in every way August 31, 2008
I have already had the wonderful pleasure of having seen this movie twice. I cannot wait for it to come to DVD. My local movie critic considered this the best film of 2007 and I truly must agree with him. While it's not like we haven't seen the story of the pregnant teenage girl before, it's been awhile since we have seen it done with so much grace, humor, and heart and fantastic characters that earn your care.
From the beginning involving a chair to the ending involving another chair, "Juno" moves effortlessly along in a simple-yet-gorgeous way that lets you view Juno's life as she sees it. No, it's not hand-held camera, but it might as well have been the lovable Juno directing.
What really makes this show work is its wonderful cast of characters. Juno is the crowning star, but it is not like the others did not pull their weight. Jennifer Garner takes her sweetness from "13 Going on 30" and channels it into an adult yuppy. Jason Bateman is relatable, even when it's painful. Michael Cera pulls off a heartwarming performance. Allison Janney almost stole the movie. And it wasn't just stellar performances. These are wonderfully written characters, all fully realized and unique and proud to be so as they deal with this very serious situation of teenage pregnancy.
This movie deserves all ten stars and all the praise it has received. It is well-made. It is well-written. It is well-acted. It has a great message. It finally has a teenage girl stepping up to take responsibility, even in a society that frowns upon adoption. I went through every emotion, from tears-inducing laughter to tears-inducing heartbreak.
About more than just pregnancy. August 25, 2008
The thing I love about movies is that five people can walk out of a movie saying what it's "about." Then they find that no two have said the same thing. So it didn't really surprise me when so many mainstream reviewers of this splendid movie were saying that it was "about teen pregnancy."
Well, sure, in a way. There are certainly people writing reviews right here at Amazon pointing out fearfully that Juno is giving teens a message that pregnancy is merely a happy lark. However, as Juno (the movie) was finishing up, I didn't find myself thinking that Juno (the girl's) situation was headed to Happy Town courtesy of a perky duet. The same 60 years that have taught me that a good song by itself won't get you far in the long run have also taught me that when it comes to guessing who survives tough situations, my money goes with the family that pulls together in a loving way when the crisis hits the fan.
Behind all the eye-rolling funny lines in Juno's family is their love for their kid. She's weird. They know it. She knows it. They go with it. So when things go seriously wrong for Juno, she can go home and tell them, trusting they won't dump her. They suck it up and deal. They are there when she really needs it, and, significantly, they don't make her pay for it. With that in mind, a lot of people who are angry at this movie might do well to watch it again.
To them I can only say that, despite the fact that teenagers often have a stunning way of ignoring information and advice which can help them, they can also be quick to notice how their lives differ from those of others. My guess is that most teenaged girls don't walk away from Juno marvelling, "Oh, getting pregnant looks totally cool! Like I SO have to try it!" More likely they are thinking, "Yeah, right! MY mom and dad would KILL me!"
Juno had real supports. Her girlfriend was wonderful in the way she was "there" for Juno. Many pregnant girls who are lucky enough to have such a supportive friend need her to survive the anger and disappointment of their families. What a waste. No surprise that the girls have so little emotional energy left for significant details like, "What does it mean to have a baby anyway?" and "What am I going to do with it?"
It's no accident that both Lars and the Real Girl and Juno were so wildly popular with their audiences. Each movie offers its own original, appealingl version of a similar belief--that the support of kind, loving families, friends, and communities will make all the difference for people in need. It's a message which strikes me as being, these days in particular, well worth serious consideration--which is why I found Juno such a more substantial movie than just cute or quirky.
 Modern day movie about teenage pregnancy August 21, 2008
This film was talk about town because it tackles the hot topic of teenage pregnancy. Juno is 16 year old girl, curious about sex, who after one time experiment with her schoolmate finds out she is pregnant. Juno is pretty, smart and has sarcastic sense of humor. Her mother and father are divorced and remarried to other people. While Juno lives with her father (somewhere in Midwest), her Mom has started her new family in Arizona and it is obvious that their relationship is distant and strained. Juno's family is a typical lower class family. Her father repairs heating and air conditioning, her stepmom is working as a nail technician while juggling her new family. But they are all detached from the fact that Juno is approaching age when talking about sex and educating her about it long past due. It is cute to see how her parents take her pregnancy in stride, but to me it is not believable that they would be so galant about it. The wisecracking of young Juno makes her somewhat less appealing becuase she can be crass. One almost does not want a girl like that to be a mother at all. Sarcasm like that is underlining major unhappiness and babies sure can benefit from happy moms. Besides, I do not believe that small town America talks the way most people talk and behave in this movie. While the script adds on the entertainment value it just isn't real. For some reason, I found soundtrack on thsi movie annoying. I know that many people have found it cute becuase it is so off beat, but I like music that sounds pleasing, not baby talk bluring sounds with a cute background noise. Let's hope young girls learn something from this film (I am not trying to be a prude when I say this)- in that respect I think that film adds value to a new generation of young women whose parents are in denial about their sexual coming of age.
|
|
|
