Juno

[12-51-00]

I like your comment here. But where did this specific business with 'Asians' come in regarding Juno? I sure as heck never berated it for its lack of Asians - how ridiculous would it been had you had Asians of any kind in a story like this - would seem entirely forced, contrived - wouldn't it...

I just used 'Asians' as an example because really that's the only race I've ever heard people say the movie industry has issues with. Well besides, black men in romantic leads. Plus to go through all the movies with black, hispanic, and 'oriental' people would just take too long.

Still it's unfair to have a dig at Hollywood for not representing minorities enough. I imagine the same could be said of Bollywood for not showing black/white people enough. Come to think of it the Korean and Japanese are guilty of that a little too.

You can't really blame the studios either. Firstly it's the writers who write these roles and many probably just don't think to put minorities in the worlds they create. Whether that's a conscious decision or not is hard to say but I will say I've written/sold two screenplays so far, and although I've never specified the race of any of my characters, in my head they're all white. With studio execs and casting directors being predominately white/european I imagine that's what they assume too.

That's not anybody consciously excluding people, it's just that in my day to day life I don't encounter any people from minority groups. Infact beyond a few friends I have in Seattle with Japanese/Chinese backgrounds I don't think I actually know any people from a minority... Actually that amazes me since I grew up in Bradford and spent a lot of time living in North London...

[Fei Fong Wong]

My point is the mindset and the industry that create films like this - the films in themselves are not the problem - they are the symptom. But thanks for your input, though you might want to read my post again, or just the part I already quoted above.

And how are the Asian movie industries any better then? I don't see many white people in Bollywood, Hong Kong, Korean movies etc. Not saying its right but swings and roundabouts mate. Western indie studios don't do too bad, though I agree the major's suck when it comes to representing ethnic groups or gays in movies.

Anyway this is off topic from Juno anyway you cut it. Maybe a mod should split this discussion into a new thread.

[ezee ryder]

Anyway this is off topic from Juno anyway you cut it.

Correct. This thread is for discussion on Juno, if people want to discuss issues about Hollywood or other movie industries please do it in a relevant thread. Thanks.

[usman]

And how are the Asian movie industries any better then? I don't see many white people in Bollywood, Hong Kong, Korean movies etc. Not saying its right but swings and roundabouts mate. Western indie studios don't do too bad, though I agree the major's suck when it comes to representing ethnic groups or gays in movies.

Anyway this is off topic from Juno anyway you cut it. Maybe a mod should split this discussion into a new thread.

Incorrect.

No. It isn't off-topic, not what I said. All of my posts are regarding Juno, and you will see I did not make a single one that did not discuss it at all. Responding to only that part of what I discussed is. That you do not agree with what I said about this film, and what I think about it and certainly have the right to say what I see are the larger problems behind it, or it doesn't fit your perception of what the film was - does not make it off-topic.

I thought too, that someone would bring up other countries' film industries, but left out mentioning it as I thought it was straying and also thought it was obvious. Not the same thing. Clearly not. America and Canada by extension are multicultural, ethnically diverse societies - Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and the like are not. Thus to see a majority of Japanese film about Japanese people and such is hardly the same thing - being a largely homogeneous society - as an American film industry that constantly uses the white male archetype as the definition what it means to be American. If you're white this likely won't bother you - fine. Don't expect the same of me and others.

Even then, Japan and Korea's film industries do a far better job at telling minorities in their societies' stories than Hollywood have, I would say. And Western indies are terrible, terrible in this respect - Juno, The Savages, Lars and the real Girl, Until the Devil Knows Your Dead - all recent examples, all symptomatic of the same problem.

As I said repeatedly, these are my impressions on Juno. They are as much mine as yours are yours, and selective reading of what I say does not make them off-topic. If you don't agree, you don't need to debate, or at least include your own impressions of the film with your debate. Go on, then - talk about the film as I other have and stay on-topic.

[endo]

Picked this up for a fiver the other day and watched it. I thought it was agreeable enough, but a little dull tbh. The smart-arsedness of the script came across as contrived at times and grated a little (hey, let's cram some sort of contemporary pop-culture reference into every word spoken!)
The soundtrack started off quite pleasant too, but the earnest, new-alt-folk thing got on my tits by the end- it's just trying so hard to be worthy for want of a better word.

I think it definitely could have been improved with a lot more Asians in it though

[abigsmurf]

There was a lot of backlash about Juno once the hype died down a bit. It kinda showed that hatred for the hipster movement had been bubbling for a long time.

-Main characters with names like super heros.
-characters have to be either 'quirky and free spirited' or awkward
-Dialogue that no human would say and the kinda snappy comebacks and quips that most people think of 20 minutes after a conversation being said during every exchange.
-no music by bands who've sold more than a million records in their lifetime.
-show how indie they are! Make them wear alternative fashion and name drop other 'indie' things; indie directors, comics, unusual hobbies.
-make a big deal about how indie you are yet still have an impressive list of stars and the backing of a big movie studio.
-don't actually have a plot of note outside of the main pitch

Napoleon Dynamite, Donnie Darko, Ghost World, Juno, probably loads more. They all follow a lot of those rules, some follow all of them. They're not independent films, they're just not blockbusters yet there's a weird smugness that people had for a while that was like "yeah, I've seen Donnie Darko, I'm better than you".

Like in music, Indie became a style, not a description of how it was produced.

</rant>

[Zaki]

There was a lot of backlash about Juno once the hype died down a bit. It kinda showed that hatred for the hipster movement had been bubbling for a long time.

-Main characters with names like super heros.
-characters have to be either 'quirky and free spirited' or awkward
-Dialogue that no human would say and the kinda snappy comebacks and quips that most people think of 20 minutes after a conversation being said during every exchange.
-no music by bands who've sold more than a million records in their lifetime.
-show how indie they are! Make them wear alternative fashion and name drop other 'indie' things; indie directors, comics, unusual hobbies.
-make a big deal about how indie you are yet still have an impressive list of stars and the backing of a big movie studio.
-don't actually have a plot of note outside of the main pitch

Napoleon Dynamite, Donnie Darko, Ghost World, Juno, probably loads more. They all follow a lot of those rules, some follow all of them. They're not independent films, they're just not blockbusters yet there's a weird smugness that people had for a while that was like "yeah, I've seen Donnie Darko, I'm better than you".

Like in music, Indie became a style, not a description of how it was produced.

</rant>

Wow! That's an amazing post but I don't think Napoleon Dynamite should be in that list

[jagvirdi]

Seen this film. Was a load of crap imo. Totally dull and boring. Hated the main actor and the writing.

[Concrete donkey]

Liked the film myself, but I am a fan of Ghost World, Igby goes down and Wes Anderson films like Rushmore, though strangly enough I couldn't sit through the even the first five minutes of Napoleon Dynamite.

[Red Hogg]

My hatred for this film borders on frenzy sometimes. It winds me up just thinking about it.

I'm off now to kill somebody.

[merf]

just saw on sky and really liked this, can't see the wes anderson comparisons as I detest his films.

was surprised to come here and see all the rants about it, seemed quite innocuous to me and would rather hollywood was chucking out films like this than Transformers.

[abigsmurf]

I always kept hearing about how it dealt with complex issues and crap. It doesn't. It sidesteps the whole abortion issue with that trivial fact I can't be bothered to remember (I actually think 'Juno gets an abortion' Would've been a far more adventurous and interesting film), it doesn't deal with the difficulty people have at giving up babies barely scratches the surface on what it's like to attend school pregnant...

Bleh this film gets me worked up too.

[Skull Commander]

I watched this last night. The smugness of the film did annoy me, as did some of the dialogue, but it was a nice litttle film. Just wish it didn't try so hard...

[PrayforMojo]

Even the ad which shows Juno smoking a pipe makes me want to put my foot through the television. Honestly, if I ever meet anybody who owns a hamburger phone, I will kick them where it hurts.

[abigsmurf]

*phones mojo up on his Hot Dog phone then makes sure to specifically tell him it's a hot dog phone because he's quirky and edgy and watches Dario Argento films!*