Best Picture

i finally cuaght Juno today. whoopee!!! yeah!!!
i love the film. Juno tells the story of 16yr old Juno McGuff, who got pregnant after sex on a couch with Michael Cera. It wasnt a dark and twisty movie tt dwelled on the woes of teenage pregnancy and its discrimination, but was treated in a laid back, almost funny manner. The script was written by a former stripper called Diablo Cody, and Ellen pulled off the witty lines and high sch geekish-exile-boyish persona pretty well, but it's not a role you wont imagine her in. as in, IMO, its not that hard to think of a teenager playin a high sch stereotype, knowing that there's stuff in there that u can relate to. I cant help but compare spectacular Ellen's performance to her breakout performance in Hard Candy. that role was against type,not something u'd imagine a typical teenager wld do. and there was smthin scary bout her portrayal. i felt Juno wasnt as big a challenge, and there wasnt a particular scene that required emotional depth. but still Juno was one of the sweetest movies i've seen this yr. loved the soft, slightly oddball music, love Rainn Wilson's cameo and Alisson Janney's deadpan humour, love the ending lingering scene when the two just strummed their guitars away to a lovey dovey duet, love Jennifer Garner in anything.

in a year where Ellen Page got nominated for Best Actress in what i felt was a less deserving nomination, it got me thinking: is this yr's batch of Best Actress nominees below standards? Or was 2 yrs ago's competition too tough?

this yr marks the first time i've seen 4 out of 5 of the Best Picture contenders: Juno, Atonement, No country for old men, and Michael Clayton. i cant wait to watch There Will Be Blood thou. out of the 4, my personal fav will be for Juno to win actually. No Country was too dry, and thou stylised and thrilling, well-paced and acted, it didnt leave me feeling much after the show. Atonement was lavish and the cinematography was beautiful. the long shot seemed difficult and meticulous (i love single shots), but i didnt feel any emotional depth or chemistry from the leads. it was a lil too showy. Michael Clayton was very dry and the onli pull were the actors. so by manner of elimination, i'm rooting for Juno. but NCFOM will win. so here are my predictions for the show in a while:

best Actress: Marion Cotillard. But i'm thinkin they might give it to Julie Chritstie for old time sake.
Best Actor: DANIEL DAY LEWIS. all the buzz. it's almost like Helen Mirren's sure bet last year.
Best Supporting actor: Javier Bardem. hands down.
best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett. cant wait to catch I'm Not There at the SIF.
Best adapted screenplay: -unsure-
best original screenplay: Juno. a lil torn bet juno and Lars and the real girl thou.
best director: Joel and Ethan Coen. for the grim western wasteland feel.

sadly, i haven caught The diving bell and butterfly yet. =( interesting premise thou.
yeappp. busy week coming. and today, i've made plans for my future.