Juno Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Juno is a teen facing an unplanned pregnancy by her classmate Bleeker. With the help of her best friend Leah, Juno finds her unborn child a "perfect" set of parents: an affluent suburban couple, Mark and Vanessa, longing to adopt. Though she faces some tough decisions, Juno flirts with adulthood and ultimately figures out where she belongs.
For more about Juno and the Juno Blu-ray release, see the Juno Blu-ray Review
As original a motion picture as Juno is, its story is certainly anything but. Walk into most
any high school in the country and you're bound to meet Juno MacGuff, or a reasonable facsimile
thereof. I should know, my wife teaches girls just like Juno world geography everyday.
Juno takes something as
simple (or is it?), mundane (really? ask Juno), and
ordinary (can it ever be?) as teenage pregnancy and runs it through the ringer, showing us what
one young girl, a young girl who is definitely a product of her (this) generation, just might go
through
during an unplanned pregnancy. Hers is a story original on-screen but one played countless
times
in
hallways, classrooms, school busses, gym classes, bedrooms, living rooms, cars, recliners, and
cyber
spaces (but not outer spaces, or at least as far as we know) all around the world. Hers is the
story of a girl, a family, a baby, a spirt, all in limbo, waiting for anything and everything--divine
providence, happenstance, or even that little voice inside of you
(in Juno's case almost literally)--to guide them to a place where harmony will once again prevail,
where this anything-but-original
story will have the ending they (or we) may not have hoped for, but the ending that will keep
this old world spinning.
In case you didn't know what this movie is about, well, here you go.
Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page, Hard Candy) has just found out she's pregnant. She verified it
three times in the convenience store bathroom, and all in all, she's taking the news pretty well.
Her
boyfriend and father of the baby, Bleeker (Michael Cera, Superbad), after the initial shock of the
news,
settles into his role as father, well, as father for only a few brief moments. Juno has chosen to
abort
the baby, and Bleeker reaffirms and supports her decision, declaring himself "cool" with it. After
that idea didn't work out quite as Juno had hoped, she discovers the joys of
adoption and interviews for a barren couple, Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner, Catch and Release and Jason Bateman, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium,
respectively). Juno and Mark hit it off immediately, sharing a passion for music and horror films,
and the couple decides to adopt Juno's baby once it arrives. Having only recently completed her
first trimester, Juno has six months to come to terms with the topsy-turvy world her life has
become, truly decide what's best for her and her baby (not to mention Bleeker), and do her best
to ensure the survival of the status quo, at the very least.
Even though I am the furthest thing from a member of the target audience of this movie, I
nevertheless was able to appreciate the magic it shows us, magic that is deeper and maybe a bit
more meaningful than your average Saturday matinee spectacle. I'm almost certain that this
movie will speak to and for this generation, one I'm several behind, and perhaps that's why the
movie, taken as a whole, didn't quite click with me. I found myself lost under the avalanche of
slang (some phrases sounding like some strange dialect I'd never heard before), but managed to
piece the story together through the wonder of context clues. This script did manage to earn its
author,
Diablo Cody, an Academy Award for best original screenplay, and for the most part, I agree that
it's at least worthy of the nomination, and perhaps even of the win. Compared to two of the
additional four films it competed against (Ratatouille and Michael Clayton) that I've seen, I must
agree that
Juno was a worthy victor.
The only reason Juno succeeded as it did, in my opinion, is because of the outstanding
performances by the leads. Sure, the script is there to guide them, but each actor manages to
not only make the pages come alive, but to live them through and through, putting on a
performance from top to bottom, from Juno to the least memorable character, whomever that
may be, that is second-to-none in anything I've seen recently. Much like another film of recent
vintage, Dan In Real Life, Juno is more lived
than acted, the characters performing at such a fine level of excellence, the direction so smooth
(thanks to the sharp eye of Jason Reitman), and the flow of the story so graceful that we can't
help but feel a part of the film, a participant in the proceedings, witnessing the miracle of the
creation of life and all that entails. Nevertheless, despite all the positives, I cannot claim
Juno as one of my favorite movies of the year. The appeal is obvious and palpable, but
as a product of a generation not too far detached from that of Juno, but never having really felt a
part of that or any subsequent generation, much of the story beyond the more basic of its roots
slipped past me, and perhaps that's a shame on me. I've oftentimes wondered which films I'd
show to historical figures to allow them to "catch up" on the times, and Juno has shot to
near the top of that list, a movie that everyone may not necessarily get, but one that is definitely
charming, original, touching, and real, a product of this thing we call life in 2008.
20th Century Fox delivers Juno to Blu-ray in a fine 1080p presentation, one that
recreates
the somewhat less-than-glossy look of the movie very well. Go in expecting the movie to look
like I, Robot and leave disappointed. Go in
expecting the movie to emote a certain artistic license with its look, one that seems to shift as
the
setting, mood, and spirit of the film does, and leave satisfied. From what I took out of the
experience, the image deliberately shifts in contrast several times, reflecting the mood of the film.
The image seemingly brightens up when Juno meets the adoptive parents for the first time. As
the movie shifts back and forth from their world to hers, I noticed an obvious shift in the
contrast, as the image changes from one of joy, bright and natural lighting, solid, peppy colors
that jump off the screen to a darker, grainer, more dank and drab, less colorful presentation
when Juno is away from the Loring's. Overall, the contrast works, and the image obviously looks
its best while the setting is at the Loring household. Those shots in other locales appear fairly
dark
in nature, as if a minor filter has been applied to make it a bit darker than natural. Other scenes,
such as a medium distance shot of Juno near the beginning of the film, seemed excessively soft.
A reddish tint seems to sneak its way in at times, noticed often in skin tones. All the colors are a
bit dull, definitely on the other end of the spectrum and completely opposite of something like High School Musical 2. Still, it's effective
and sets the mood of the film perfectly, and I remain impressed by the theatrical quality and look
of the print. While Juno will never be reference grade material on Blu-ray, the image is
definitely a plus, and recreates the mood of the film with an understated authority.
Fox's DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound mix accompanying Juno is a pretty pedestrian one, but then
again, this isn't an ArnoldSchwarzenegger or WillSmith action vehicle, either. Dialogue and music are
integral to the telling of this story, and both are well-represented and well-reproduced here. Both
emanate cleanly and pleasantly from the front soundstage, focused in the center channel. A lot
of folk-y music is included, and is integral to the story, although I must admit to not being able to
accurately classify it beyond that point. It sounds fine, though much of it has a rough edge about
it, a product of the style and definitely not of the sound mix. Actual dialogue is clear,
well-prioritized and defined; the words coming out of the characters mouths (mostly Juno's) are
clear
and understandable, even if I didn't get all the slang. There are some minor niceties in the rear,
such as a scene early in the film where a school jogging team runs past Juno, and we hear them
move from the front to the rear flawlessly. The hodgepodge of sound at the abortion clinic
proved a bit pleasing and a bit odd at the same time, though I guess it definitely set the mood of
the scene and recreated the emotional roller coaster Juno was on at that moment in the film.
This mix is best described as sufficient, one not meant to blow out your windows, rattle your
foundation, and leave you breathless. Rather, it's simple yet elegant, much like the movie itself,
and is a perfect compliment to the proceedings.
Juno makes its high-definition debut as a feature-packed special edition. First up is a
commentary track by director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody. This duo is very
comfortable
speaking about the film and its nuances, from custom-made underwear to Gibson guitars to the
minor details we'll never even notice in the final product but add depth and realism to the film.
Reitman discusses differing filming techniques, such as the use of the handheld camera when
Juno
only is on-screen. This is a very entertaining track, and listening to it adds another layer to the
film
and appreciating its overtones.
The disc also includes eleven deleted scenes (480p, 20:24) with optional commentary by the
same
participants from the feature-length track. A "gag reel" (480p, 5:11), and a "gag take" (480p,
1:57) that is definitely not family-friendly are also available. Crew Music Video (480p,
3:12) is a unique feature, showing the members of the cast performing for a music video. A
series of screen tests (480p, 22:35) are also available for your viewing pleasure, showing the
actors auditioning for the movie.
Moving along, we have Way Beyond "Our" Maturity Level: Juno-Leah-BLeeker (480p,
8:59) which showcases select scenes of the film intertwined by comments by Diablo Cody, Jason
Reitman and several actors discussing the fine performances of the cast, the meaning of the
characters, and the authenticity of the film. Diablo Cody is Totally Boss (480p, 8:35)
provides a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the screenplay's origins, from Cody's
early
days of blogging, to her discovery, to writing the script, and the positive reactions to it. Jason
Reitman for Shizz (480p, 8:08) examines the search for a director and how Jason Reitman's
passion for the script, his desire to recreate the script accurately for the screen, and his real-life
experiences lent positive energy and vigor to the end product, proving him to be the right man
for the job.
Fox Movie Channel Presents: World Premiere...Juno (480p, 5:26) is a fluff promotional
piece filmed outside the world premiere in Los Angeles. The movie is recapped and is followed by
interviews with the cast and crew. Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session: Juno
(480p, 7:51) looks at how the choosing of the cast affected the final product, and how finding
just the right actors made the movie into what it is, avoiding the trap of allowing the material to
fall into the "after school special" realm. Finally, a digital copy of the film is included for use on
your computer or portable video device. For more on how this works, please see the supplements
review in Hitman.
Juno has been one of the most talked about films of the year. Like it, hate it, or fall
somewhere in the middle, you no doubt have an opinion on the movie, but one thing should be
close to unanimous: it is very well made and acted, something every film fan should be
able to appreciate, respect, and admire. Brimming with edgy, trendy dialogue, a timely (and
timeless)
story, and well-drawn characters, Juno is definitely a movie worth seeing if you have not
already. Those who loved this movie will be most eager to add it to their Blu-ray collection.
Sporting fine video and audio quality that both accurately and pleasingly reflect the tone of the
story, this Blu-ray edition is not likely to disappoint. The supplements are fairly extensive and
entertaining, but their presentation in 480p standard definition proved disappointing. Nevertheless,
this Blu-ray disc is bound to find its way into many a collection, and it comes recommended.
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