Juno MacGruff and Max Fischer
I went to the Syracuse-Pittsburgh game today. We had great seats and enjoyed the best run of play from the Orange since Devendorf went down. Then the last two minutes happened, and I was left on the precipice of weeping for the first time at a live sporting event. Actually, I'm glad I went to that game, rather than watch the game from home. There was a 25,000+ support group there going through that with me.
That's all I have to say about that. Instead, let's talk movies. I saw Juno two days ago. I really enjoyed the movie my buddy Demetrios called, "One of my all-time favorites." So you can understand where he is coming from, for a long time Demetrios called The Royal Tenenbaums his favorite movie. We have such similar tastes, that I still call Rushmore my favorite movie. In fact, I saw a lot of similarities between Rushmore and Juno, and in particular, between Juno MacGruff and Max Fishcer. Did you? Check it out...
Max is a teenager.
Juno is a teenager.
Max is a bit of a social outcast among his peers, even when the movie starts.
Juno is a bit of a social outcast among her peers, even before she gets pregnant.
Max doesn't shy away from being the center of attention.
Juno doesn't shy away from being the center of attention.
Max is not school smart at all.
Juno is, I think we can assume, not particularly school smart.
Max is fast talking.
Juno is very fast talking.
Max shows maturity beyond his years in some scenes, and naivety you'd expect of his age in other scenes.
Juno shows maturity beyond her years in some scenes, and naivety you'd expect of her age in other scenes.
Max has a unique talent for writing and producing plays.
Juno has a unique amount of knowledge about music, and plays guitar.
Max is far more comfortable around adults than most kids his age to the extent that it drives the plot of the movie.
Juno is far more comfortable around adults than most kids her age to the extent that it creates the key plot complication.
Max falls in love with someone way too old for him.
Juno is the object of desire for someone way too old for her.
Max develops a special bond with a male adult other than his dad.
Juno develops a special bond with a female adult other than her parents.
Max has a fantastic, caring, well-meaning dad.
Juno has a fantastic, caring, well-meaning dad.
Max's mom died when he was younger, and only appears in the movie as a gravestone, where Max puts a plant he was given as a gift.
Juno's mom is divorced and out of the picture, and only appears in the movie through her annual gifts of cacti.
Max finds a deeper relationship with a girl his age at the end of the movie.
Juno finds a deeper relationship with a boy her age at the end of the movie.
Max's best friend Dirk sticks with him through his trials. (Briefly, their friendship is tested when Dirk hears what Max said about Dirk's mom.)
Juno's best friend Leah sticks with her through her trials.
Max seems to have matured and grown wiser at the end of the film.
Juno seems to have matured and grown wiser at the end of the film.
KEY EXCEPTION: Max is far less comfortable with himself, at least in the beginning of the movie, than Juno is.
OTHER SIMILATIES
Both movies take place over the course of a school year, with fall changing to winter changing to spring as the plot progresses. The time changes are noted with animated graphics.
Both movies featured endless awkward moments.
Both movies were comedies, despite their fairly serious plots.
Both use music to a stronger extent than the average movie. Lyrics are meaningful, significant in key plot transitions.
There is a lot more, but I think I've made my point. These are both coming of age films with fantastic central characters. I've always thought of Max as unique as a movie character. Now I feel I've found another character cut from a similar ilk. They are both delightful.
That's all I have to say about that. Instead, let's talk movies. I saw Juno two days ago. I really enjoyed the movie my buddy Demetrios called, "One of my all-time favorites." So you can understand where he is coming from, for a long time Demetrios called The Royal Tenenbaums his favorite movie. We have such similar tastes, that I still call Rushmore my favorite movie. In fact, I saw a lot of similarities between Rushmore and Juno, and in particular, between Juno MacGruff and Max Fishcer. Did you? Check it out...
Max is a teenager.
Juno is a teenager.
Max is a bit of a social outcast among his peers, even when the movie starts.
Juno is a bit of a social outcast among her peers, even before she gets pregnant.
Max doesn't shy away from being the center of attention.
Juno doesn't shy away from being the center of attention.
Max is not school smart at all.
Juno is, I think we can assume, not particularly school smart.
Max is fast talking.
Juno is very fast talking.
Max shows maturity beyond his years in some scenes, and naivety you'd expect of his age in other scenes.
Juno shows maturity beyond her years in some scenes, and naivety you'd expect of her age in other scenes.
Max has a unique talent for writing and producing plays.
Juno has a unique amount of knowledge about music, and plays guitar.
Max is far more comfortable around adults than most kids his age to the extent that it drives the plot of the movie.
Juno is far more comfortable around adults than most kids her age to the extent that it creates the key plot complication.
Max falls in love with someone way too old for him.
Juno is the object of desire for someone way too old for her.
Max develops a special bond with a male adult other than his dad.
Juno develops a special bond with a female adult other than her parents.
Max has a fantastic, caring, well-meaning dad.
Juno has a fantastic, caring, well-meaning dad.
Max's mom died when he was younger, and only appears in the movie as a gravestone, where Max puts a plant he was given as a gift.
Juno's mom is divorced and out of the picture, and only appears in the movie through her annual gifts of cacti.
Max finds a deeper relationship with a girl his age at the end of the movie.
Juno finds a deeper relationship with a boy her age at the end of the movie.
Max's best friend Dirk sticks with him through his trials. (Briefly, their friendship is tested when Dirk hears what Max said about Dirk's mom.)
Juno's best friend Leah sticks with her through her trials.
Max seems to have matured and grown wiser at the end of the film.
Juno seems to have matured and grown wiser at the end of the film.
KEY EXCEPTION: Max is far less comfortable with himself, at least in the beginning of the movie, than Juno is.
OTHER SIMILATIES
Both movies take place over the course of a school year, with fall changing to winter changing to spring as the plot progresses. The time changes are noted with animated graphics.
Both movies featured endless awkward moments.
Both movies were comedies, despite their fairly serious plots.
Both use music to a stronger extent than the average movie. Lyrics are meaningful, significant in key plot transitions.
There is a lot more, but I think I've made my point. These are both coming of age films with fantastic central characters. I've always thought of Max as unique as a movie character. Now I feel I've found another character cut from a similar ilk. They are both delightful.
posted by Prof. A at 5:00 PM
2 Comments:
The Syracuse loss was one of the most shocking losses i can ever imagine. The youth of this team was clearly evident today. Syracuse losing today gave me the exact opposite of the feeling i got to see Cornell clinch the Ivy League championship. GO RED!!!
Also, Juno was just tremendous and i think the supporting characters really sealed the deal for me. From Michael Cera, to Allison Janney and JK Simmons as Juno's parents, to Jason Bateman playing his unassuming role brilliantly, they made this movie exceptional.
Once again, GO RED!
I was at the game, too, Paul. I still haven't quite processed what happened there at the end. And Boeheim's behavior leads me to believe that I'm not the only one in that particular boat.
That said, we're still the only ones who've run the Big East tourney in four days. And these days, winning the Big East tourney is on a level with anything but making it to the third week of the Madness, imho.
Still plenty to play for. As long as you, like I, don't think too much about how we got to where we are right now.
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