Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Instead of Juno

Now that it is out on DVD, people are hearing about Juno again, so it's a good time to mention Rocket Science, which is better. It probably rates about the same on the plausibility scale as Juno, but the difference is that the liberties it takes are intentional and, more importantly, earned by its performances and script, whereas Juno loses its credibility points with the viewer (or this viewer) by accident. For me at least, it sounds like every word Diablo Cody put in Juno's mouth came from some revisionist or wishful-thinking diary she kept full of the things she wished she had said and done during high school. Just too clever.

One of my students had this great comment in his journal the other day about how all the girls at our school think that the character Juno is so cool but if she went to our school, they would all hate on her.

The two films' soundtracks are also similar, but again, in my opinion, Rocket Science wins here--the music feels more integrated and, I guess, "warranted" would be a good word to describe it, where in Juno the songs may be catchy but they're used like cans of energy drink, as a substitute for energy where there isn't any (just like Wes Anderson!).

Anyway, you should see it and then tell me if you agree or disagree. Or no, only tell me if you agree. The trailer:

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm almost excited for the DVD release, just so I can re-indulge in my Juno hating.

It's hard to get much more pretentious than that movie.
It even writes in lines like, "SORRY, I'M ON MY HAMBURGER PHONE," in case the audience's eyes didn't pick up on that and miss a change to laugh at Diablo Cody's pure genius.

I'll check out Rocket Science.

Oh: and hating on Wes Anderson? Not cool. So the man likes The Kinks--can't argue with that.

Mr. Hill said...

I'm conflicted about Anderson, I admit. I mean, they are hilarious, of course, and cool. I just think that the whole adds up to so much less than the sum of all its elaborate detail.

I just remembered I lost my Rushmore soundtrack. Bummer.

Mindstroller said...

Rocket Science - Juno > 0

Mr. Hill said...

Mind, you would have to put it like that. If I follow, then, yer sayin' that Rocket Science is better'n Juno cuz if you was to take away the latter'n from the former'n, you would be left with a number that was positive-like.

Good, so we agree.

Mindstroller said...

good bit of deductive reasoning there, Mr. H.

TPiperZ said...

yay! i finally got a chance to look at your blog!
yay! i finally found someone else who was not into Juno!
yay! several someone elses!
yay! (it's me, zadie, by the way)