Earier this summer, I went through a rather horrendous back to back sickness- which I'm convinced was some mutated strain of the pork flu. I had been confined to my bed for so long and so bored out of my mind that I actually watched Juno on HBO. I had successfully avoided watching this movie for over a year, because based on the trailer, reviews, video clips, and feedback from acquaintances, I fully confirmed to myself that I would hate this movie. And boy was I right! I really disliked this movie for exactly all the reasons I already knew I'd hate it for. Out of the many things I could point out that's bad about this movie, I will just point out one thing- two thirds of any movie's characters should not talk exactly like Diablo Cody.
Juno, ah Juno, the little indie movie that could! How I scoff at your Hal Ashby by way of Wes Anderson wannabe 70s asthetic, and your "witty" dialogue, and your obnoxiously let
hargic Moldy Peaches filled soundtrack! But this is not just a year late backlash against Juno- rather I am on the lookout for the next cutesy indie that explodes in popularity, and proceeds to annoy me as I silently suffer conversations taking next to me on the subway about how "quirky" and "touching" it is, and how good the soundtrack is.As far as I can see, Juno is actually not the first sitcommy indie that burst on to the scene- though I'm sure many other examples are out there, in my memory the first cutest indie to annoy me, the patient zero, if you will is My Big Fat Greek Wedding of 2002, which was followed by Little Miss Sunshine in 2006. But neither these movies have fostered the kind of ire I bear against Juno, and and its specific brand of preciousness.
Earlier, I feared that Away We Go would be the Juno of 2009. Fortunately, no one went to go see it.
Yesterday I went to go see (500) Days of Summer, and carefully examined it for symptoms of Juno-itis, and was relieved to find that it was a legitimately likeable movie.
So, next on the look out list is Paper Heart, a documentary/fiction hybrid starring Juno-ite Michael Cera, and the stoner Asian girl from Knocked Up. I may not actually watch the movie to make my assessment, but you can be sure I will be closely examining the trailers, the vid clips, and subway conversations for Juno-itis.