Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Convicts with perfect diction

Lost in Translation was a movie I just didn’t get and not in an “I assume this is over my head” highbrow sort of way. I just thought it was pointless. I didn’t think it said anything interesting about loneliness, isolation, or alienation. I certainly didn’t understand any of the critical acclaim surrounding the film. Juno is my new Lost in Translation.

Juno had some funny lines and some interesting scenes. I thought Jennifer Gardner’s role was beautiful and understate and Michael Cera was actually believable as a human being, but the movie was hollow and false to me. Elmore Leonard says, “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” Diablo Cody didn’t get the message. Juno didn’t feel like dialogue; it felt like a series of punch lines and one-ups. Note: the dialogue between the couple in the chemistry class was especially painful. I’ve said it to everyone; Diablo Cody isn’t going anywhere that Kevin Williamson hasn’t been with Dawson’s Creek. Putting adult words into teenage mouths may inspire nostalgia in some people, but it is for a childhood that never existed. So, I am having a hard time understanding the nominations for actress, director, screenplay, and movie. I guess to each their own, but I like Villi and I’s version better: to ours is right.

However, I did like the lyrics to Kimya Dawson's song "So Nice So Smart." Or at least the line about convicts and diction.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought it was charming, but I know what you mean -- too clever, too cool. Or something.

I do have the part about the nerdy girls who read McSweeney's and want to be children's librarians when they grow up hit home. Except for the "children's" part.

Anonymous said...

errr, "I do have to say"...

Nacho Enthusiast said...

That scene was very funny. I liked that very much. Everyone I saw it with turned to me and stared: seeing as I read mcsweeney's and want to be a librarian.

I think, in general, that these girls (as described in Juno) don't want to be children's librarians. I know children's librarians and they are definitely the white bread of the profession. You and Beth are more 7 grain.