For the better part of the last 25 years, and even the last forty years, some of the best movies ever made have come not from studio eggheads but from the creative minds of Hollywood's most underrated filmmakers. They are the independant or "indie" films.
George Lucas lead the way in 1971 with his futuristic THX: 1138. He also gave us the classic American Graffiti and one of the best movies ever made, Star Wars. All three films came out of his mind; with relativly small budgets, the studio left him alone to make his masterpieces. And what did we get? Two films nominated for Best picture and one of, like was said, the best films ever made.
Although not officially "Independant" films, both Wars and Graffitti were made in that style. Years later, Kevin Smith, for a mind-boggling $27,000 gave us Clerks, a witty, funny, and all-around terrific film, black and white, about two slacker convienience store clerks. The film was a smash hit at the Sundace film festival, and since has gone on to make millions.
Other films, like The Empire Strikes Back and the rest of the Star Wars films and the blockbuster original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, have all been incredibly successful.
Indie films come from the minds of wanna-be filmmakers unconnected to the Hollywood sceen. These filmmakers don't turn out film after film to make a quick buck; they make films that say something, films that are brilkiant, films that are good, not the schlock mainstream Hollywood writiers churn out.
In recent years, the Academy has taken notice of the "indie" film. For 2006, the Academy nominated Little Miss Sunshine, which went on two win two Oscars (out of four) including Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.
Juno is one such terrific "indie" film.
Juno is unlike most films from this past year. It is smart, cleaver, funny, sad, and touching, all without trying too hard.
Juno Macguff (Canadian Ellen Page), a 16-year-old teenager, decided that the time was right to try out sex, and so she did the deed with her best friend. She is now three months preggers.
After telling her parents, (who take the news quite well), she informs them that she has found adoptive parents (in the Penny-saver, no less) and will give up the baby.
Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) seem like the perfect adoptive parents at first, but as Juno becomes friendly with Mark, he drops the bombshell that he wants a divorce from Vanessa. There is no love anymore. He isn't ready to become a father.
Vanessa has always wanted to be a mother. Mark had other ideas. Juno is now torn. She has no one to take her baby, and she is confused with her own love life.
What is a pregnant teen to do?
While the movie could end in any one of several ways, thankfully it never does stray from the main topic at hand.
She could want to keep the baby, or end up with Mark, or any number of possibilities. No, this doesn't even come into play. The movie stays on course.
As independent films go, this is one of the best, right along side the other classics. Between title after title of schlock Hollywood turns out these days, Juno is a breath of fresh air; Thanks to Ellen Page's masterful creation of Juno MacGuff, the 20-year-old hits every mark and lets every witticism out with the precision of a veteran comedic actor. Nominated for Best Actress, as she should rightly have been, Page's performance is one of, if not the best of the year. Let's hope she wins.
To say that Juno is a pleasant surprise is an understatement. Juno deserves the title of Best Picture Nominee. Do yourself a favor and see a terrific, well written film not from Hollywood.
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
Atonement, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood
Is the movie worth your time to watch?
9.5/10 02-03-08
