'Films to See' 2: Juno (2007)

So I'm going to kick off our second of many films to own with the often overlooked, but beautifully made film about growing up too quickly. 

Juno is about an unusual teenage girl, Juno (Ellen Page) who finds herself pregnant by her best friend (Michael Cera) after their first and only time. Unlike most in her position, Juno makes the brave decision to have the child and give it up for adoption, after finding a seemingly perfect couple as the baby's new parents.

Enter Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) the seemingly perfect couple looking to adopt Juno's child.  One of my favourite things about this film, is how natural the relationships feel, it's like watching real friendships developing before your very eye's, and this is due, in no small part, to the high class acting throughout. Juno's friendship with Nostalgic Mark is not only an important plot-point, but more so, one of the most convincing relationships I've seen in a film.

Probably the best performance however, is Jennifer Garner's performance as Vanessa. Desperate after several failed pregnancy attempts, we watch Vanessa's change from an broody control freak, to a loving parent, sympathising with her every concern. One touching (pardon the pun?) scene in particular takes place between Vanessa and Juno in a shopping mall, where Vanessa touches (see what I did there...) Juno's baby bump. We sit in suspense, watching Vanessa nearly break down at the baby's lack of response to her, before finally feeling her elation as she feels her future child kick for the first time.

There are so many features of Juno that stand out it is difficult to concentrate on any one thing. For me, one of the best things was the soundtrack. Apart from sporting a wide variety of music, the film also features some quirky pieces from almost unknown Singer/Songwriter Kimya Dawson, which compliment the nature of the film perfectly with their Indy style, care-free outlook on life. The optimistic attitude towards the situation and indeed life is also reflected in the cartoon titles, with comic-book style animations giving us an insight into the quaint way Juno perceives the world around her.

SPOILER ALERT

Without a doubt, one of the most heartfelt moments in the entire film is when Paulie (Cera) arrives moments after the baby's birth. Juno's father (JK Simmons) approaches the boy, and simply places his hands on his shoulder, nods with a small, respectful smile, and leaves the room. Despite the lack of dialogue, this scene speaks thousands of words. It is so important in symbolising the idea of a boy growing up, and earning his place in the world, and the acceptance from a man who has every reason to dislike him.

Juno deserves it's place on our list, as it is, like so many others to come, a unique masterpiece. A beautiful combination of comedy, romance and drama, brought together to create a film everyone can, and should enjoy. It's no wonder there are three copies out house alone.

Will :-D

P.S: I'll be uploading the first of my 'Films everyone should forget about' list tomorrow evening (whoo very exciting) so I really hope you enjoy that. For those who are interested in film, Please Please Please tune in to 'Wake up with Tea and Toast' on Tequila Radio at 9am Monday morning.    Jenny Drewett and Megan Talbot host a brilliant morning show, giving you the latest news and movie reviews, with great discussions and options for listeners to get involved. Here is a link to the site: http://www.tequilaradio.co.uk You can listen live from 9am on Monday, I highly recommend it!

All Pictures Courtesy of Google

Hello All!

Hello everyone,

Just a quick post to say thank you very much to my new followers, and I hope you're enjoying my stuff so far. Please remember to comment on my reviews as feedback is incredibly important to me.

I'll be uploading two reviews this weekend, the second of the film's everyone should own, which will be Juno, and the first of the films everyone should forget about. I hope you enjoy them, and if anyone has an suggestions for more films to add to my extensive list, e-mail me at 'williamjohn08uk@gmail.com'.

Thanks guys and gals, speak soon,

Will :-D

'Films to See' 1: Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future is, lets face it, one of the best films ever made. It has suspense, intrigue, romance, and a bloody great story. So when I found out that one of my house mates hadn't seen it, I was more than a little shocked. After the flood of exasperated noises, I finally managed to give him a slap and tell him that we're watching the DVD! I got to thinking what that'd be like to see it for the first time again, how it would've been in a cinema in 1985. I logged on to my computer and I get an e-mail. 25th Anniversary re-release of Back to the Future...at the Cinema!!! Thank you Odeon.

Come Monday, we're sat in the cinema, with the film, one of the best films...ever...about to start, and my friend turns to me (in his unique, lucky position, imaging being able to see BTTF in a Cinema for the first time) and says "It's a bit empty, if this is so good, I'd have thought there'd be more people"! I nearly slapped him again, although he did have a point, aside from the two of us, there were only two others in the room. I shook is off when the music began. 

Back to the Future, for those poor, sheltered people who don't know, is about a teenager (Marty McFly - Michael J Fox) who accidentally travels back in time to 1955 in DeLorean made into a Time Machine by an eccentric Scientist, the Doc (Christopher Lloyd). In 1955, he meets his parents (Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson) and sets about a chain of events that could erase him from time completely. He has to set History straight, and get back to the future with the help of the younger, even more eccentric Doc from 1955. 

"Why is 'Back to the Future' such an important film?" Well, I'm glad you ask that, I'll tell you. A GOOD Time Travel film is hard to come by, mainly because it's tough to find a concept that works, and also because it is such a head trip for writers to work their way through paradoxes, like for instance: 

SPOILER ALERT 

With BTTF. Marty McFly travels back in time and accidentally stops his parents from falling in love, nearly erasing his whole existence...but, if he never existed, he wouldn't have been able to go back in time to stop himself from existing...but if he hadn't gone back, he'd still be around, to keep going back... but if...AHHH it's too much... 

Well, like I said, Paradoxes confuse a writer, but they make great films, and I'm pleased to say that my friend loved it. To quote him "I forgot that I was watching a 25-year-old film, it felt as new and exciting as modern films". One thing he continually noted, to my slight annoyance, is that he'd seen a lot of the 'clichés' before. He had to remind himself that this film came first, it made the cliché. 

That is the important thing about Back to the Future, and the reason that it kicks off our Epic Journey, because it is somewhat of an archetype. There were Time Travel Stories before BTTF, but it was this film which set the premise for all subsequent Time Travel stories, the unique storytelling, and comical moments, the heart warming relationships, and indeed the light-hearted yet tense danger posed to our hero make for an marvellously entertaining film, and subsequent series which everyone should own.


Will :-D


All Pictures Courtesy of Google

Time to hit the Play Button!

Hello everyone, welcome to Hit the Play Button. 

I'm Will, I'm a writer and actor with Phoenix Productionz, and a Student at the University of Greenwich.

Quite recently I moved in with some friends who share my interests in film and TV. We've sat late into the night, discussing the literal thousands of films we've collectively seen, and it got me thinking. 

I wanted to share these conversations with as many people as I could, and It struck me that the best way to do so would be to open a blog, and continually review the films that I believe every household...every person should own.

The list was supposed to be a list of 30 films...but that went out of the window fairly quickly. So now, each week, probably Friday's, I'll up load reviews (sometimes one, sometimes more) of the
crème de la crème that the film industry has to offer, why it deserves it's place on our list, what makes it something special.

Oh, and then there's the other list, the films we should all really...forget. I'll be talking about those as well, to warn the readers who haven't seen them, and to mock them with the unfortunate ones.

They'll be guest reviewers along the way, random snippets of film news, and updates on all the latest Phoenix Productionz news, so please check back every week, and I hope you really enjoy yourselves.

Will :-D

P.S: In next week's blog, to coincide with the Cinema Re-Release, I'll be beginning our awesome journey with 'Back to the Future'. Hope you enjoy.