http://www.theottery.com/2006/02/have-you-hugged-your-junebug-today/ "If an otter can't have fun doing something, it just simply won't do it." Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:18:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://www.theottery.com/2006/02/have-you-hugged-your-junebug-today/#comment-9 theotter Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:28:49 +0000 http://www.theottery.com/2006/02/have-you-hugged-your-junebug-today/#comment-9 I should have mentioned before that Junebug's deleted scenes are so beautiful, and I wish they had been left in the film! None of them change the words of George's mysterious last line (which I interpreted as meaning he was so relieved of the pressure of observing--rather than actually mediating, of course--the culture clash; I don't entirely believe him, though, because he seems to wish for harmony--he's just not ready to do anything about it yet--but maybe he will eventually), but they do change the tone. There are bits of reconciliation, tiny gestures, in the deleted scenes that deepen your love for all the characters. So if you still have that DVD, watch 'em! I should have mentioned before that Junebug’s deleted scenes are so beautiful, and I wish they had been left in the film! None of them change the words of George’s mysterious last line (which I interpreted as meaning he was so relieved of the pressure of observing–rather than actually mediating, of course–the culture clash; I don’t entirely believe him, though, because he seems to wish for harmony–he’s just not ready to do anything about it yet–but maybe he will eventually), but they do change the tone. There are bits of reconciliation, tiny gestures, in the deleted scenes that deepen your love for all the characters. So if you still have that DVD, watch ‘em!

]]> http://www.theottery.com/2006/02/have-you-hugged-your-junebug-today/#comment-8 Z Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:37:22 +0000 http://www.theottery.com/2006/02/have-you-hugged-your-junebug-today/#comment-8 Having just seen Junebug last night, I wanted to weigh in on the film. I too was struck by the way the film disrupted our expectations for a thin/urban/standoffish career woman meets touchy/feely/Southern family of an evangelical Christian persuasion. As an atmospheric piece, I thought the film was brilliant. Just as the characters were lovingly created, the scenery and setting of the film was carefully created. (I think I have been in that church basement!) The last line of the movie, in which George stated that he was glad to be leaving, continues to intrigue me. Is he really? Was his ability to slip back into family live a put on? Is it just that he can't reconcile his family life with his new life with Madeline? I did expect her to have another line and perhaps start some kind of car game--some gesture toward reconcilliation. But there was none. The believability of the characters and the freshness of the perspective made this film much more powerful than Lost in Translation or its more recent incarnation, Broken Flowers. Having just seen Junebug last night, I wanted to weigh in on the film. I too was struck by the way the film disrupted our expectations for a thin/urban/standoffish career woman meets touchy/feely/Southern family of an evangelical Christian persuasion. As an atmospheric piece, I thought the film was brilliant. Just as the characters were lovingly created, the scenery and setting of the film was carefully created. (I think I have been in that church basement!) The last line of the movie, in which George stated that he was glad to be leaving, continues to intrigue me. Is he really? Was his ability to slip back into family live a put on? Is it just that he can’t reconcile his family life with his new life with Madeline? I did expect her to have another line and perhaps start some kind of car game–some gesture toward reconcilliation. But there was none. The believability of the characters and the freshness of the perspective made this film much more powerful than Lost in Translation or its more recent incarnation, Broken Flowers.

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