Monday, February 25, 2008

Movie Review

"JUNO"

Presenting an indie smash-hit that has movie-goers giving it a fantastic review and cracking up with laughter, along the way. Juno is named after a Roman Goddess who had to deal with teenage pregnancy while attending high-school crosses boundaries into adoption and brings into perspective, the importance of family support. Jammed packed with great dialogue and quirky teenage angst, I took to the characters with extreme ease and loved every minute of it. Directed by Canadian Jason Reitman who made another indie hit "No Smoking Please" and written by Diablo Cody, a former stripper who incidentally won the 80th Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Ellen Page stars as 16-year-old Juno MacGuff, an independent teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy after an impromptu sex tryst on a chair with best friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). After taking three pregnancy tests at a local convenience store, Juno finally concedes and accepts that she is nine weeks pregnant. She had opted for an abortion but a last-minute change of heart paved the way for adoption. With help from her best friend, Leah (Olivia Thirlby) Juno searched a local thrifty newspaper called the "Pennysaver" for an adoptive couple. The scene where Juno broke the news of her pregnancy to her father, Mac (J. K. Simmons) and step-mum (Alison Janney) was hilarious and surprisingly, took to the news rather well. Juno went on to meet the couple, Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) in their manicured expensive home and finalizes the 'close' adoption arrangements, quite literally on-the-spot.
Juno strikes up an instant friendship with Mark when she notices a Gibson guitar in his room and they started jamming. Soon, she finds herself going over the Mark's place more often, who shares similar tastes in music, film and pop culture. However, Mark slowly discovers that he is not ready to be a father and still longs to be in a rock band but has set aside his dreams for a conservative life with Vanessa. Although Mark works as a commercial composer, he feels like an outcast in his own home, not given room to exercise his dream. Cracks are showing in the beautiful portrait of the lovely couple shown in the classified ads. All this while, Juno wrestles with the new emotions she feels for her baby's father, Paulie who also has feelings for Juno but plays it cool. Juno maintains an outwardly indifferent attitude to Paulie but confronts him when she learns that Paulie had asked another girl to the prom, only to be reminded that it is at her request they remain distant and points out she was the one who suggested his prom date in the first place. Another scene worth mentioning is when Juno's step-mum berates the ultrasound technician to stick to "What she knows" after passing an insensitive remark on Juno's pregnancy at such a young age. It felt great to see how she defended her step-daughter from snide remarks and let those who judge a person without knowing them, a taste of their own medicine. Not long before her baby is due, Juno is once again visiting Mark who confesses that he is leaving Vanessa and moving out. Vanessa arrives home and an argument ensues between her and Mark about whether or not it is "bad timing" for them to proceed with the adoption. As she watches their marriage fall apart, Juno leaves and cries on the side of the road not before coming to a decision. Returning to the Lorings' home, she leaves a handwritten note for Vanessa. After a heartfelt discussion with her father, Juno came to the realization that she loved Paulie all this while and revealed her true feelings to him. Later at a track meet, Paulie notices Juno is not in the stands and rushes to the hospital to be with her. At the hospital, he comforts Juno by holding her tight in bed and they both agree not to see the baby. Vanessa arrives at the hospital alone and joyfully claims the newborn boy as a now-single adoptive mother. Juno's note to Vanessa is finally revealed, in place of a portrait of her and Mark, reads "Vanessa: If you're still in, I'm still in. - Juno." The film ends with Juno and Paulie playing guitar and singing to one another. Watch out for the group of runners, appearing in timely scenes of the movie.

A huge thumbs up for a cleverly crafted movie with plenty of heart and a catchy soundtrack to boot. Five stars out of Five for sure and worth watching a second time.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Movie Review

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Tim Burton is the perfect director to put his 'dark' spin onto a film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's musical of the same name. His 2007 vision of the black comedy, part horror/ musical film stars the usual suspects of Johnny Depp as the demon barber and Helena Bonham Carter (wife of Burton) who was pregnant at time of filming as Mrs. Lovett with a strong cast made up of notable Englishmen. As a musical, the tunes here aren't as melodic as films like 'The Sound of Music' or 'The Phantom of the Opera' but but it still gets the message across, somehow. Singing may not seem natural when it comes to murder most fowl but there are scenes where singing can be somewhat irritating and repetitive. Having said that, Helena's singing syncopation of "Worst Pies in London" while making pies was a treat to watch and listen. All the actors featured can hold a tune quite well and did an incredible job, especially Depp. The film won awards for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and Best Actor (Comedy or Musical) at the 65th Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations for Best Actor, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design at the 80th Academy Awards.

The story tells of Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp), a barber who is falsely accused and sentenced to a life of hard labor in Australia by the lustful Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), who has his lecherous eyes on his beautiful wife, Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly). Not knowing what happened to his family, Barker returns 15 years later under the alias of Sweeney Todd, set about to find the truth and seek revenge on Turpin. After bidding farewell to his sailor friend, Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) Todd returns to his old flat above his former landlady, Mrs Lovett's pie shop on Fleet Street where he learnt the dreaded outcome after his arrest. Turpin had forced himself on his wife and that she poisoned herself to death out of humiliation. The Judge also took captive of Barker's daughter Johanna as his ward, caged like a bird in his manor. The news devasted Todd and he vows revenge on Judge Turpin but not before singing "My Friends" to the razor knives/ blades hidden by Mrs Lovett.

Anthony wanders the streets of London in search of Hyde park when he stumbles upon the now-teenage Johanna and instantly falls for her. His attraction provokes a jealous Turpin to squash any thoughts of romance by instructing his henchman, Beadle Bamford (Timothy Spall) to hand Anthony a good beating. Over at the Street Market, an eager Todd challenges Italian master street barber Adolfo Pirelli (Sasha Baron Cohen of 'Borat' fame) to a speed shaving contest where he trounces his rival easily. Todd then uses the opportunity to invite Bamford to his shop for a complimentary shave and spread the word of his skills to his master. When Pirelli shows up at Todd's shop to reveal his true identity as Barker's former young Irish apprentice and blackmails Todd to half his earnings, an enraged Todd swiftly murders him to ensure the secret remains silent. When Mrs. Lovett learnt about it, she made a pact with Todd to grind up Pirelli's body into meat for her pies. Todd agrees, and then installs machinery in his barbers' chair to dump the bodies of his victims through a trap door to Lovett's basement bakehouse and thus, began his downward spiral of innocent killings. Bussiness flourished and more bodies are needed to fuel the appetites of unsuspecting customers.


Fearing he might lose Johanna, Judge Turpin expresses his desire to marry her but is spurned by the young ward. Bamford encourages Turpin to visit Todd for a shave to enhance his appearance. When Todd is about to kill Turpin and exact his revenge, Anthony bursts into Todd's shop and accidentaly blurted out Johanna's plans to flee with him. An enraged Turpin hides Johanna in an insane asylum until she agrees to marry him. More killings went on before Anthony returns to reveal that he has found Johanna, Todd immediately instructs Anthony to disguise himself as a wigmaker's apprentice and free Johanna out of the asylum. He then writes a letter to Turpin informing him of Anthony's plans to free Johanna so as to lure the evil Judge and sends Toby to deliver it. When Toby returns, he voices his mistrust of Todd to Mrs. Lovett and recognized the money pouch of his old Italian tough-master in her possession. Mrs. Lovett, knowing the game is up, cuddles Toby and lures him into the bakehouse and locking him inside. As Lovett warns Todd of Toby's suspicions, they are surprised by the visit of Beadle Bamford to investigate "strange smells" coming from the bakehouse. While Todd lures Bamford into his barber shop, Toby finds a human toe in one of the pies. He then discovers stacks of human corpses and flees into the sewers avoiding Todd and Mrs. Lovett.


Meanwhile, Anthony and Johanna return to Todd's barber shop, where he tells her to wait for him. Disguised in men's clothing, Johanna quickly scrambles into the chest in the corner of the room as the beggar woman enters, looking for Beadle Bamford. Soon after, Todd returns to the shop and is surprised by the beggar woman, who appears to recognize Todd. Hearing Turpin is about to enter, Sweeney in a state of panic, slits the beggar woman's throat and drops her body down the chute. Turpin enters the room seconds later and accepts Todd's offer of a shave. Looming with his sharp razor over Turpin, Todd reveals his true identity and stabs him before slitting his throat. Todd then discovers Johanna hiding in the trunk and not recognising her, prepares to kill her but was interrupted by Mrs. Lovett's screams. He races to the bakehouse to find Judge Turpin still alive but he soon dies. As Mrs. Lovett opens the oven door to dispose of Turpin, the light from the burning coals shone on the face of the beggar woman. Todd moves closer and recognizes her as his wife, Lucy who was made to believe was 'dead'. Mrs Lovett reveals that Lucy survived her suicide attempt but the poison drove her mad. She tries to persuade Todd that she lied because of her love for him. Todd calms her down and bizarrely, begins to dance with her, saying that he loves her too and that "Life is for the Alive". Suddenly, he thrusts her through the open oven door and watches her burn to death. Todd then returns to Lucy and holds her dead body. Toby emerges from the sewer, picks up Todd's discarded razor and slits Todd's throat in a final act of vengeance.

The movie has it engaging moments as it builds up for the finale and adds a twist at the end but the throat-slashings with blood spurting and some cases, flowing out severed necks may not be everyone's cup of tea. You will either love or hate it, thankfully its more love than hate for me. Three razors out of Five.

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