A Cry in the Dark

"I don't think a lot of people realise how important innocence is to innocent people."

3.5 Stars

The true story of Lindy Chamberlain. A woman whom during a camping trip to Ayer's Rock in outback Australia 1980. She witnessed a dingo steal her three month old daughter Azaria from their family tent. Azaria's body was never found, causing police to question her story further. Overexposure in the media causes speculation that perhaps Lindy killed her daughter. The media blitz turns into a murder trial and the Chamberlain family fights to clear their name.

The JonBenet case came to mind while watching this.
The media (myself included) really wanted the parents to be at fault, or involved in something so bad. Honestly, the parents are the only ones who really know what happened that night.
If they are (were) innocent, it must have felt like screaming for help at soundproof glass. I bet they saw this during that time. History does repeat itself doesn't it?

If people dig hard enough through someones crap (even yours) they can totally make a case against you. For anything! The cops confiscated a bible from their home which had a passage highlighted that had the word "tent" in it. "Ooo! We got 'em!" People are crazy.

As you might have guessed this is yet another movie I can check of my Meryl Streep list. She is solid gold, man! Someone as talented as that must be coo-coo, you think?
My mom has been really into a book lately by Shirley Maclaine called Saging While Aging. She's been sharing tidbits with me. Knowing my love for Meryl, she relayed a conversation Maclaine had with her in her book. Talking to Meryl she asked about the movie A Cry in the Dark, specifically the courtroom scene of her on the stand. "How did you do it?" Maclaince asked. "I was the dingo" she said.
See? Crazy brilliant.

Sublime

"Welcome to Outback Steakhouse."

2 Stars

I really don't see the point.
This movies goes round and round and there's no real pay off. I'm all good with the un-fairytale endings, I dig 'em! But this was just, well retarded. It reminded me of those pointless jokes that keep going and going only to have the punchline be simple and obvious and not funny. "Hey clown! Fuck you!" I'll tell you that one later. Just like this movie, it sucks.

Dude goes into the hospital for this first colonoscopy.
Soon one weird thing after another starts happening. They switched his chart and he got someone else's surgery. There's some mysterious wing of the hospital that is doing raw and dirty surgeries to people. He gets his leg amputated, bangs a nurse, witnesses a murder, wheels in on his wife banging his doctor, and some dude named Mandingo cuts off his fingers and toes!! On top of all this wackiness there's a shrieking eagle throughout the whole movie, and it doesn't tie into anything. Like I was watching The Falconer sketch on SNL.

With all of this going on could you believe it felt like absolutely nothing was happening? I was watching this with some friends. Freaky said "I feel like I'm just waiting for something to happen already."
I'm sure this would make for a better TV movie on the SciFi channel.
This movie was a recommendation as well. And I was feeling so bad while watching it. Sorry V.
But hey, it's not like she made it, right?

Juno

"Oh you think your hot shit 'cause you get to sit over there and play pictionary, well guess what? My five year old daughter can do that and let me tell you, she's not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed. So until you have your own kid, why don't you just go back to nightschool in Manteno and get a real job."

4 Stars

Though the hype on this movie has really died down, I saw it when it was really at a frenzy. During the opening credits, I could feel my eyes rolling a bit, cause it all ready felt like I'd seen this before. But I let it go, took a deep breath, and decided to simply watch the movie. This is a skill I'm trying my best to master.

This movie is the definition of charm. A dry and witty teenage girl, Juno, gets pregnant by her equally cute boyfriend played by Micheal Cena (Superbad). She chooses to give the baby up for adoption, but wants to make sure it will have the best parents she can find.

Ellen Page who plays Juno, has the best delivery which is really what makes the writting shine.
Speaking of writting, the screenplay was written by a first time screenwriter Diablo Cody who began writing Juno on her down time from stripping. (I know, right?!)
Micheal Cena is as cute as ever, but I am concerned that he may be pidgeonholed into the akward teen role much like John Heder of Nepolean Dynamite fame. He should stay away from comedy for a while and wiggle his way into a good drama. Oh oh, and no thrillers either!

Yeah this movie is cute and funny, but it really gave me some thoughts on teen pregnancy. Teens just aren't meant to have babies. As Juno put it she's "dealing with situations beyond [her] copasoty".
Juno really felt she was doing the right thing, and she was. It was just heartbreaking to watch her find out that her chosen parents weren't as perfect as she thought. I remeber being young an thinking, why don't people just do one thing, or stop doing another. It should just be that simple. Since I've gotten a little older I've found that the most simple issue can become really complicated. A lesson that teens who are faced with parental responsiblilty are forced to learn very fast.

When I left the theater I wanted Juno (the movie) to be a little tshatshke that I would put on a shelf. I would look at it and feel a little gooffy for liking it, but it would make me smile. Maybe I would make it in the form of a cheeseburger. Cause there's nothing like calling your best friend on your cheeseburger phone to tell her your pregnant, and need an abortion.
See? Charming.